Can anyone help me find a coat?

[mrsmalumbas]

Help! This is my first winter in the UK for 8 years and I am finding shopping surprisingly hard. I need a coat. I can't find anything in the shops, they all look alike, padded parkas with fur hoods that either make me look like a wannabee hoodie or alternatively look very old ladyish when I try them on. Here's the challenge for all you style gurus out there! Warm coat needed for casual wear/school run days. I live in the country, think small village schools and market towns. Cost is definitely an issue - under 50 quid would be good. I am a size 16 and curvy so not keen on anything overly padded. Also I am turning 40 this year so am a bit wary of anything too trendy - I have tried the cheap shops like Primark and Dotty P's but it all seems a bit teenage-ish IYKWIM. But at the same time I don't want to look like one of those grey haired middle aged ladies with a bubble perm a la British Home Stores. All I have now is a short corduroy bomber jacket from Tescos or a kagoule type thing - so I am a bit buggered if we get a cold snap/snow. Do I buy a winter coat now or just muddle through until Spring with my kagouley thing and a fleecey or is that just too naff?? Any ideas??!

{http://www.boden.co.uk/grid.asp?desname=Wool+Peacoat&styid=WE156&segid=6&segname=Women&gpid=11&gpname=Jackets%2FCoats&gen=1\do you like this sort of thing}

I can vouch that it is warm

sorry

this is a bargain

but maybe too dressy for you?

If there's a debenhams near you they have some lovely coats in the sale atm - I got a curly fakefur lined black duffle for £15, down from £50 & a brown suede/furlined one for £37.50 down from £75

this

practical if you like duffels

ggirl - sorry to barge in. that great plains coat (gracie ) looks beautiful. Am thinking of ordering one - do you think it's too dressy for jeans? (Will I look like a knob on the school run!)

Another vote for debenhams sale here! I got 2 coats this week - one Maine one reduced from £50 to £20. Black suede effect front with knottes sleeves/back, fur lined - very cosy!! Then today I got a John Rocha one reduced from £80 to £40 plain black with a hood and detatchable gilet inside. They've got some lovely Pineapple ones too

Lots in principles.

filthymindedvixen,definately a good coat for the school run,hides the crappy outfit underneath and keeps you warm.Quite fancy it myself if I needed a new coat.

Hi ladies thanks for suggestions - I did try Debenhams today but sale stuff sadly depleted, maybe I should look online. I love the posh black coat but methinks a bit too posh for my local school - mostly farmers wives in wellies. I like the big button coat in Boden but a tad pricey for me, alas. Thanks anyway and will keep looking! I am just so afraid that I will start to look like my Mum...

You don't fancy something like this do you? also available in brown or khaki ?

Ooh, and this is out of your budget (sorry), but lovely.

Hi Jackie

Actually yes that brown one is quite nice - with jeans and boots might look good.

I also liked this one

Any thoughts? Warm or no?

I actually thought this was rather fun but maybe would not stand up to the general muddiness of my school run! Would definitely be frowned upon by the wellie brigade although perhaps I might enjoy being regarded as the scarlet woman of the playground....

Yes - I like the first one, but as you say, not easy to tell if it would be warm or not. You could always add a big scarf/pashmina type thing if not, I guess? The fur one is fun, but as you say, maybe not quite the thing for the school run.

Actually you know I do like the black Wallis one although 70 quid is a bit more than I wanted to pay. Will mull it over! I will also have a look on e-bay as I have 100 quid in US dollars sitting in my PayPal account from some part time teaching work that I do and if I draw it down to the bank account they charge me so much it is not worth it. So my PayPal account is sort of my little secret e-bay fund. Keeps DH in the dark too!