Renewing Old Pieces and Venturing into Slow Fashion: Wool Camel Coat Edition

The Camel Coat. A timeless article of clothing I’d been searching for for years. To me, it had almost become elusive! I wanted a coat that would last me a long time, had good quality, was a great cut, and at a reasonable price.

But did it exist?!

I was on the hunt for so long, that I finally said to myself, ‘Roya, if you want that coat you’re going to have to look at it like it’s an investment piece’. I went from looking for a bargain to expanding my budget to $400. I was willing to pay because, in the long run, it would always be a staple in my wardrobe.

Always the girl with a backstory, I could see myself wrapped in this beautiful neutral beauty, becoming lifelong friends, and carefully stowing it away for the summer, only to fall in love all over when the winter months snuck back in.

But then something odd happpened. I’d been making more conscious decisions to slow down my fashion consumption and had started to wander Value Village, from time to time, in search of hidden treasures.

In the ‘Long Coats’ sections, in it’s caramel, comforting glory was this London Fog coat. It was my size, in great condition, REAL (I’m talking weighs you down, real) wool, and wait for it….. $23.

Was there a Style Angel out there just looking at my reaction and giggling?!?!

No, because there was one major downfall. And it brought me back to reality, real quick. The structure was awful. It was short in the arms, baggy in the waist, and had shoulder pads that you could pull out mid pillow fight as back up. This jacket exuded an 80’s vibe so hard, I swear I heard Cyndi Lauper in the background.

So was that it? Did I walk away? No. My gears started turning. If it was possible, how could I salvage this great find? Could I revive it?

Personally? No. I needed help. My needlework barely gets a pillow together.

I took the risk and decided I’d take it to my tailor to see if she could update it. The sleeves could be let out, the shoulder pads disintegrated, the waist taken in. That genius of a women (Shout out to Judy!) turned a has-been coat into a timeless piece.

My only regret is that I didn’t take any before photos. Total rookie mistake. However, I’m sharing this because it’s GOOD to take risks and it’s GOOD to invest in pieces of your wardrobe that will continue to make you feel good, all while looking good.

Hope this piece was a fun read for you!

XoXo,

Roya Isabella

What’s an item in your closet you are investing in?o