Autumn leaves, colder days and Toasty talk!

[IlovePond]

I have started a new thread for all things Toast related !

@ScottishMouse yes, I was getting muddled up with poncho talk! Great feedback about the alpaca poncho, that it’s warm and versatile enough for a Scottish autumn/winter. I might give it a go.

Has anyone bought more than one aster top and found the sizing to be variable? I bought one in store a few weeks ago and have worn it soooooo much so decided I would get another. Bought it in store again, but without trying on as I knew what size I needed. Got it home and tried it and thought it felt smaller so measured it against the first one I bought and it is about an inch and a half narrower and nearly two inches shorter! This really drives me nuts about Toast, I have experienced it with many items in the past. So I guess I will need to order another, or maybe two or three others to get one the same size. 🙄

@ScottishMouse my aster tops get bigger with wear and then revert to original size after a wash. Toast staff mentioned this would happen when I bought it so I was prepared. Do you think this is the issue ?

I don’t think it is @PeonyBlush10. My first one was not this tight when I bought it as I would have gone for the size up. It is also significantly shorter and I can’t imagine my first one would have stretched in length (I can see that it could stretch widthways). I’ll order another and see, but it’s rather annoying.

Just browsing around mumsnet pondering a question, and what I’m seeing is eye opening.
The question is - how many coats do I need? The answer on mumsnet seems to be A LOT! So Toasties - how many coats do you need/have ( I know these are different things, but what do you think is the optimal number)?

For the last few years, I have had: one ubiquitous (but fairly stylish) long black puffer coat which I wore in all weathers from about Oct-April, one slightly insulated waterproof parka, one lightweight waterproof for summer, and a Hal denim jacket. None of these fit anymore, and some have been moved on, and I’m trying to figure out what to buy for the next number of months.

Finisterre have a nice waterproof insulated parka (Skye), but I would also need something less outdoorsy for wearing with dresses/skirts or if I ever went anywhere fancy (unlikely). We have a moth issue so I really can’t do wool coats. Plus perimenopause means that I don’t need anything really warm (the ubiquitous puffa was getting me overheated last winter). Finisterre also have a nice lighter weight puffa (Sidus), but again a little (less) outdoorsy.

We live in a small property, and I have minimalist tendencies. Having more than one coat per season seems wild to me (I’ll maybe allow a couple of light jackets for spring/summer), but I’m beginning to think I might be unusual.

I have the new, not very warm duffle @ScottishMouse , the ghastly red monstrosity, (sadly very warm and also fits well), a shapeless black puffery sort of thing bought in haste last year as an alternative to the red beast, that gets a lot of use and a green quilted one that I seem to have grown out of 🙀🙀🙀

I also have a nice Viyella waxed type raincoat and a whole variety of rainwear, (some of which I suspect also don’t fit atm).

Any talk of coats still makes me look balefully at the coat destroyer - that was my dream puffer coat with wonderful furry hood that he ate and I don’t expect to see its like again😿😿😿😿

I think with coats it very much depends on where you live and what your day looks like (dog walking etc).

I've whittled my coats right down, so this winter there's a huge brown Sweaty Betty coat which I haven't started wearing yet and I'm not entirely sure I'll keep. It replaces a black cocoon hooded one they no longer do which was actually quite nice, but a bit too big, hence the swap. I might try to find the earlier version in a smaller size and possibly not black.

I'm currently still wearing my Plumo Doherty coat which is so much more versatile than I imagined, as I can get a pretty big jumper underneath, and even though it's thin fabric, it keeps the wind off so it doesn't get too cold. I also have an Eileen Fisher long black boiled wool coat which is a brilliant shape. There's also a long black wool coat, a short Barbour which I haven't worn for ages, the long denim Toast coat which I might rehome as it's not really earning its keep. Then I have a couple of very light hooded jackets, and an indigo Toast padded jacket which I bought from a lovely fellow Toastie.

@ScottishMouse have you had a look at Uniqlo's puffer coats? I used to have one and they were ok, though not as warm as the Sweaty Betty one. I try to have only one big padded coat in my house as they do take up a lot of space!

Oh I’m sorry @IlovePond, coat talk was insensitive, I remember the coat vs dog tale well.
Ok, it seems I may be ridiculous to think one coat should suffice. I found a Finisterre insulated park that is similar to the one I have that I have outgrown on eBay last night, so fingers crossed for that. I may buy the Finisterre ubiquitous puffer as it will be useful. It’s not their warmest one, and that will suit fine for a lot of the weather.
I keep seeing the green Toast padded one on folk on knsta. I had tried and rejected it (due to price and dry clean only), but it is very lovely.
And the Doherty coat is beautiful. How waterproof is it @faustina? And what size did you go for? Although I hate to buy from Plumo, and am always the person here saying I never will.

@ScottishMouse - everytime Toast do a padded coat it's all over Insta but I've never seen those people wearing it after that (if you see what I mean)

I'm not completely sure how waterproof it is but I've certainly worn it in the rain and never got soaked through. Mine is a size 1 - it's oversized in the body and arms but the top, where it buttons at the neck is a good fit but not big. Louisa Charlotte Oates (on insta) does the most beautiful looking coats

@faustinaI looked at that plumo coat on and off for ages but never bought. I’m been looking for a raincoat - waxed if possible- with a hood for a while but think I need to commit a decent amount of money.

