I want an olive parka. Â It’s inexplicable. Â I have no idea why. Â But I keep seeing them in photos and thinking, I need that. Â The coat is a little unexpected and blends casual and chic perfectly.
Corner Office
Moose Knuckles Fox Fur Stirling Coat ($850)
Middle Cubicle
CeCe Ella Faux Fur Trim Coat ($198)
Intern Desk
Old Navy Frost Free Down Parka ($80, also in petite and tall)
Plus-size: Taylor Fashion Central Parka Coat ($119)
Have a big day ahead? Major hearing? Big trial? The presentation of your life? Gonna be at a conference with that ex? Whatever it happens to be, these are the fashion weapons that get me to the confidence level that I need to be at.
Without question, the most worn item in my wardrobe is a black-and-white striped tee. I wear it in winter under sweaters, in spring with white jeans, in summer with black shorts. I’ve been wearing the same one for years (it’s the best). But they don’t make it anymore. So here are some options for replacement.
When I started this blog, influencers still re-wore clothes. There were no haul videos filled with the latest from Shein before it winds up in a beach in Ghana poisoning the planet. There were no sponsored campaigns delivering fresh wardrobes each month. The content machine doesn’t like reruns.
Have a big day ahead? Major hearing? Big trial? The presentation of your life? Gonna be at a conference with that ex? Whatever it happens to be, these are the fashion weapons that get me to the confidence level that I need to be at.
Without question, the most worn item in my wardrobe is a black-and-white striped tee. I wear it in winter under sweaters, in spring with white jeans, in summer with black shorts. I’ve been wearing the same one for years (it’s the best). But they don’t make it anymore. So here are some options for replacement.
When I started this blog, influencers still re-wore clothes. There were no haul videos filled with the latest from Shein before it winds up in a beach in Ghana poisoning the planet. There were no sponsored campaigns delivering fresh wardrobes each month. The content machine doesn’t like reruns.
When I was young, my Mother used to bring me along when she would go shopping for fabric. As a result, I spent a lot of time, killing time, flipping through pattern books. So when I spotted this dress, I was instantly transported to the pattern table at a Jo-Ann Fabrics.
Thanks so much for bringing this back!
An olive parka was on my wish list last year. I didn’t find one, so my search continues. Love these selections!
I bought an olive type parka from London Fog a few years ago and love it. Here is something similar!
https://www.londonfog.com/women/outerwear/down-coats/sydney-insulated-hooded-winter-parka.html
I’m from the South and woefully ignorant of cold weather coats- can someone explain the difference between a parka and an anorak? Is it just that a parka is heavier and has fur on the hood?
A parka is insulated (to various degrees) making it something you want to wear when the temps get into the 20s and below. Meant for the cold part of winter.
An anorak is lighterweight, more akin to a fall jacket. Not meant to be worn in below freezing temperatures.
I’ve had and loved my cold weather olive parka (from Land’s End, of all places) for years, though I sometimes have a creeping suspicion that I look like a giant green turd while wearing it (the shade is very close to what the first photo seems to be).
Even though this is totally psychological, if I could go back again, I’d go for a darker shade (like the second photo above) or a much lighter shade (like the third above), and avoid the dubious in-between colors. Other than that, olive green all day, every day!
Can someone comment on the difference of warmth between this Moose Knuckles brand and the infamous Canada Goose brand? I just purchased a Canada Goose coat (red, actually), but it’s not too late to return it to Nordstrom! I’m in Chicago, BTW.
KCV
I don’t know Moose Knuckles, but I have a CG coat and its AMAZING. I live in Minnesota. My husband bought one after me.
I have a CG and I am never cold. worth every penny.
You rail against JCrew for quality but still link Old Navy?
I think the assumption is that at the price-point, JCrew should have better quality. At least with shopping Old Navy, you knowingly assume the risk of receiving cheaper quality goods.
JCrew is much more expensive that Old Navy. So when you pay an increased price for an item at JCrew, you expect it to be a higher quality…JCrew clearly doesn’t do that. Old Navy is less expensive to begin…so you get what you pay for.
But at least Old Navy has Old Navy prices. J.Crew has high prices with low quality.
I think it’s because JCrew charges premium prices for poor/inconsistent quality. At Old Navy, the price point is better aligned with the poor quality.
I agree that sometimes Old Navy quality is questionable, but I think the difference is quality for the price. The Old Navy coat is $80. JCrew coats are around $300. If it costs more than 3x as much, it better be more than 3x as good. Right now, a lot of the items JCrew is selling aren’t much better quality than Old Navy, but they cost a LOT more. If I buy a $20 top from Old Navy and it only lasts me one season, I’m ok with that. Cost per wear is still pretty low. But if I buy a $100 top from JCrew and it only lasts me one season, the cost per wear just increased x5. I expect to get my money’s worth, and right now JCrew is charging way more than what their product is worth.
Basically, what they said. The issue is that J.Crew creates these email ads and product descriptions filled with sweeping prose about the fine quality and world class materials in their clothes, then they show up, and they look like something from Old Navy or H&M. At Old Navy, I know I’m getting something that’s made okay, and sometimes well. And for the price, on a piece that I won’t wear a lot, I’m willing to take decent, not great quality. From a brand that tells me how well there clothes are made and charges so much for them, I expect more.
As a data point, I had a very very similar puffer coat from ON for 11 years, and I paid about $35 for it on sale (probably $80 fullprice). It was still in absolutely excellent shape when I decided to just get something new. And I lived in the Boston area, using and abusing this coat on an annual basis.
The winter coat I bought from JCrew last year was about $100 final sale, and the lining ripped and seams/threads started dropping after one mild season’s wear in DC.
So, yeah, I’d stick with ON, for all the reasons below, too.
Olive is my new favorite color. Can’t get enough.
Loft also has an olive parka this season
I just bought this north face parka for winter in Europe and it is so freaking cozy and a great shade of olive – matches my black and brown boots effortlessly.
https://www.thenorthface.com/shop/womens-tremaya-parka
Ooo thanks for sharing, I like this one!
I should also mention that i debated heavily between this and Canada Goose and the NF won out for 1) price and 2) a little extra style. Based on a lot of the reviews I read the warmth level was very comparable 🙂