a jacket is not a coat
but layering makes jackets into coats, right?
Every year around this time, for as long as I can remember, I fantasize about the purchase of a new coat. The last coat was actually given to me by a friend maybe 6-7 years ago from Uniqlo. And before that, an H&M charcoal grey coat I purchased for about $20 when I worked there in maybe 2015. The coats are still in good shape and both are an overcoat. And they are both thin as fuck and I survived every winter with them. They’ll be with me until they develop holes or when I die. They don’t make them like they used to! Still, I wanted a new shape, new colour and new fit.
Coat shopping is a miserable task in Toronto. Shopping in general. People lean either athleisure, overpriced thrifting or luxury logomania. Canadian retail buyers like to play it safe. And I believe it’s stifling the way people dress. Honestly the buyers at Holt Renfrew need to retire. But this trickles down to small boutiques where the clothes are just ok with some special pieces between all the noise. Anyway, I could go on but the Canadian fashion retail landscape is stale.
My aesthetic leans clean and minimalist. And the only retailer to cater to that was Neighbour which did not survive Toronto. I like to think the location played in its demise. Yorkville people want Gucci, YSL and Dior not Bode, Auralee or Lemaire. So now I really only shop IRL at COS because the quality is good and the aesthetic is clean. And 8/10 the clothes are made with natural fibres. Lost and Found has some good basics and carries said Auralee. Blue Button Shop has Still by Hand with teaching assistant-level sweater vests.
Anyway! I finally found a jacket. Not a coat. It’s boxy. Slightly oversized, for that winter layering potential. It has not one, not two but three giant ass sized pockets you can fill empanadas with. The texture is really good. It’s like an old sweater that hasn’t been pilled in four decades. After shopping IRL to no such luck, I went on the internet. I take online shopping seriously because I don’t like shopping for clothes online. An unorthodox approach because I like to feel the clothes. I found it on SSENSE pre-FW2023 sale. Because it was pretty expensive, I waited for a really long time because I was second guessing the colour even though it met the criteria of either bright red, forest green or royal blue. After two to three weeks of many heated debates with myself and Daniel, I finally bought it and I considered the SSENSE sale as a sign. (Even though I obliged to stop shopping there. Whatever.)
I wasn’t necessarily concerned about exercising brand loyalty while shopping. Very millennial trait. It just needed to be boxy, colourful and functional. After weeks of online shopping, I stumbled upon the brand NN.07 on SSENSE and landed on the Blue Olav Jacket. (which stands for No Nationality and 07 is the year it was founded). Those Scandinavian countries just keep pushing out solid brands. Arket, Ganni, Acne, mfpen, to name a few.
I only own like 5 pairs of pants and unfortunately it only pairs well with this one and this other black wide leg trouser. These white jeans will continue to survive the season as long as its not wet outside. Then I will oscillate between that and my black pants. But I am considering buying only one new pair of pants to match my jacket. Perhaps these COS Column Jeans. Maybe these HOMME PLISSÉ ISSEY MIYAKE trousers. Or these Arket Tailored Wide-Fit Trousers. Lots to consider! Considering I barely have any money coming in and paying $6.99 for trail mix is a luxury I can’t even afford!
Please talk me out of buying this Lemaire Croissant Bag. At $890, with the discount applied, it’s $667! (Cough cough $750 after taxes). Based on cost per wear, it essentially, unequivocally pays for its god damn self. As the sale ends on the 30th and if the product still stands then with the unemployment powers that be I will “proceed to checkout”.
What did I tell you, people! SSENSE released two sneaker drops (Salomon and New Balance) for XX and guess what, it’s not even sold out. People are either sneaker fatigued, because it’s ugly (I am biased) or because the yute don’t have disposable income.
Also! All I have been hearing about last week (Blackbird Spyplane) and this week (Magasin) is EVAN KINORI! A drop here. A drop there. Evan Kinori is everywhere. Would buy this jacket. Possibly this cardigan. For sure these pants! More research is needed on this Kinori guy. What I gather so far is he is into elevated basics.
Outake below! Featuring Henry!!!
the blue is SOOOOO good!!! it is THE blue!!!!!!
There is a pretty great dupe on Etsy for the lemaire croissant bag (I own it and I love it). It’s real leather, 2 pockets inside, functional! And cute! And the stitching is well done imo