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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 26 Comments · by

Splurge Monday’s TPS Report: Floral Check Trenchcoat

Fashion· The Personal Shopper (TPS) | · ·

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. We're loving the look of this classic-with-a-twist: a belted trenchcoat from Burberry. The trench itself is as classic as it gets:  double-breasted, self-tie belt, slash pockets, epaulets, even gun flaps, for heaven's sake. The pattern, though, is so interesting — a black floral pattern crawling across a black and white checkered pattern, almost as if it were a shadow on a wall. We love that they kept it black and white, also. It is (gulp) $1495 at Saks, available in sizes 2 through 12. Floral-Check Trenchcoat If you've recently seen a great work piece you'd like to recommend to the readers, please e-mail editor@corporette.com with “TPS” in the subject line. Unless you ask otherwise, we'll refer to you by your first initial.

Sales of note for 9.30.24

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

Comments

  1. mkm

    Hmm… Maybe the design will grow on me if it sticks around (after about 10 years, I no longer think the Burberry plaid is hideous, and now love it!). For now, I’m not quite feeling it.

    Side note: as a redhead, I absolutely love it when they decide to have red-haired models! Go Saks!

  2. Gem

    I like this. My bank balance doesn’t. Anyone seen a cheaper alternative with delivery to the UK?

  3. SPS

    Not feeling it.

    Sorry, but I generally think large swaths of overtly obvious designer paterns (e.g., burbary plaid, louis vuitton monogram) is tacky, especially for work . . . And, to have that flower print on top is just hideous.

    Do love the shape/cut of the trench though!

  4. Erin

    Agree that this much burberry plaid (despite the floral) is obnoxious. It is the outerwear equivalent of a LV bag – hideously gauche.

    If only this were not so recognizable as Burberry (or another high end designer), I would love this. I’ve been searching for a trench for 3 years and cannot bring myself to spend the $ required.

    • F

      That made me laugh, “the outerwear equiv of a LV bag” I can’t agree more. I don’t understand the pull that LV has over everyone.

        • A Different Liz

          Not alone. I find those brown bags w/ LV all over them aesthetically unappealing. Apparently we’re in the minority, though…

  5. Anon

    Maybe its just me but I don’t think the trench is instantly recognizable as Burberry because of the flowers in the background. I wish I could justify spending $1500 on a coat!

  6. LPC

    I hate Burberry, in general. This, I like. You can’t really be sure it’s Burberry, so we’ve got some ironic reference going on. Cute coat, structuralist leanings? Hooked me.

    • MAC

      Neutral on the Burberry overall, just hate this one particularly. And I disagree that you can’t tell it’s a Burberry — the famous print is the background!!! The fact that it’s black and white doesn’t disguise the fact.

      My other problem with the trench is it seems rather limited seasonally. Flower prints (even of this type) & esp. on a white -ish background seem to be very spring/summer to me.

  7. Ms B

    The issue is that for around two-thirds of the price of this coat, you can have a timeless, classic Burberry made to order. You get to pick from one of about a dozen cuts, the exterior fabric, the coat lining, the warmer, the button-in lining and more. You can customize with belt type, including or removing epaulettes and other details and so on. The price includes alterations. For anyone with fit issues, it would be totally worth it. On a “per wear” basis, it even would be a bargain! (Yes, I speak from experience.)

    But the coat pictured above . . . not so much.

    • Anonymous

      Ms. B – I did not know that customizing a Burberry trench was possible. How can one go about doing that? At a Burberry store? Will any store do it for you?

        • Ms B

          I had mine done at the Burberry store in D.C. about two years ago. Or rather, DH did, as this was a birthday present. I had wanted one ever since I read about the made to order program back in 2005 or so in an article by Plum Sykes in Vogue.

