I spend a lot of my time wearing pretty dresses, which means that for the past year or two, I’ve been looking for a good vintage-inspired coat to cover up with through autumn and winter. Most of my dresses are knee length and full-skirted, so I really need something with plenty of bust room, as well as being long enough to cover my dresses without crushing my petticoats. Last year, I bought a Trashy Diva Courtney Coat Dress (worn here), which, despite fitting well and being stunningly beautiful, was just a bit too formal for everyday wear.
This autumn, I was very happy to see that vintage-inspired brand Collectif Clothing had introduced a new style: the ‘Dietrich Swing Trench’, initially available in blue, beige and black. I wear a lot of black, red and blue, so I thought the blue colourway would be an interesting neutral colour for my wardrobe and a great way to wrap up, but it was out of stock whenever I looked. Not to be defeated, I bought a gift voucher during one of their sales…and waited. After months of checking, some sizes reappeared, and I just managed to order one in a size 14…only to get an email saying that they had sold out, and the blue colourway wasn’t going to be restocked again. I was gutted. However, upon hearing how much I wanted the coat, the wonderful Siobhan phoned around and managed to track one down for me! Here’s how it looked on me…
This is the first time I wore this coat, so it’s a bit crumpled, but I think it’s clear how good a choice this coat was! I received the coat in a size 14, which I find to be slightly loose on the waist and slightly small on the bust, so I would say the size chart seems accurate. The buttons aren’t straining so it’s still completely wearable, though I’m not sure if I could wear many layers underneath. It’s also slightly large on my shoulders, but this may be more due to me being narrow-shouldered than the size itself. I think I would fit best in a size 16, for bust room and for layering space.
The coat is made from a heavy cotton with a polyester lining, which makes it a good choice for chilly autumn weather. I don’t think I’ll be able to wear it when the cold really sets in, but for cold rainy days, this coat should fit the bill. I was worried that the full skirt would lead to many Marilyln moments on blustery days, but I was relieved to see that the heavy material meant that it didn’t blow up/open too easily. I don’t think I would wear it on the windiest days, but it isn’t going to fly up at the slightest hint of a breeze. The coat is a bit more of a light grey-blue in most lights, so not quite as bright as it appears in the stock pictures. It has a gorgeous white/blue floral lining, which adds warmth and makes the coat feel wonderfully high quality.
I’m wearing the coat in these pictures with a retro floral dress and a petticoat, to show the fullness of the skirt. Just ignore how the shoes totally don’t match 😛 I love all the little details on this coat – the epaulettes, the cuffs and the gunflap are all small additions which keep an otherwise plain coat from getting boring. My only complaint with this coat is the length of the waist belt: I found the belt that comes with this coat very short, to the point where I have trouble fastening it into a tight bow, let alone a neat/pretty bow. I think the belt needs to be significantly longer, both for practical and aesthetic reasons.
Collectif have since released a red version of this (which I’m wishing I had), as well as a warmer blue check version for the colder weather. They also have some lovely thick coats for winter, such as the gorgeous Anastasia coat & cape – sigh! For now, though, the Dietrich coat is a gorgeous piece, which should be a great option for autumn and spring weather. The Dietrich Swing Trench is available for £95 from Collectif Clothing, in sizes 6-22 (UK). There are still limited sizes left for the blue colourway, so be quick if you want to get your hands on it!
What are you keeping warm in this autumn/winter? Do you have a favourite bust-friendly coat?
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I love the coat- it looks good on you, but I really love the dress and would love learn more and see more pictures of it.
The dress is a bit of a complicated thing, and I didn’t put the dress details in the post for a reason. I got the dress from Queen of Holloway, thinking it was an original design, but I later found that QoH are a counterfeit brand. I haven’t been able to track down the original designer/maker of this design, but I very much doubt that they originated it. So, it is a lovely dress, but unfortunately I would no longer endorse the QoH brand and wouldn’t buy from them again.
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