the perfect coat

In our wanders in Kensington, Bunny and I went to quite a few vintage clothing stores. I've been really wanting to use thrift and vintage stores for a bigger portion of my wardrobe. I have had some decent thrift store finds in the past, but I don't know that I've ever found something that I'd truly call vintage, or that I think is out-of-this-world special. Mostly I just use thrift stores when I'm between sizes (and I do need to get a couple of between sizes pairs of jeans, come to think of it).

However, I have these obsessions with boots and coats. When I find a perfect pair of boots, or a perfect coat, I have no ability to say no. If I try it on and I love it, there is no question. It comes home with me. I hate though when I'm just running around the city and I see my coat or my boots on other people. And my heart does a little jump for joy when I put a perfect coat on.

It should also be said that I by no means needed a new coat. I mean, I'm all coat-ed out. See the following:

• Costco camel-coloured coat that I should ditch but I wore the first night Bunny and I stayed up all night and has sentimental value. (maybe I'll toss it when I donate the pile of clothes upstairs to goodwill. I really should)
• The black wool coat (you know, the same wool coat that everyone has the past few years? One of those) that's missing buttons and is too big for me this year (yay?)
• Blue and white plaid wool coat with the thinsulate lining that I got last year because it was $40 on boxing day sales and it was warmer than the black wool
• The monster snow coat that should never been seen outside of a blizzard
• My (multiple) Danier jackets
• Black suede - this one fits like it was made for me, is super flattering ... and used to be my mom's
• Red leather - this one fits like it was made for someone half a foot taller than me, isn't especially flattering but everyone loves on me, and is a blazer so tends to get cold (in the chest/neck area) ... and used to be my mom's
• Orange leather - I lovelovelove this coat. I put it on and couldn't leave the store and accidentally spent $200 on earlier this year. But I feel like a million bucks every time I put it on, and Bunny loves is

Can you see why I don't need any more coats? Except, I kind of bought one.

It's perfect though. It's this gorgeous super dark hunter green (Bunny can only see the green in the sunlight, it's so dark) with a double row of brass buttons and a few little details on the wrist. This coat gave me that instant reaction, again.

It goes to just past my knees, so will be nice and warn for the winter season. It's 1960's vintage and is super super perfect. What's amazing is that as much as it's from the 60's, it's a very classic styled coat, so it doesn't look dated at all. It's heavy wool, and has a good lining. Super super warm. The sleeves are maybe a half inch short, but I can live with that. I mean, I wear gloves.

This is the coat that I've been waiting for. A warm, stylish winter coat. Something dressy enough that I could wear it to an event, if I had one. Something that will keep my knees warm when I wear skirts. Something that gives me more coverage than my other (other! because I'm a freak and have way Too Many Coats) wool coats, without going into parka territory.

Because let's be honest: this girl lives in Canada. Canadian winters are not "mild" even on a good year. We damn freeze here, and I don't freeze well. I mean, I have heat on and am wrapped in two blankets right now. Not so good with the cold. There's a reason everyone I know is into the Canada Goose and North Face winter coats. Not particularly stylin' (though they aren't ugly ... but there's only so nice a thick puffy coat will ever be stylish), but practical and warm.

I really don't know how I made it through Barrie winters as a child. Hip deep snow wading? Nuts.

But this coat? This is a coat I'm excited to wear this winter. Stoked.