          My understanding at the time of my purchase (early 2008) was that only New York and Washington, D.C. offered the program. I have heard that the program has been discontinued in DC, but it may be going on still in New York. I also have heard that the New York program only is available a few times a year. At any rate, call your favorite store and speak with the staff, because your mileage may vary.

          The process required two visits to the store, which worked out for me with some travel I had scheduled. Before my first visit, I called ahead to make an appointment. I must give kudos to the fabulous Suzi Yim who took my call, explained the process, set up a time, and told me allot at least an hour to 90 minutes for the initial meeting.

          Because this was made to order (not made to measure, i.e., bespoke from an original design), when I got the store, we started out by trying on the various stock models to figure out what would be the “pattern” for my coat in terms of standard size and design. I chose a double breasted raglan sleeve trench because it had plenty of room to put a suit jacket and sweater under the coat (I intentionally wore a cashmere turtleneck and a wool double breasted jacket to the appointment for testing purposes). The on-site tailor marked out adjustments in terms of sleeve and length shortening and details to order. For example, I did not want epaulettes because I use a shoulder briefcase and have had bad experiences with the bag beheading the epaulettes. I wanted slightly longer sleeves than is usual in order to cover the hems of my suit coat sleeves. I also wanted the length to be a little above mid-calf and specified a buckle belt without the D rings (too masculine for me).

          Then we moved to fabric. They had an entire book of exterior fabrics, ranging from the traditional gab, to waxed cotton, to what they called “technical” fabrics, which involved blends. Most of the fabrics came in multiple colors. I went for one of the “technical” fabrics in a matte finish that had a microfiber component so that it would be softer and have more drape than the traditional gab, but also would be waterproof. I chose black over khaki in the fabric.
          Next came linings. There only were three linings available with my exterior fabric, which all were variants of the characteristic plaid. I chose the updated Nova plaid with the white background and the red, black and khaki plaid (but would have preferred the black on black that only lines the ultra-lightweight fabrics).

          I had a choice of several warmer styles for the collar and went for black wool. For the lining, I chose the red wool with the “multipocket” format that has zippered interior pockets for gloves, glasses and a phone. (I still crave the cashmere liner and plan to get it someday!).

          Once everything was chosen, we tallied up the price and we paid half down. It took about ten weeks for the coat to come in from England, which was perfect timing. I went in and had a second fitting with the tailor. He had done such a good job at the first fitting that we did not need to do any further alterations. We paid the rest upon pickup.

          I love my coat and find that it is perfect any time of year other than high summer and deep winter. But if I had that cashmere lining . . .

        • A

          are there other lines that do things like this? made to order garments I mean. the idea is novel but very appealing

  8. Anonymous

    I’d also like to point out that if you are above approximately a Size 2, this much plaid, in such a large print, makes any woman look much larger than she really is. On a model, looks chic. On me, 5′ 11″–I would look giant!

    As for customizing Burberry, any of their flagships will do it. I doubt that smaller stores which have a Burberry section have the capability, simply bc they lack a Burberry in-house tailor.

  9. Anne Vohl

    I just spent a very rainy week in New York City, and did not see anything remotely like this coat. In fact, this coat would have looked silly where I went – Madison Ave., Upper West Side, Lincoln Center, Washington Square. The best rainwear I saw in NYC was a mid-thigh length champagne beige silk or nylon anorak, belted through a channel, not down filled or anything bulky like that. Nice and drapey. I think it had a hood. Where would one find that? It could be worn with anything, day or night.

  10. divaliscious11

    Not really feeling this one as it is too busy, but there is a gorgeous bergundy one in the window of Burberry on Michigan Ave. that is nice. Trying to locate a picture…

  11. D

    I am “over” black and white, although the world is not. No way would I pay this.

    • RF

      I still love black and white as a combo – just make sure you don’t end up looking like you should belong on the President’s secret service detail.

      But there is absolutely no way I would pay even remotely this much for a coat. Now, if I could find a knock off for a couple of hundred bucks I might be all over that, LOL.

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