I bought this coat last October. I remember because I was standing in the COS store on Fifth Avenue, holding it, putting it back, picking it up again. $390 is not nothing. But I was tired of cheap coats that pilled after three weeks and expensive coats that felt too precious to wear on the subway.
So I bought it. Took it home. Hung it on the hook by the door. And then I wore it. A lot. Probably too much.
Here's the real review after a full winter.
The First Two Weeks: Stiff and Serious
When I first put this coat on, it felt… formal. Like I should be going to a gallery opening, not picking up milk. The wool blend is dense. Not soft like cashmere. More like a good blanket that hasn't been washed yet.
The cut is boxy. Very boxy. I tried it on at home and Tom said "you look like a rectangle." I almost returned it right there.
But I kept it on while I made coffee. Then while I walked to the subway. Then while I sat at my desk. By the end of day three, the rectangle thing started to bother me less.
Here's what I figured out: the coat needs to break in. Not the fabric. Your eye. You have to get used to a shape that isn't fitted. Once I stopped expecting it to hug my body, I started liking it.
Months Two to Four: The Sweet Spot
December through February was when this coat earned its keep.
It is warm. Really warm. I wore it over a thin sweater on days when the temperature dropped to 20 degrees and I didn't shiver. The wool blend is 70 percent wool, 30 percent something synthetic I can't pronounce. Usually I prefer higher wool content, but this mix traps heat without being heavy.
I also stopped caring about the boxiness. I started leaning into it. Big scarf. Chunky boots. Jeans. The coat became the shape, and I just existed inside it.
I wore it to a client meeting in Manhattan. I wore it to the farmer's market. I wore it to my son's apartment in Chicago over Christmas. It packed surprisingly flat. No weird wrinkles when I unpacked it.
The pockets are deep. This matters more than you think. I could fit my gloves, my phone, my keys, and a paperback. Not all at once. But close.
What Went Wrong (Because Something Always Goes Wrong)
One morning in January, I spilled coffee on the sleeve. Black coffee. Right on the front left arm.
I panicked. Dabbed it with a wet paper towel. Made it worse. The stain spread into a brownish cloud.
I let it dry. Brushed it. Nothing. Looked up cleaning instructions online. The tag said "dry clean only." I ignored that. I spot cleaned with a tiny bit of dish soap and cold water. It worked. Mostly. If you look close, you can still see a faint shadow. I call it character.
The buttons are another thing. They are plastic. Not horn, not wood. Plastic. For $390, that annoyed me. None have broken yet, but they feel cheap. I might replace them myself this summer.
The coat also collects lint. White fuzz from scarves, dark fuzz from sweaters. I keep a lint roller by my door now. That's a small price to pay.
The Bottom Line After One Winter
Would I buy it again? Yes. But with my eyes open.
What I love:
Warm without being heavy
Pockets that actually work
Boxy shape that grew on me
Still looks new except the coffee stain
What I don't love:
Plastic buttons on a $390 coat is annoying
Lint magnet
First few weeks felt weird and stiff
Not for anyone who wants a fitted, feminine shape
Who this coat is for:
You want one coat that does everything. You don't want to think about layering. You like shapes that are simple and a little architectural. You don't mind explaining to your husband that yes, you meant to look like a rectangle.
Who should skip it:
You want something soft and drapey. You need a defined waist. You live somewhere with very mild winters and you only wear a coat twice a year.
One More Thing
I almost returned this coat three times. Once at the store. Once at home. Once after Tom's rectangle comment.
I am glad I didn't. Because now, six months later, it doesn't feel like a rectangle anymore. It feels like my winter uniform. I reach for it without thinking. That is the highest compliment I can give a piece of clothing.
The coffee stain is still there. The buttons still feel cheap. But I wore it every single week from November to March. Sometimes four days in a row. My other coats got jealous.
That is worth $390 to me. Your mileage may vary. Try it on. Walk around the store for ten minutes. See if the boxiness bothers you. If it does, put it back. If it doesn't, take it home and buy a lint roller on the way.
