A Puffy Epiphany

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

This morning before I took the dog outside at 6am my iPhone said it was 7 degrees out. When I got downtown at 8:15am and passed a bank, their thermometer said -7 degrees. Welcome to another long and arduous Chicago winter, suffering from frozen nostrils while shivering in the corner waiting for a train.

That's what I would have though before I had a winter coat breakthrough. I normally buy coats based on looks and looks alone. My vanity has gotten me to the point of owning a (very cute!) green coat made of the thinnest wool possible, so fitted you can barely fit a sweater underneath with non-functional pockets. Who buys this stuff? Me. Why do I buy this stuff? Because I want to look cute. However, shopping just for cute can be a big FAIL in the winter.

I made the decision this year to buy a coat to last more than a season that will actually keep me happy and warm. Enter the puffer coat.

Why didn't anyone ever tell me about puffers before?!

Yes, I am 100% serious that I totally missed the boat on these. I must have seen a million puffers in the past but just never registered that there was a reason women across the city were running around in these during the coldest months. I wish someone had just pulled me aside and told me I was an idiot for tromping around in anything less.

After searching online at practically every puffer ever made, I kept on coming back to one coat - a Calvin Klein Charcoal Puffer with a big (fake) fur trimmed hood. I found it on Rue La La and for $90 it was all mine (I've found it online in other places for $150+, so I feel even more fantastic that I got a great deal).


{Source}

This coat has seriously changed my wintry life. It's fluffy, matches my gray Emu boots, and is so warm. In the coldest of cold temperatures we've faced thus far this winter, I've barely felt a thing. And despite my pre-puffer views that coast like this were oversized and awkward to wear, this coat has absolutely no bulk to it.

And, dare I say, it's rather cute, don't you think?

I have fall on the brain!

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Obviously I'm ready for fall because I can't stop buying fall clothes! I had been lusting after this cute little plaid dress from the Gap ever since I saw it on their site. I picked it up this weekend using my 30% off coupon for the friends and family event. I knew I wouldn't want to take it off if I let myself try it on!


Source
(Note: does anyone else feel bad for the girl in the picture? Where did the rest of her face go?!)

I was bummed to read the bad reviews of the dress on their site. Yes, it is a larger dress and not what you would call "figure flattering." It's a shift dress, for goodness sakes! Isn't it supposed to be boxy?

Well, I still think I love it (although of course I'm going to go straight to my closet after work and try it on again, re-evaluating everything...I mean, it still has the tags on it...). Hmph. Has anyone else picked this dress up off the racks?

Sigh. I hope we get a long, beautiful fall this year. It seems like the past few have been gone within the blink of an eye, and we go from 85 degrees to snow within days. I'd like a nice, cool, crisp 65 degrees for at least 2 months, thankyouverymuch!