MetaChat - Coat Sizes: Help?

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08 November 2010

Coat Sizes: Help? I need a coat before I go to New York this Friday or I'm going to die up there. →[More:]

I lost the coat I've had for like 8 years this spring, and now I'm going on a trip this weekend to upstate New York and I still don't have one.

I WANT THIS COAT.

I drove up to the LL Bean store in Mass to try it on and see if it was worth it/warm enough/etc, but the damn store didn't have it.
To further my difficulties, they're out of the brown color in medium for the whole season. And I want it in brown.

My heart broke when I found that out. I was set on this coat for weeks, I was just waiting to try it on to make sure I liked it.

After talking to customer service peeps, I've got the coat's measurements in small, medium, and large.

Garment measurements

Chest
46
49
52

Sleeve length:
35 1/2
36 1/4
37

Cross shoulder
19 1/4
20
20 3/4

Arm opening
23
24
25

Center back length
26 1/2
27
27 1/2

Sweep
47
50
53

LL Bean's sizing chart is here (gotta click the link to expand it to see the whole table).
As you can see, the coat runs larger than their sizing chart lists as their sizes. I assumed this was to allow for additional layering, but one customer service rep said it was to account for "slight shrinkage" after the first dry cleaning.

Re: chest, I'm like 36-37. Their small is 10 inches larger than that.

If I get the small, as opposed to the medium, am I an idiot?

Alternate thread topic: FIND ME A COAT SIMILAR TO THAT ONE IN MATERIAL AND STYLE/CUT AND PRICE RANGE.

I want to have a coat ordered by tomorrow, one way or the other.

/whimper

post by: CitrusFreak12 at: 20:18 | 3 comments

What's the return policy? Can you order small and medium and send one back?

posted by galadriel 08 November | 21:59

I decided that since I hadn't been able to try it on, I wouldn't take the chance. I'm a medium, regardless of how badly I don't want to be in order to get the coat I wanted.

I've since ordered this one--yeah I know, night and day difference, huh.

But I tried it on at the store, rather liked it, and it got the thumbs up from the girlfriend, so it's got that going for it. I got the green one, as I liked that one in the store and when I sought a second opinion on Twitter Jessamyn picked it as well.

It's rugged and seems like it'll block the wind really well, and I can actually go out to the woodpile and carry wood in without having to worry about ruining it or getting bits of wool in it. It won't get all pilly like my old coat did. It's not dry clean only. It's cheaper. It has its own hood for snowy or rainy days. It's water resistant. The dude in the last picture looks pretty hot wearing it. It's cheaper, and now I've got about $40-$50 I already mentally parted with to maybe spend on a sweater or some new gloves.

So there we have it! Thank you for the help and input, all!

posted by CitrusFreak12 08 November | 22:13

I like them both. The hooded one seems a bit more practical for daily use, carrying wood, etc.

posted by theora55 10 November | 20:23

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