New York in the winter is hard on a fashion lover’s soul – how can you fully express yourself when your whole look is covered up by a coat? When you are just another black coat in a sea of black coats, the dreary weather seems even drearier. In an effort to mix things up, I ended up retiring my cute but sensible Olivia Pope black wool for a variety of colors and patterns – the closest thing I have to black now is my nubby navy coat from Elvi.  I snagged an on-trend pastel coat from Boohoo for more color, and wear my statement plaid Corey coat whenever I can bear the thought of only one layer on my arms.  But this season’s favorite is no doubt this grey leopard goodness from BB Dakota via Gwynnie Bee.  

I have long since embraced the idea that leopard is a neutral, but the thoughtful details on this coat elevate it above the usual animal print outerwear offerings.  The spots are actually a deep cobalt blue, and the asymmetrical faux leather lined zipper adds versatility – worn partially unzipped, it changes into a more traditional lapel collar.  The sleeves are roomy enough to comfortably allow heavy layering, but not so big as to flood my forearms with fabric.  All in all, it is a fave.  I am currently renting it as part of my Gwynnie Bee subscription, but I love it so much that I might have to keep it using their “Buy it Now” option, which allows you to pay for the piece you have at home (usually at a huge discount), and get shipped something else.  The current GB price is significantly lower than even the sale price at Amazon – yet another thing I love about the service 🙂  I’ve been a member for about two and a half years now, and I’ve found a lot of my favorite pieces through GB.  This year’s addition of outerwear has made it even more valuable for me, and allowed me to ditch my black coat without spending tons on new statement pieces.  If you are interested in trying Gwynnie Bee, sign up here.  Right now, you can try the first month for $10.  If you join, let me know – I’d love to help you pick out some pieces (I spend way too much time looking at the options – it is a way for me to stave off willy nilly spending on online shopping).

Have you ever felt stuck in a black coat rut?  What is your ideal winter coat?  Let’s chat about it in the comments!

Links may be referral or affiliate.  All opinions my own – as always!