I can't believe that it has been almost two months since I last wrote a Guide To Elegance post! In the new year I will try to get this series back onto a weekly (or more realistically, a bi-weekly) schedule since there are some great chapters ahead. For those of you who may be new to the blog, these posts review chapters from Genevieve Antoine Dariaux's book, A Guide to Elegance, to determine if the old fashion rules still apply. The full introduction to this series of posts can be found here and previous posts can be read here. This week's topic is coats:
"The smartest coats are also the simplest ones, whose elegance resides principally in the quality of the material, in the colour, and in the refinement of their basic lines." (pgs. 22-23)
A well-designed coat is worth the extra time and money because it will last you several seasons and you will actually want to wear it for that length of time. However, this does not mean that you have to choose a bland style. For classic silhouettes in modern prints and fun colors, I am currently obsessed with Boden, but a trip to your local department store will also give you a variety of options.
Madame Dariaux suggests that there are four styles of coats that every woman needs to have in her wardrobe: a warm winter coat, a mid-weight wool coat, a raincoat, and a silk coat for evening. The only one of these that I think many women would find themselves lacking is the silk coat. In my opinion, more important than the fabric is the overall style of your evening coat. I had a black and gold jacquard evening coat that I wore for many years and absolutely adored. The best part of it was that it matched the formality of even my fanciest dresses so I never felt like my outerwear was ruining my overall look.
Madame Dariaux suggests that there are four styles of coats that every woman needs to have in her wardrobe: a warm winter coat, a mid-weight wool coat, a raincoat, and a silk coat for evening. The only one of these that I think many women would find themselves lacking is the silk coat. In my opinion, more important than the fabric is the overall style of your evening coat. I had a black and gold jacquard evening coat that I wore for many years and absolutely adored. The best part of it was that it matched the formality of even my fanciest dresses so I never felt like my outerwear was ruining my overall look.
"[I]t is the bright coats which add a note of gaiety to a city scene and bring a flush of pleasure to your face when you catch a glimpse of your reflection as you pass in front of a shop window." (pg. 24)
It is rare that I so whole-heartedly agree with Madame Dariaux, but a great color (or pattern) really can improve your mood. For wool coats I tend to choose a solid color, but my raincoats nearly always sport a bold pattern. The one exception to a brightly colored coat is when you are choosing a puffy, down coat. I used to have a bright coral down coat for winter but the bold color combined with the extreme puff of the coat made me look significantly larger than I am so when it was time for a change, I opted for boring black. But even if you choose a neutral color, you should still add on cheery winter accessories.
"I wish we never had to take them off." (pg. 24)
This should be your reaction to any new coat purchase. After all, coats are a more costly investment than many other pieces in your closet, so it should be practical and you should love it. What appeals to you in a coat may be something small, like a contrast lining in a fun color or pattern, detailed buttons, or even just a silhouette that makes you feel like a million bucks.
Do your favorite coats fit in with Madame Dariaux's rules? Let me know in the comments!
Do your favorite coats fit in with Madame Dariaux's rules? Let me know in the comments!
Dariaux, Genevieve Antoine. A Guide to Elegance. New York: William Morrow, 2003. Print.
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