Saturday, November 5, 2011

A tale of a jacket--so, this little number actually looked kind of cute in the Talbots catalog, and when I saw that was marked down to $30, I bought it on final sale without ever trying it on. Big mistake. I had forgotten that the jackets are frequently pinned on the models to make them look more fitted than they really are, and this one swims on me. It is also a very high buttoning jacket--if you look at the picture below you will see what I mean.
So, I thought I would put it up for sale on Ebay. Someone immediately bought it, but they never paid for it. (I guess this is a frequent practice--someone will buy something from a newbie seller and hope they'll send it out without waiting for payment.) I learned my lesson there and decided I would just wear it. So I did, today, on a Saturday. I wore it all day while running around doing errands and while just hanging around the house. I rolled the sleeves up a bit, because these bracelets sleeves look like they are a little short on me, rather than stylish. I also took some time to press the collar down so that it could button only up to the third button, as this model below is wearing it.
The verdict? Well, I'm still not in love with this jacket. It has way too much material at the bottom, and it is absolutely straight down--creating a boxy look not good for someone with a bust line. I could open up the lining and attempt to alter it, but I'm not sure I like it even well enough to try.
I have discovered that I don't like double breasted jackets anyway. I don't mind that construction in a real coat, because I wear it a different way, but I like the option of leaving a jacket open. I think double breasted styles just look weird when they are hanging open with all that material in the front. Maybe if I were built more like a stick--hmmm.....
Anyway, I did learn a very valuable lesson. No more final sale items for me!!!
Beaded Merino Wool Sweater in Heather Gray, Talbots; Grace Fit Basketweave Jacket in Paris Pink, Talbots; Platinum Slim Denim Jeans in Light Wash; Chicos.

UPDATE: 1/21/2012
A few days ago I had some extra time, so I opened up the lining on this jacket and took out three inches around the bottom and tapered it up to the top. Now it has a much more tailored look, and I'm actually thinking I might wear it. The reason I got up the energy to actually try and alter it is because I saw a very similar jacket in the new Talbots catalog, and I really liked the look. I have a similar scarf, and I think I'll give it a second try.
I'm still not in love with double-breasted styles, though, and I just read in a style book that short full-figured women (like me) should steer clear of double-breasted styles. Note taken!!!