I always like the transition from winter to spring because the sun is coming out and it’s so easy to dress for work. I just put on a t-shirt, throw on a jacket and it’s good to go! This was especially handy this past week because darned daylight savings threw me for a loop and I was cutting it to the very last minute each day running out the door. My husband’s been taking me to work as my car is in the shop, and each morning he’s observed my furious pace running around the house trying to scoop everything into my bag in time with some degree of amusement.
Chanel jacket (some favorites of mine here and here)
Anyway, this Chanel jacket is one of my favorites and I wear it all the time! I bought it a few years ago and I think the original year it was made was 2006. So you see, Chanel jackets really do last quite a long time.
My mom and I both bought tweed jackets from Zara a few years ago and neither of us used them after the season was over. That’s not to say that you can’t buy a timeless tweed jacket from a brand other than Chanel – I just think you have to be careful not to buy an overly trendy style. However it’s also quite easy to go swinging too far into the other direction and go overly matronly.
My advice: would be to either go for a trendy style with classic fabric, or classic style with trendy fabric. Never do both as trendy and if you do both style and fabric as classic you’ll probably end up keeping it for decades…but maybe you’ll look like you’re wearing a jacket for somebody decades older than you. Just some of my experiences with little tweed jackets – would love to hear yours!
31 Comments
Cindy
March 18, 2013 at 6:33 amThis post reminds me that I need to stop buying into trends and focus on quality over quantity haha. I don’t own a tweed jacket yet but am definitely on the hunt for the perfect one!
vanda
March 18, 2013 at 7:45 amHi sweet Katherine!!!! It is been a while since my last visit, but you continue to be as CHIC and ELEGANT as ever!!! Your style is so chic, loving the stripes(I am a stripes person myself!) Kisses and see you soon!
Katherine
March 18, 2013 at 9:40 amHi Vanda! So nice to hear from you, hope you are doing well!
adele
March 18, 2013 at 8:08 amWhat a lovely classic look.
Have a wonderful week Hun xoxo
http://www.intotheblonde.com/
Chic 'n Cheap Living
March 18, 2013 at 8:22 amI’m definitely thinking of investing in a Chanel blazer some day. The husband has prepared for a day rifling through Parisian consignment stores so I can go on this quest.
On an aside, Ann Taylor has pleasantly surprised me with their quality and styles in recent years. Perhaps their tweeds would hold up too?
xoxo,
Chic ‘n Cheap Living
Katherine
March 18, 2013 at 9:39 amDid you see the comment from Groupthink? She picked out a lovely coat from AT!
Mrs C
March 18, 2013 at 8:43 amFabulous jacket and you wear it well without looking like it is wearing you instead. I love this type of tweet especially from Chanel but everytime I try it on, I look like I try too hard and as I said before it wears me instead.. so I have made peace with myself and know that this type of jackets fabulous as they are, are not meant for me. I’ll just sit on the side and admire them on others instead 🙂
GREETINGS FROM DUBAI!
MRS JACK OF ALL TRADES
http://mrsjackofalltradesdaily.blogspot.ae/
Katherine
March 18, 2013 at 9:38 amThat’s how I feel about quite a feel items, bravo to you Mrs C for knowing what works for you! 🙂 Though I still think you’d look lovely in one!
Groupthink7
March 18, 2013 at 8:57 amI bought a tweed like coat from Ann Taylor this year as shown here http://www.anntaylor.com/ann/product/AT-Lookbook/AT-Work-To-Weekend/Annabel-Textured-Cotton-Cardigan/291379?colorExplode=false&skuId=13027087&catid=cata000011&productPageType=fullPriceProducts&defaultColor=6600 I work at AT so the discount helps out a lot. The jacket reminds me of Chanel when I first saw it.
You are right about overly trendy things. Classic fabric to me is cotton, wool, silk, leather, and linen. Rayon, Tencel, Polyester, and Viscose would be trendy. However, most polyester will hold up. What are your opinions Katherine?
Katherine
March 18, 2013 at 9:35 amThat’s a lovely one and it looks very comfortable to wear as well (always important!). How lucky that you get a discount! I feel the same about you as fabric – however I have indulged in a Viscose/Rayon fabric here and there for dresses as it’s so easy to keep unwrinkled. I often wonder if there are different grades of these synthetics as well, as a lot of Donna Karan are these synthetics but feel much better. Enjoy your coat!
Marlene @ chocolatecookiesandcandies
March 18, 2013 at 9:05 amKatherine!! I’ve just wrote today’s post on Chanel tweed jacket and whaddayaknow….you’ve done the same 😛 Great minds think alike. Hahaha…. In any case, I’ll take YOUR Chanel jacket any day over mine!
Marlene @ chocolatecookiesandcandies
March 18, 2013 at 9:06 amArgh. I’ve just written….. just goes to show I should probably proof read my comments!
Katherine
March 18, 2013 at 9:33 amAnd I will take yours!! Great minds do think alike 🙂
Revanche
March 18, 2013 at 9:46 amSuch good points … I’ve been admiring the tweed jackets everyone seems to be getting but can’t bring myself to buy one in case I pick wrong and it just doesn’t look right. There are still too many “almosts” in my closet 🙂
Lili
March 18, 2013 at 9:56 amtweed jackets can certainly be worn season after season! an investment i truly believe in (esp if its Chanel!)
