The Muse: The Resident Lounge

 My mother has been in a state of high dudgeon over the resident lounge at the nursing home she works for. The daughter of one of their patients who had died left some money to the unit as thanks for the good care her father had received. My mother suggested that they use the money to repaint the resident lounge, which needed a new coat of paint rather badly. People liked the idea but no more was said about it until some workmen showed up one day and painted the room bright turquoise. Really bright. Apparently one of the other nurses went down and picked out the color, because she thought t would look good with the brown sofas already in the lounge. Needless to say, my mother is not happy. Primarily, because it is ugly, but also because the older patients she cares for are easily confused and agitated and electric turquoise is hardly a soothing color. In a mostly beige nursing home it also sticks out like a sore thumb. My mother also maintains that turquoise and brown do not go well together. When I tried to argue that its a pretty popular color combination, she wanted no part of it. I had worn almost this exact outfit (with no coat and different shoes) about a month ago, and I was stopped time and time again by people, who would be glad to prove her color theory wrong. So partially  I wore it to annoy her, but also because it looks so nice with this coat.

The coat is really the star of the outfit and the subject I submitted to Glam and Kotex's Trend to Try Contest. The trend for this past week was oversized outerwear. What most surprised me was what some people seemed to think constitutes "over-sized", I'm sorry but a peacoat is in now way oversized, nor is a jacket of any kind. This coat however is a beast. I wore it out the other night when I was picking up some dishes I had left at a friend's house and his roommate came in and stared at it. His response was something like, "Wow Liz, that's some coat...its very luxurious." Usually there are strong reactions, because its an over the top coat. Its definitely over sized and you can see people trying to figure out if its real or not. Its not. I bought it on a whim several years ago for around $100. I wasn't looking for a winter coat, but I saw it and fell in love. Its such a different shape and lovely color. That and its damn warm with none of the maintenance of a real fur. The saleswomen said it had just come in and no one had even tried it on, sales team or not the were not letting me go home without it. A year and a half later I saw a black Jones of New York coat at Marshall's on sale for $40 at the end of the season, and never hesitated to buy it because I love this one so much. Its sorter and simpler in design but of the same high quality and very, very, warm. Both are coats I can see myself still owning in thirty years because they are both stylish and unique and wear well. I like my coats distinctive, I can understand that people buy a black peacoat because its practical and utilitarian, goes with everything. But I think a coat like this is just as practical, not to mention much warmer, and has a whole lot more flair.

Coat: Jones of New York via Macy's
Blouse: vintage, Circle T by Marilyn Lennox, thrifted via The Bargain Box
Skirt: Jones of New York via Macy's
Belt: Francesca's Collection
Tights: Merona via Target
Shoes: Arizona via J.C. Penny