Today’s Fashion Friday post is later than usual because we’ve been having internet woes. Fortunately, they appear to have been resolved, at least for the moment, so let’s get this out there before something goes wrong again!

After writing about second-hand shopping for the entire month of September, I wasn’t planning to mention it again for awhile, but then I found a treasure!

I was already planning to replace a similar charcoal grey coat that I’ve had since the fall of 2007 when I found this one in one of our local thrift stores. After fifteen years of serving me well, the old coat was beginning to show its age and for some reason, it didn’t fit quite as well as it once did. Okay… perhaps I should admit to having gained a few pounds over those years! 

I was prepared to pay full price for a new coat, but when I could get a beautiful Calvin Klein jacket that looked like it had never been worn for just $7, why in the world would I? A similar CK coat sells here for $129 USD or approximately $180 in Canadian dollars. 

If I’d bought the jacket in a regular shop, I would probably have tried on one size smaller for comparison purposes. Buying second-hand, of course, that isn’t an option, but I like the fact that the coat is roomy enough to wear over a bulky sweater in cold weather. I wouldn’t want the fit to be as snug as the old one is now!

A coat like this one is perfect for early winter and early spring here in Canada. The fabric is 70% wool, 20% nylon, and 10% recycled cashmere and it’s fully lined with polyester. In the depth of winter, I’ll be wearing the much warmer coat that I showed you here.