The coats are getting freaky

The 70s are coming for us

For the last two weeks, I’ve been taking photos of the interesting coats I encounter when I’m out. I didn’t mean to specifically start cataloguing coats, but that’s what’s been moving me on the streets and in the markets.

Here’s a twin from By Malene Birger, on sale. Plus a vintage number from 1st Dibs to compare, and the untied laces on the old Pumas are what is aximo.

Here are some good alts for the brown fur, and three for the red boucle/shearling coat.

It’s the retro fascinator head-piece that drives this one home.

Alt 1, alt 2

If you are going to go the poncho route, you have to go with this one (I am hot on the black)

I think the above might be this. Rue Sophie makes a lovely, less gigantic version

None of the coats wreak of the kind of good taste we’ve acclimated ourselves to expecting — there’s good tailoring out there, and with the exception of a few expressions that play off the flirtation between shoe and hat (or head of hair) —

The full vista: silver hair with burgundy cowboy boots and a slightly cropped pair of jeans, plus the camel wool coat

Red beanie, shearling-adorned camel shoes (they remind me so much of these)

The cape! The birks! The beret.

Alternatively: a puffer over the fuzz

Or shopping bag and newspaper —

I am, for the most part, taking great pleasure in the more feminine or fuzzy shapes. Be they the coats —

An Emilia Wickstead rendering is 60% off at NAP

Or the dogs hidden in the coats.

…Or the dogs who don’t need coats because they’re too cool (hot?) for that shit.

Actually, I want to dress like that one.

Ray-ban wayfarers, Charlotte Simone coat (the neutered version may be this) belted with this from Aureum, 1/3 of the unbeatable black t-necks, Callas Milano pants, Toteme chelsea boots (current season alt)

Tbh though, re: shoes, maybe we should be thinking about these as the next frontier of getting around; more 60s than 70s but 🤷🏻‍♀️

Some options from: Nour Hammour, Bill Blass (yours for $207), Nina Ricci (also on sale) and Magda Butrym (60% off)

But I’m digressing.

A screenshot from Brie Welch’s instagram stories

All fall long, I wrote about how to dress your coat as opposed to what to put on underneath it, then it occurred to me that I care so much about the coat because I’m spending more time in rather than out (officially speaking, we are post post-pandemic), so it doesn’t feel like the thing that’s covering my outfit so much as it does the actual outfit.

Which therefore means all the focus goes to the outerwear. (And when it’s not a fuzzy freak, the accessories for the outerwear.)

By Malene Birger’s ‘Dalimas’ coat (and red leather gloves), with a Shtor horn styled over + Rouje jeans and Marsell boots (my color sold out, but here is one pair in lighter beige). The sunglasses are Khaite

Tripe threat suede offset by a pair of patent leather shoes (these from Toteme could be a good alt). The rest of it includes a Roseanna shearling jacket (see also: this from Soeur, this on TRR from Acne), Massimo Dutti suede pants (or here with a cuff, in navy — pretty hot on the co-ordinating shirt) and Khaite bag

So the thesis becomes that any kind of personal style expression I am trying to make — any sort of risk I want to take or concept I want to break down or understand should be reflected in the coat.

And if the whimsical levity of the paradoxically heavy, fake fur collars I’m drawn towards indicate anything, I am pretty sure it is that our freaky coat era’s coming.

Saks Potts alt, on sale for $861

Here’s my pal Paz. And here’s a similar coat

From the shoppable internet: ‘Joni 90’ from Nour Hammour

Dries van Noten (or try the one I have), The Frankie Shop, Dries again and Charlotte Simone

This freaky coat era is in fact a byproduct of a broader trend that is landing, which looks towards the softer side of the 70s.

No doubt a result of Chloe’s new look, more recently doubledowned-on by Alessandro Michele’s (albeit a bit more preppy) Valentino.

Chemena Kamali’s Chloe (Fall 2024). I suspect I am about 2 months away from not being able to conceive an outfit without a head-warming headband (might just be 72% more practical about it)

Alessandro Michele’s Valentino (Fall 2024)

The end of “good taste” has been well documented, as has a celebration of authentic weirdness. In tandem with these expressions, I’ve been trying to understand my countering desire for simpler clothes — tissue turtlenecks, outfits constructed entirely of black. Within them, a small twinge of unhinge has consistently been coming through. Minaudieres dripping in tassels (or a suede sack with a fringe bottom), Driesian trim collars, chubby hip-hugging belts and now I’m starting to think that maybe the simplicity has represented more of a purgatory. A liminal period of style-gestation that has yet to reach term but which is gearing up for delivery. A new era is so close to here.

Vintage Halston, La Double J folk vest (also on sale like this at NAP), another beautiful vintage coat, Nour Hammour

And because leather is forever…

(Implicit in this, too, is a look towards suede and suede fringe again)

One more edit:

I saved the best for last — Nour Hammour, Wolfie Fur ($800 on TRR), Nour Hammour again and again.

Have a good week,

Leandra