shopping for a woman's coat

November 4, 2007 8:52 PM

What's a good place to buy relatively inexpensive women's coat (either online or in manhattan)?

My girlfriend is sick of the winter coat she bought from H&M a few years ago, so I'm planning on buying her one as a present. I know she likes the Double-faced wool bella coat from J-Crew, but I'd love to find something similar for a little less money. We've tried thrift stores and some department stores, but they don't usually have a good selection for size 0s. I know nothing about where to shop for this stuff, so I'm hoping you all can help.

posted by eisenkr to shopping (11 comments total)

Burlington Coat Factory - This link goes to Women >
Wool, Natural Fibers & Blends
posted by B(oYo)BIES at 9:04 PM on November 4, 2007

Century 21?
posted by kcm at 9:15 PM on November 4, 2007

Some lucky gal. Here are some suggestions:
Daffy's and Burlington (seconded!) for good quality and less expensive.
Anthropologie, you can find some less expensive than JCrew.
posted by carmina at 9:15 PM on November 4, 2007

yeah, century 21. think nordstrom rack on steroids. It will not disappoint, esp. if you are new to new york. try to go early, as the crowds are just huge later in the day.
posted by wuzandfuzz at 9:27 PM on November 4, 2007

Yes, if she's size 0, definitely try Century 21 or Daffy's. You can also give Loehmann's a shot. TJ Maxx and Filene's Basement can be somewhat hit or miss. I'd be careful with Burlington because they used to have a particularly shitty return policy. Make sure you check it carefully before buying anything there.

If you're up for an adventure, take a bus ride (or drive if you have wheels) up to Woodbury Commons or Jersey Gardens. Both of them have a Sak's Off Fifth, Needless Markup (a/k/a Neiman Marcus) Last Call, and Jersey Gardens has a particularly good Daffy's. Woodbury even has a Barney's Co-Op outlet, as well as a J. Crew store.

If at all possible, I highly suggest attempting to avoid the outlets on weekends. Otherwise it's just awful. Too fucking many people. Screaming. Crying. Fighting. And that's just before you get in from the parking lot. ;)

Happy shopping. And what a *very* lucky friend!
posted by dancinglamb at 9:30 PM on November 4, 2007

Try vintage/antique stores - vintage clothes are usually smaller, so finding a nice wool coat for someone that small will probably not be that difficult. If you find the right style/color/size, it will likely be of a much higher quality than you can buy new. Also, the price will probably be lower. The downside to this, of course, is that buying vintage is a hit/miss proposition. Other people here might have suggestions for where to go in Manhattan for quality vintage clothing.
posted by splendid animal at 10:01 PM on November 4, 2007

DKNY Wool Blend Belted Walker Coat $159
Marvin Richards Wool Blend Coat with Fox Fur Trim $239
Bill Blass Black Angora Wool Blend Coat $159
DKNY Wool & Cashmere Double Breasted Trench Coat $200
DKNY Wool Blend Walker Coat $160

Actually it looks like these are all size 2.
posted by null terminated at 10:14 PM on November 4, 2007

Ann Taylor Loft wool coat, available in black and in size 0.

Ann Taylor textured wool coat, in 0. (I WANT.)
posted by peep at 10:34 PM on November 4, 2007

I'm a huge fan of the Tulle coats:

Single breasted $105

Double breasted $110

You can typically find them on Ebay a little cheaper. But they're incredibly cute with good details and very warm.

Good luck.
posted by teleri025 at 8:30 AM on November 5, 2007

You could always put yourself on the J Crew email list and keep an eye out for sales very soon of some of the winter stuff, maybe you can get the Bella coat you want for less money - also - there are some eBay sellers that have J Crew that's new, maybe some is last season, but if you search for that coat name or other coat names that are similar in style, you might find one for significantly less than the listed price.

(Also, AFAIK J Crew puts stuff on sale on their website at some very late hour of a Sunday night or Monday morning, like 4-5am, so if you happen to check every Monday very early you might catch one before the size you want is all gone.)
posted by citron at 9:17 AM on November 5, 2007

Or, if you go in the store and can't find the size you want there (I'm guessing the 0-2 range sells out fast in Manhattan), use the red phone in the store to order from the catalog - shipping is free that way - also check www.retailmenot.com for any shipping discount or coupons if you order online. (I have a bunch of their clothes b/c the quality is usually quite good for the price, esp. the pea coats and t-shirts. Something too cheap might not last more than a season without looking shabby.)
posted by citron at 9:23 AM on November 5, 2007