Offhandedly, my roommate asked me how to create the perfect wardrobe. “Impossible,” I said with all due seriousness. A wardrobe is not created, but, rather, evolved. Just as we college students accrue knowledge about the human anatomy and beer, we also garner a collection of garments that will grandfather us into the “real world.”
Face it: you are never going to hit that growth spurt dad promised you. And hopefully, you haven’t gained the freshman fifteen. It’s time for you to invest in a good quality coat. Rather than fritter away your money on Dairy Queen and Victoria’s Secret Pink sweatshirts, buy a nice jacket.
Florida is not New York. Don’t be an Altuzurra hipster and wear a full fur ensemble in Tampa. You will look like Cruella de Vil. Tweed is far too heavy for a tropical winter. And don’t expect to show off your whittled down waist (thank you, Zumba) in your white, padded North Face coat.
Instead, look to the classic trench to cinch around your Scarlett O’Hara waist. Make sure your trench falls to mid-thigh at most, or else you’ll look like a creeper.
Juicy Couture and Zara both have beautifully-made trench coats (I got my Zara trench in New York City for $118 in July). If your dad owns an oil company, go to the Burberry Store. If you steal fruit from the Vaughn Center cafeteria and reuse your paper plates, go to the Internet.
The beloved UK site Topshop.com offers a simply elegant pale pink trench for an affordable $136.
Cropped or long, military-inspired coats have been a fall tradition since the ‘90s. You could never go wrong with an army green Ralph Lauren field jacket. “I’ve had my army jacket for two years,” said freshman Biology Chemistry Major, Ebonie Carter, “and I always feel pretty bad ass when I pair it with combat boots, which I do have, and plan to wear this fall. Gray. Double breasted. High collar. Fresh to death.”
With a nod to Dolce and Gabbana, try a coat in a youthful, bright color. As a fresh hipster, a neon jacket is unexpected and whimsical. When you’re 45-years-old, people will think you look like a middle-aged crossing-guard, so throw down $119 and get a Michael Kor’s trench in that darling cherry red.
We may live in the Sunshine State, but it just so happens that it rains a lot here. I got soaked walking to my class this past week. I arrived to class late and looking like a wet poodle. I promptly put a raincoat on my shopping list. L.L. Bean offers brightly colored raincoats for a reasonable $29. H&M also offers a cute nylon rain coat (their location in International Mall plans to open before the holidays).
Coat shoppers beware: the Premium Outlets at Millennia are a scam that snares naive European tourists into buying a $150 coat for $150 and letting them believe it’s a steal. Despite the variety of brands at the Outlets, the selection of coat sizes are limited, and the staff at Columbia didn’t know what a raincoat was.
“Finding a decent jacket at Kohl’s definitely takes some time,” says UT Freshman Ria Delone, but each month, the store sends out a slew of coupons, drastically reducing the price of their wares. Wait a month or two, and they’ll have a huge selection. Also, peruse the child sizes as well; they tend to run larger in size than in price.
I nearly spat my Vitamin Water in utter joy upon walking into Nordstrom’s Off the Rack (located 10 minutes away from campus, next to Super Target). They offer 30 to 70 percent discounts on mall prices and have a stash of black trenches that are Matrix-worthy.
Most stores may not have their fall shipments out yet, but stay vigilant. Scope out International Mall before October, or all those snitches with foresight will have taken your dream coat and you’ll be left looking like a marshmallow in your North Face.
Katelyn Edwards can be reached at katelyn.edwards@spartans.ut.edu