I was going to write about the DD Atelier “Diva” dress this week, but Hurricane Sandy has knocked out all the subway service here in NYC, so I’ve been biking to work—and that means no dresses. But I also bought a new winter coat recently, which I’m itching to share!
I own two serious winter coats suitable for the freezing cold weather we have in New York State, one waterproof option for skiing and those really, really cold days when the temperature hovers in the single digits (that’s colder than negative 12 Celsius), and one more professional-looking one made of wool. My ski coat was purchased in high school and I’ve wanted a more modern one for ages, but it’s so hard to find ones that have boob room without making a busty woman look like a marshmallow or stuffed sausage.
But then I happened to flip through the most recent Land’s End catalog, and found a plethora of fitted down coats (they call them “depoofed”) in stunning colors. Plus the website was having a sale for 30% off any one item and free shipping, so I finally took the plunge and bought one. Here are some that I considered:
Those diagonal seams are so flattering!
Adore this sea green, but this one’s shape is a little less curvy (though that could just be the angle at which the model’s standing).
This was my number two choice. The skirt-shape bottom would be great for balancing a big bust. And I love the lime green lining. I prefer bright colors to neutral grey, but that pop of neon is sublime. It also comes in a beautiful grape purple.
And finally, the coat I couldn’t pass up:
Only I ordered it in “velvet orange” (no earth tones here!). Here it is on me:
(The color is more of a dark red-orange in real life and in my original photo. It looks like pumpkin orange in WordPress for some reason.)
At first I was disappointed that it didn’t look as slimming on me as on the model, but she’s wearing a darker color and is probably thinner and significantly taller than me. But after trying it on a few more times, I’ve decided I love it!
As you can see, it’s a little blockier than the catalog photo, and I do wish it was cinched in a little more at the waist (you can see how it bunches up a bit at the back of the belt). But it has plenty of room for my boobs, I don’t feel or look stuffed into it, and I can move comfortably. It’s also so warm. And I adore the color.
The stretchy belt is very comfortable. It doesn’t feel binding at all, but I think it does a good job exposing my shape amid the coat’s bulk, especially when seen from a partial angle. The faux fur on the hood zips off, as does the entire hood. The fur doesn’t feel all gross and plasticy either, though it needs to be fluffed up more.
Some other details I love:
- Micro-fleece inner cuffs at the ends of the sleeves and inside the neck.
- Deep zipper pockets for your hands and flat zipper pockets on the front.
- The belt is removable.
- It’s a double zipper, so you can open the bottom.
Land’s End sizing is pretty generous. I purchased a small. The size chart is basically useless. It only lists bust and coat length. What about waist or hips? My bust places me as medium according to the chart, but I would have been swimming in that. I’d recommend just picking your usual size in shirts and going down one.
All of these coats come in petite, three come in tall, and three are available in plus-size. In fact, most Land’s End coats are offered in plus-size in all the same colors at the “regular” sizes. They even show the coats on plus-size models so you don’t have to just imagine how they look in bigger sizes.
When I was a kid, Land’s End seemed very outdoorsy and old, full of earth tones and blocky styles. And now I’m so impressed by their modern shapes, colors, and inclusive array of sizes. The prices are also extremely reasonable. The coats I highlighted here range from $100 for the first one to $200 for the one I chose. Plus there are frequent sales that are listed right on the site, so you don’t have to scour the internet for coupon codes. Highly recommended if you’re a curvy woman looking for a fashionable, functional, and flattering coat.
I’m so jealous. That’s the coat I wanted to get for myself but was too impatient to order a plus to try it on. Misses did NOT have enough boob room for me.
I ended up with Larry Levine
I went for the Lands End coat as well-but the one with the buckle/tie belt-I felt like a giant puffball. I ordered the small might try the XS– I had such high hopes.
xs too small-I went to Sears–Leah- I tried to try on your coat and could not undo the buckle and neither could the saleswoman!!!
Haha oh no! How did you get out of it? It must have been defective. I had a really hard time getting the zipper to work the first couple times I tried closing it, and then I got it stuck at the bottom and had to take the whole coat off to fiddle with it and get it apart. But that seemed to do the trick because now it’s fine.
The best part is, it came with a tag that had instructions on how to use the zipper. Apparently I needed them!