a fitted/tailored wool blend coat with a hood-am I going crazy?!

[fbachti]

ok so maybe I am just completely out on a limb here, but why can I not find a nice neat tailored coat- you know the ones you see everywhere, usually trench style- but with a hood?? I know there is the Parka and the Duffle, but I am tired of looking like a marshmallow, I find they don't give you the nice tailored feminine look like the other coats without hoods do.
I just don't understand the point of a winter coat without a hood- sure there is the woolly hat, but my hair suffers from 'severe bad hat look' and an umbrella just does not cut it when it's windy and I am carrying like a gizzlion things whilst keeping hold of the kids! we live in the UK. It rains. It's cold. It's damp. Where is my super stylish and functional winter coat? am I the only one who feels this dismay? any one got suggestions?

You are not alone. I gave up looking though.

Will be watching with interest as I would love a coat such as you describe. There's quite a nice hooded wool-mix coat on La Redoute I was looking at, but it's not tailored-looking, and the reviews suggest that the hood looks nice but is too big to be any use in bad weather.

I generally go the hat route - I look for slouchy beret-type things, not as closely woven as traditional berets, more a soft, roomy affair that I can put all my hair in without it getting flattened. I have a brilliant one from Seasalt at the mo that I wish I'd got two or three of, as I'd be devastated if anything happened to it.

this is gorgeous

Thanks SppokyRestingFace, unfortunately red is not a colour I can pull off to well- it makes my skin look yellow- who knew!

@calamitygin- wow! that is exactly what I am after- just a bit shorter, I'm only 5ft3 so I would look like I have been dressing up in my mums wardrobe with that length. it exists in the US so why not here?

I'm also watching with interest. I have a hooded, nice fitting, wool jacket I got from H&M about 6 years ago, it's starting to look a little tired so will need replacing soon. It's a great wee jacket, practical but looks good too. Will be difficult to replace it!

Very interested in this. I've GOT to have a hood and it's almost impossible to find a smart coat, with one. I have my duvet coat and rain mac, both with hoods from Lands End...great quality but functional, not stylish. Umbrellas are useless for me as my hair frizzes if I don't have it covered and hats unfortunately look daft on me. There must be something out there....

Oh I agree fbachti, I wouldn't have gone for the red / orange one either. I liked the grey.

What about a snood, would that work? I have a brilliant snood this year. I bought it for my neck rather than my head, but it looks all right worn pulled up with a coat too.

feeling flush?

investment "piece" though ...

@calamitygin, where do you find these coats! maybe my google researching skills are not quite up to scratch! it's quite steep in price but when I think about the money spent every year on a new coat, I could probably justify spending that amount and actually have it to last! what would you say that max for a staple winter coat should be? I know my friend spent around 600 pounds, with the argument it will last her a life time....could you justify that?

as for snoods, I agree with you SpookyRestingFace, it's a fall back I have come to use when I know a hat and umbrella just won't cut it- I used a snood for a hood last year for the first time, and yes it looked ok. the only thing is it's not overly water resistant and restricts vision, but it beats hat hair and Mary Poppins umbrellas.

I seem to have this uncanny knack of sniffing out things I couldn't possibly afford.

I have to say though that I am fast coming round to the idea that a coat is definitely one of those things you can spend money on especially if you live in the UK. I saw a beautiful coat in an unusual colour t'other day (no hood) £300. Affordable considering the cost per wear. BUT I already have 3 winter coats (4 if you count the bum skimmer) and I'm not sure I can justify another ... tis gorgeous though.

do you know what, I think I may agree with you here! I think a £300 purchase on a decent winter coat is probably justifiable, as long as it is good quality fabric and craftsmanship, a well made coat can last a lifetime, especially if you chose a classic design. so well worth the investment really. ok, so maybe I have just talked myself into buying an expensive coat with a hood lol but i stand by what I say.
oh btw since you have sent me those links I have been doing some further digging on Macy's and saw that Michael Korrs and BCB Generation have some quite good stuff on there as well. I would never have thought to look on Macy's before! Just goes to show though there is a demand for such a product, but mainly elsewhere....

£300 is perfectly reasonable (except when you've got 4 coats already perhaps). So! What are you going to get?!?

I would say if it's a classic colour & cut and you have the 600 to spend, then if it lasts you 10 yrs, it's 60/year, plus cleaning. And the joy of not having to search for something elusive for that long!

Or course you have to be confident that you won't lose/gain weight dramatically

That's just what I was going to say onedog clothes you're investing in to last a lifetime depend on you staying the same size for the rest of your life.

I find hoods on wool coats are useless, they're too big and flappy like something the Scottish Widow would wear, and they blow off if there's the hint of a breeze.