Spotted & Wanted: J.Crew BonBon Coat
Monday, August 30, 2010 at 11:26AM I opened up the charming J.Crew fall catalog this weekend and found many things to love. Sadly, the styling this year is much more rooted in reality than in past seasons, so while I sought some fodder for a gentle P&C-style ribbing, I found none! There were a few sneaky moments of socks with high heels, but I'll let that slide.
Anyways, a striking standout was the BonBon Coat in Spicy Russet. It seems to me that this coat:
is trying very hard to be this coat:
or even this coat:
both of which were designed by Hubert de Givenchy in the early 1960s. As we all know, both of these coats have launched a million fashion obsessions the world over. The bold, warm color, simple details, dolman sleeves, and clean seam lines are exactly the thing that hold one's attention for oh...decades. They're what makes a classic.
J.Crew has been positioning itself in the "affordable American classic" category for some time now, so this coat should be no surprise. Double brested? Check. (But only to the high waistline, making it flattering for almost everyone.) Funnel neck? Check. Dolman sleeve? Check. Swing-y shape so particular to American sportswear? Check. While the product description cites a 1950s inspiration with a "vintage" feel, I think props should be given to Monsieur Hubert.
So, do I want one? Absolutely. In fact, I'd love the "spicy russet" one for fall, and then a plain black one for the rest of the winter. But, when it comes to great coats, I'm greedy like that.
Images: scanned from J.Crew catalog, jcrew.com, film stills from Breakfast at Tiffany's - Paramount Pictures 1961, and Charade - Universal Pictures 1963.
Reader Comments (3)
What about the Cinema coat, any ideas where that came from? http://www.jcrew.com/womens_category/outerwear/wool/PRDOVR~31894/31894.jsp. Seems very 50s masculine to me.