Hunt for the Perfect Tie Waist Wrap Coat!

I love having an eclectic wardrobe, but do you know what the downfall of shopping at random, for the random, does to one's closet? It fills one's closet with many beautiful clothes that don't always pair easily with one another. In other words, my closet lacks basics!
For example, this weekend I went out for a celebratory dinner in honor of my dearest friend. I had a dress in mind that I really wanted to wear: it was loud and colorful, and seemed befitting for a festive mood, but when I reached for the coat that I thought would go with it, I found that both the dress and the coat were so full of (life? is that the polite word I'm looking for?) texture, that there was no easy way to wear them together, even though the color schemes were complimentary. Sometimes I think that mixing and matching textures or colors is only a matter of confidence, but sometimes, I really do think that your gut fashion instincts are trying to tell you something. I ended up totally changing outfits, and wearing a dress that was considerably more subdued, and although I was happy with the outfit change, I left the house vowing that I would fix this little situation, pronto! How do I not own one basic coat, let alone in a basic color? Total mind blower!

The hunt begins! And since I am a list person, let's take down a few notes about my day-to-day wardrobe.

-I want a coat that will pair well with jeans, a dress, or with boots. These are all items that are constantly in my rotation, I want something that will easily pull the outfit together.
-I wear a lot of color. Yes, black goes with everything and is always a safe bet, but after looking over the oodles of cream and beige clothing of recent runway photographs, I 'd like to go light.

Somehow, in my mind the coat matches the color and texture of this beret worn by Faye Dunaway in the film Bonnie and Clyde. That is a bit specific, isn't it?

This modern wrap coat has a look that I think is versatile. I like that the neck turns down to shapely lapels.


I love the look of this coat, featured at centerstagevintage. It certainly is the right color!


This swing coat, from caramelized vintage, is pretty, too. I don't often wear gloves, so I may opt for a full length sleeve.


Ideally, I'd like a wrap coat like this one at 13threads, but with long sleeves.


Oh, my! I think I may have found the closest thing to what I'm looking for! It's just a bit long, but this is exactly the style I want: That 1970's style cozy wrap coat! Buzzkill, looks like it is out of stock.


Well, I suppose if there's one good thing about searching for coats on the brink of warmer weather, it's that everything seems to be on sale. I've recently heard about a little vintage shop that just opened up in a good friend's neighborhood. I'd like to swing by and check it out before committing to anything. With any luck, I'll be able to both upcycle and support a local vintage shop. I'll let you know if there are any good digs!

P.S. While I was looking up 'Bonnie and Clyde' style photos I came across a marvelous photo shoot (it's not the Hillary Duff one for Allure)! It's bound to get its very own post, like, asap!!!