I have a fleece jacket (one of my DDs bought from Urban Outfitters a few years ago), an old TOAST tweed herringbone coat, a black quilted one with a hood and an old COS oversized wool coat. Oh and a very old TOAST trench coat. Too many?!

Thanks @faustina. I think I have to uphold my Plumo boycott, but if I were to see one on Vinted it would obviously not count!
I see what you mean about the insta Toast coats. Though to be honest, you hardly ever see these folk wearing the same things more than a couple of times.
Reading these replies though makes me think I need to put at least a couple of coats on my Christmas wishlist. I forgot I also have a Uniqlo sort of trench which has been so much more useful than I thought it would be, I have worn it practically ever day since spring.

@ScottishMouse My only real winter coat is that finisterre vellus waterproof parka (I had a 20% off voucher at the time, spenny!) I got it becuase I knew I would be working outdoors in london and surrounds for 4 months during winter, and it did help a lot. Also to help me go out in miserable or stormy weather.

I'd love a really nice wool coat, but i've been looking for it for about 3 years. Toast have one or two but either I couldnt pull off the pattern or the reviews consistently mention poor quality stitching despite ££££ so I'm put off. If toast want their prices then the actual make quality of the piece has to be flawless for me.

Would buy a wool coat second hand but am a bit afraid of moths! wool carpets! My mum had a beautiful viyella wool coat put gave it to charity for no reason years ago. I used to try it on as a girl and wished one day it would fit.

Oh also on the sizing issues from toast, absolutely @ScottishMouse ! I have two of the silk dresses and are both the same size but there's more than an inch difference multi-dimentionally! one is baggy at the chest too. Hoping if I can keep my current pregnancy that all my too big toast clothes will serve as maternity hah.

Oh dear, maybe 15? And then another 9 or so light cardigan-level jackets? I’m reluctant to do a proper census 😳. But where I live it’s wintery 8 months of the year, so I have different coats for different levels of winter and different activities.

But much more important than my honestly totally reasonable coat habit, good luck @hicat!

Hehe thanks @ShrankLastWinter :) and wooowwww where do you live? I love winter. My sister lived in Siberia for a few years though says Scotland is colder hah, in the way that it’s damp and cold so harder to insulate against.

No problem @ScottishMouse - I will survive 😹

I can’t do feathers due to DDog going berserk at the mere whiff of a bird, (and, tbf, they set off my allergies, plus I am a bit uneasy about using them). I bought a beautiful RL coat in TKMAXX - current stock - 75% off the price in RL. Sadly I only realised it had feathers once I got home, plus it was a bit too big to look as nice as it should have done.

If anyone does see a not too bulky quilted coat with soft furry hood and NO down, please post it on here, though as my search for a new dream coat continues…

I’ve just thought: The sale will probably start a day or two before Xmas, (usually it is as soon as the last post has gone).

What are people stalking?

I’m like @ShrankLastWinter . I have a lot of coats and jackets 😊. Currently wearing the brown tweed from last years sale. Too embarrassed to count them.
For rain I have this M and S one.
https://www.marksandspencer.com/twill-hooded-raincoat/p/clp60690334?color=MOSSGREEN. Not too sad it’s now reduced as it’s been out of stock for ages and I got 20% off anyhow.

I'm only after the padded trousers in cream @IlovePond . Have spent too much recently.

Toast are being quite remarkably slow with my hand warmers - they haven’t even got to RM yet!

I’m a hoarder where coats are concerned , I’ve still a couple from 20 yrs ago Margaret Howell sale , same taupe twill one a coat the other a jacket.
I’ve 3 decent wool coats , and rotate them : I like to use two and rest one. I was wearing the green tweed check Toast a lot the past couple of years so that’s getting a rest and I’m wearing a big 4 yr navy wool peacoat from I Marant at the moment .
No3 is a very slim fit coat in aubergine from Reiss which is really versatile.
My main trotting about coat is a padded Cloud Parka coat from Folk, wears like iron in its fourth year of heavy use. @IlovePond It doesn’t have feathers , but no fur trim on the hood !
I also own 2 Burberry trenches bought 40 yrs ago when I first started working , still wear those too.

Your coats sound nice @OftenOrange - I’ve always fancied a Burberry!

I've got a couple of old Burberry trenches too @OftenOrange. I shorter black one, which I don't wear really. Then a longer denim one which I adore. It's worn beautifully and faded in all the right places like a beloved old pair of jeans. It's quite heavy and so great in winter. The black one is much lighter weight.

@Countmeout that M&S coat is exactly what I want!!! Shame it’s out of stock.

@mizu its a wonderful coat. I tried the Toast one and the same colour from the last sale but I’m glad now I didn’t keep it. This one is properly waterproof and is great over both trousers and dresses due to the length.

Calling all Toast knitters!

Someone has designed a poncho pattern on Ravelry that is based cough cough on a certain poncho!!
It's free !
Have downloaded and printed pdq before it is spotted ...

@Countmeout ah I tried that TOAST one on at KC last week in the outlet section but the top bit wasn’t quite right. And it was still very pricy. Loved it though.