
Keeping warm this weather isn’t easy, so when I saw Lily Allen in another duffle coat, (she wore a navy one last year), it made me think back to my wrapped-up uni days wearing this very same style.
Unlike my favourite coat in DCU – a Miss Selfridge black duffle with wooden buttons, Lily’s coat sets itself apart from the pack in a shocking pink colour. She’s not the only one to wear a pink duffle though – Cheryl Cole and Cat Deeley are known to wrap up in her Mulberry ones which shows just how well it’s translated from college-girl to city-girl wear.
This coat would also appeal to the practi-fashion pack amongst you; there are no mad shoulder pads nor military styles here…we all know the duffle coat intimately, thus know what to expect from it – warmth, a hood and, in this particular case, a pop of colour to boot!
Allen’s winter coat inspiration hails from the king of calculated casual himself, Marc Jacobs, whose Marc by Marc Jacobs A/W 09 catwalk collection showcased a double-breasted duffle coat with oversized tweed trousers, accessorised with belts, hats and shawls.
You can imagine my delight then, when I found a lookalike pink duffle coat in our very own Dunnes Stores (€40, pictured left). I don’t think somehow that Marc would be offended if I chose this one over his considering the current climate (I hate that phrase, used by economists and news readers a go go), plus the fact that he’s busy getting married at the moment.
Embracing this shocking pink colour however, is not for everyone which is why it’s probably a good thing that I found an assortment of duffle coats at every price point, from black or navy (Dorothy Perkins), to charcoal grey (All Saints) – all the way to designer duffles from Etro and Gucci.
I definitely think that Paddington Bear’s favourite coat, however you style it, has always been and will always be a wardrobe essential for many years to come. I only hope that my old one is not moth eaten now that I’m about to fish it out again….
Related articles
TweetRelated posts:
November 20, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Just found out that the Dunnes duffle coat comes in blue or grey too
November 20, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Mmh, they look good but even as a massive practi-fashion fan, duffle coats remind me of my school days and hand me downs! I’m sure if I got shopping, I’d find a cool one for me!
November 20, 2009 at 11:45 pm
I think they are really comfy & warm looking; we need them now, as its very nippy out there. Dunnes are good for coats & jackets now.