I am a huge huge fan of Collectif. From their instore customer service, to the dedication of their head office team, to their gorgeous garments and amazing experiences at London Edge with them, they are awesome! And so it should be no surprise that I am completely in love with their winter coat collection.
Last year I bought a cheapish coat to last me a few years, and lo and behold it is looking a little bedraggled this year and is sporting several holes and other signs of wear and tear. And so I was looking for an investment piece, something to stand the test of time.
The coat that I lusted after for quite a while had to be the Gretel.
The lovely Julia works at Collectif and owns of of these goreous coats. Here is what she had to say about it:
“The Gretel coat is really a love it or hate it style. I have spoken to ladies & gentlemen who just don’t get it and seen girls go mad for it. Personally, after first seeing the sample of this style I was in love. Initially there were hesitations over whether the Red Riding Hood Theme had been taken too literally, but after relentless squeeling from the office girls we managed to confirm the sample for production. This was a risky piece for Collectif as its higher price tag could put some people off but it was worth the risk.
I originally hankered after the red for 2 months, as I live in the forest I felt that I needed this coat in my life. After it arrived I tried on the red and I felt like it was slightly too obvious. As a lover of black & the gothic aesthetic that was the one for me, it is more versatile and looks more elegant.
The Gretel Coat is made from a wool based fabric perfect to keep you warm on a chilly day. I will warn you though try and avoid getting it wet! This is a not a style to get caught in the rain in, snow in the forest though is it’s natural habitat. The whole coat is lined in luxurious polka dot satin. Black with white dots inside the black version & red with black dots inside the red. This lining is found inside the oversized hood and underneath the cape which gives it a truely luxurious feel. The high quality faux fur trim & pom-poms is another touch which makes this style worth the £175.00.
Size wise, if you are busty you may need to size up, I am a (34) D-DD and the 14 JUST does up over the bust, I think I will move the button so that it is the perfect fit. The 14 fits really nicely on the waist so I went for this size and sacrificed it being a bit snug across the bust.”
It was Julia’s initial images of herself in the coat that made me very sure that I wanted one and that she was not just being biased about her love of the coat!
She looked stunning in the black, but part of me wanted the red – and another part of me wanted both! However, my eye was caught by the now sold out Ashley, a style that proved so popular, Collectif will be making more next year. And you can see why!
I was lucky enough to get my hands on the black Ashley in a size 20 just before it sold out for the year, and I cannot say enough good things about this coat!
It is so warm and snuggly thanks to the wool, and in no way itchy, which was my worry.
The beautiful silky polka dot lining felt amazing on and the coat slid on and off easily.
The 20 was a perfect fit across my bust, and the belt ensured I got my desired cinched in look. Sadly I did think that the belt length was a little short, and I may have to have a hunt for something a little longer to replace it with.
The coat has a gorgeous circle skirt, which not only looks great, but also ensures that my bottom will fit into it!
Of course, the leopard print collar and cuffs made Ashley a huge hit with me, and I loved how soft it felt.
I felt oh so vintagey in this coat, and couldn’t resist roping my boyfriend into taking a few snaps of me in it and messing with the resolution a little!
Collectif have really outdone themselves with their coats this year, and I don’t think that even they could predict just how popular they would be. I cannot wait to see what they come up with next year, as well as the return of Ashley!
Which coat is your favourite? What do you usually wrap up in in the colder weather?
Fuller Figure Fuller Bust 