E
March 18, 2013 at 10:39 amHi Katherine – I have a tweed jacket that pills a bit around the sleeves and was wondering if you have that problem with your Chanel jackets.
If you do have that problem, how do you take care of it?
Katherine
March 18, 2013 at 11:50 amYou know it has happened very lightly with my Chanel and I’m terrible, there have only been a few and I just snip them off with a pair of sharp sewing scissors. I wouldn’t run a one of my lint removers over it because the material is so delicate. But I’m sure that I am probably doing it wrong!
E
March 18, 2013 at 1:04 pmGood to know. Thank you!!!!
Poupak
March 18, 2013 at 12:09 pmHi Katherine, Thanks for a great blog. I wonder if you know any vintage store in SF where you can find vintage tweed Chanel jackets? Best P
Katherine
March 18, 2013 at 1:06 pmI might check Cris: http://www.yelp.com/biz/cris-san-francisco
B.
March 18, 2013 at 1:17 pmi doubt this jacket will ever go out of style, very pretty ! can you wash/dry clean it often ?
i bought one tweed jacket at zara 4 years ago ( completely black) and it still looks perfect, but last year i bought another one there and it’s completely worn out already, i guess it really depends on the specific fabric ( a topic i’d love to learn more about)
http://www.tripsandtreasures.net
Katherine
March 18, 2013 at 3:01 pmI dry clean my jacket probably once a season but I usually only in fall and spring so that equals 2x a year – not too many! Yes I’ve had the same experience with my Zara goods too – if only we could figure out the secrets behind their fabric choices 🙂
Ava Lon
March 18, 2013 at 1:38 pmHello! How wonderful you look! So refined and classic, yet casual and effortless! Bravissima!
Funny you should mention Zara, I have a few jackets of theirs from 1997? 1998? They look very classic and if I had to attribute a recognizable designer style, I would say Ralph Lauren and Lauren by Ralph Lauren respectively — both of which, no wait, there’s a third jacket (which is also very RL-ish) and all three have worn very well. I’d like to add that I rarely dry clean them (I know, I’m terrible) and also this was when Zara first opened doors in the states and with most brands, the earlier years tend to have the better quality.
Would love for you to do a post on Chanel jackets for the rest of us who may or may not know about the lovely details that go into one (re: chain) — I think your readers would love to hear about your views on this!
Also, I would like to add as I read the most recent comment — you are correct. The best way to handle pills on Chanel jkts is to carefully snip them (though this may be time consuming) very carefully using very *VERY* sharp sewing scissors or fabric scissors (if you have a deft hand). Also, one might also like to REFRAIN from carrying shoulder bags/totes or anything that would make one’s arms rub against one’s torso whilst wearing such a pricy jacket — cause of pilling in the first place (as you may note on your cashmere sweaters as well, dear readers).
Currently, Ellen Tracy has a very classic looking tweed jacket in two sleeve lengths now (I know this for a fact bc I recently bought one at a well known discount designer retailer with a similar name to a well known realtor) for far less than what it is being offered for at this link:
http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/spring-trend-report-distinctive-jackets-quintessential-tweed-blazer-look?ID=804884&CategoryID=50335#fn=DEPARTMENT_TYPE%3DJackets%26sp%3D1%26spc%3D12%26ruleId%3D25%26slotId%3D3
So that said, you are correct, as always, Chanel jackets last. Sadly, their price hikes are a constant as well.
Question for you – if you could turn back time, or rather, if you could somehow advise your younger-self as your current-self on the topic of Chanel, would you have invested in more jackets or purses from Chanel? Or something else from Chanel?
🙂
Ava Lon
Katherine
March 18, 2013 at 3:01 pmHi Ava,
Thank you for your thoughtful comment as always! I love the blazer you recommended, that’s a fabulous pick! And you are right about the price hikes.
Honestly if I could go back in time, I would buy more Chanel caviar jumbo bags! In black, white, navy, purple, the gamut – clothes could probably wait, I feel like the price hikes on bags have been the most extreme.
NewPetite
March 18, 2013 at 5:54 pmLove that Chanel on you!
Jo
March 18, 2013 at 7:53 pmAdore your Chanel jacket! Actually, I still love my Zara tweed jackets too. 🙂
xo Jo
http://www.whiterosesandcoffee.com/
jae
March 18, 2013 at 10:27 pmTOLD U SO re: that moto tweed zara sparkle pink jacket !
😉
Katherine
March 18, 2013 at 10:56 pmHA! You know I thought of you when I wrote that!
Samantha
March 20, 2013 at 11:44 pmHi Katherine,
I’ve been reading your blog for a long time now and I really value your opinion. I want to ask you about your opinions on the Chanel boy bags. I am thinking on investing in one but do you think that it is a trendy item or will it stay classic like the classic flaps?
xx Sam
Katherine
March 21, 2013 at 3:01 pmI LOVE the boy bags, they are gorgeous! I’d definitely get one if my budget allowed for it. I love the smaller size the most 🙂 I think they’ll be around for a while.
Makeup Morsels
March 23, 2013 at 12:20 amDefinitely good advice on the tweed jackets, and I love the one you’re wearing there. My advice hmmm…encourage your mother to buy multiple tweed jackets so you can sneak one out of her closet when you’re home for break and hopefully she won’t miss it until you’re back again.
jk that’s terrible advice. And yes, daylight savings always throws me for a loop too! Even though I know it’s coming every year.