Here’s the coat I think I’m going to buy–and actually keep:

big bust ralph lauren coat finalist
Yes, I need to have the sleeves shortened.

The wide and deep lapel, together with the upside-down V at the bottom, contribute to a shape that is more hourglassy than rectangular. Thanks to the lack of buttons and the generous wrap style, there’s also no danger of gapping or strum-strum, and it’s roomy enough to wear bulky layers underneath. The 10% cashmere makes it soft, and the 70% wool will make it nice and warm. I’m disappointed that the closure isn’t real leather, but I think there may be a way to replace it.

I felt pretty smug for discovering this coat before reading about it in October’s O Magazine. Adam Glassman says it flatters every body type because of the adjustable fastening.

busty adam glassman coat recoGood luck trying to find it in red, though! I’ve seen it in black everywhere, in camel on the Ralph Lauren website, and in something called “czar tan” at Lord & Taylor. You can also spend over five times more for a similar coat from Akris Punto, made with wool/angora fabric from Italy and using a real leather closure instead of a fake one.

I ordered this coat in size 16 from Nordstrom on September 5. A few weeks ago, I saw that size 16 was sold out at both Nordstrom and Macy’s, but now they’re back. That’s good for me because until midnight tonight, this coat is also on sale at Macy’s for just $250. (If you decide to buy it, please do so by clicking the link in the previous sentence or the one above the first photo so that Hourglassy gets little commission.) Needless to say, I’ve re-ordered it on sale and am sending my original purchase back to Nordstrom. Lessons learned about coat-shopping early: (1) You’re more likely to find something you like in your size; and (2) you’re ready for surprise sales.

I found this to be true again while browsing the Macy’s site this morning. I discovered that the Betsey Johnson corset-style coat that a lot of you liked is also available in plus sizes for those of us who can’t fit the size 14 that I wrote about. And it’s ON SALE. I can hardly contain my excitement!

big bust betsey johnson coat find

If you buy the straight size TODAY, you save $90, and if you use the code FALL, you save another 15%. If you buy the plus size today, you save $80, plus another 15% with the same code. I ordered the size 16, and the total before taxes came to $272–a giant difference from the original price of $400.

Wait. There’s more. If you’ve been yearning for one of those 100% cashmere coats from Lee Lee’s Valise that I wrote about, you can get 20% off online today only with the code COLUMBUS. That Grace Jones coat that I told you was over $800? It’s really called the Mary coat, and it’s only $628. After the 20% discount, that comes to $502.40 pre-tax. (By the way, Hourglassy does not receive any commissions if you purchase through this link, but don’t let that stop you!)

It looks like I’m going to end up with another black coat. I really, really, really tried to find something in a flattering color. However, whether I choose the Lauren Ralph Lauren coat or the Betsey Johnson corset coat, at least I’m not going to end up with a black coat equivalent of the plain black bikini that I bought this summer. Actually, until I began shopping, I didn’t realize that that’s what I was already wearing!

busty current coat
I’ve always felt put-together in this coat, so perhaps the scarf-less pose doesn’t do it justice.

Here are my other Macy’s tries. They’re each Anne Klein, and they’re each size 16. The reason I’m so focused on Macy’s this year is that we’ve somehow earned enough points from our bank for a $200 Macy’s gift card. If only I had liked one of the coats below, that would have translated to a free coat! As it is, I’ll probably use the gift card towards one of my finalists (which means I won’t get the benefit of these sales, but I’ll be saving $200 instead) . . . unless I find something else in the meantime that blows them out of the water.

anne klein red coat 1

anne klein blue coat 2
I kind of like this one. Unfortunately, it gave me one of those profiles where the top hem is higher than the back hem. Not by a lot, but enough to annoy me.
anne klein coat 3
Same profile issue as the blue one, and in a less vibrant color.

anne klein red coat neckline experiment
I unbuttoned the top button to try to create neckline boob. Meh.