One-Dollar Wonders

Another ElevenParis (BJ/Astrid UWP) Mikka Jacket Review

October 3, 2012

Not a fluke that the title says "review" and not K/R. As on BJ, this jacket looks *amazing* fully buttoned up, but ten kinds of terrible any other way.

I think it may be make for someone with a long torso.

Pic 1-2: Buttoned up - true to the Nordies size chart (36=0-2), wonderful quality, heavy wool. Like a really edgy pea coat.

3-4: Totally open - see how the coat creates the optical illusion of a big, bubbly gut? Yeah, I wasn't happy about that. But if the whole thing had been sitting up a few inches higher, the bottom panels would have been pointing at my waist instead... too bad. :T

5: Half open - this exaggerates the low stance even more. My natural waist is several inches higher than the button closure, making me look all torso on top of stubby legs, even with my 3" heels on.

But if you are a tall, long-torsoed lass looking for a cool, artsy pea coat, this is definitely worth a shot.

In other news, MAN am I happy I did not order the coat from abroad! Nordstrom, you have saved me a major disappointment and headache yet again.

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Posted in the Shopping category
This post is also published in the youlookfab forum. You can read and reply to it in either place. All replies will appear in both places.

9 Comments

  • Mirp replied 11 years ago

    Thanks for the review and pictures.

  • CocoLion replied 11 years ago

    I like it buttoned fully or partially. I agree, completely unbuttoned it looks weird. Although it you wore a longer top underneath it might work unbuttoned.

  • K. Period. replied 11 years ago

    Wow! I say, wow! It looks amazing in 1 & 2. But wow. 3-4 and 5, you are so right about the low stance. If it takes beautiful you and creates the appearance of a belly (and by the way, only the slightest hint on you and we all know that it is entirely utterly manufactured by the coat and not existing IRL.), holy moly I can't even imagine what kind of a mess it would make out of me! *Whew* for easy returns.

    Stance now has even more significance to me than it did before. I could see how much it affected me on a couple of jackets that I bought and returned. Definitely a factor not to be ignored.

  • Suz replied 11 years ago

    Oh, I LOVE it buttoned, Rae. TRUE love. Love, love, LURVE!!

    But yeah...it is such a shame about unbuttoning.

    If only you could justify a coat you would only wear closed.

    Of course, where I live, that is exactly the kind of coat I need; I would NEVER wear a wool coat open, under any circumstance I can imagine, actually.

    Hmmm. <thinking cap goes on....>

  • catgirl replied 11 years ago

    Rae, so sad that it doesn't work unbuttoned but you can't wear it buttoned ALL the time, right? I see this issue with a lot of military coats. This one, for example:

    http://us.asos.com/ASOS-Milita.....XQvUHJvZC8.

    So so beautiful, if you wear it like this all the time.

  • rae replied 11 years ago

    Yeah, I reallllly love it closed as well. So much so that I was considering how I could wear it with low-contrast tops, tunics/dresses, always keep it at least partially buttoned... maybe I would still do that if it were 1/3 of the price in a cooler climate, but the limitations can't really be justified with my current budget and climate. :(

    Suz, I bet this collar would be really pretty with your long neck. :)

  • rae replied 11 years ago

    Una, my wool Karen Millen looks a LOT like the one you linked to - cut very cleverly so that it drapes to form an hourglass at the waist when open, kind of like my Bebe jacket and your Trouve. But I agree, most of those military coat designs do not take the open look into account.

  • Carole replied 11 years ago

    It looks so great buttoned up! Too bad it isn't more versatile. I had a coat that I loved that was the same way, looked fantastic buttoned up but kind of crazy and sloppy when it wasn't. I just always had it buttoned up, problem solved!

  • san replied 11 years ago

    Beautiful on you all buttoned up. With your warm climate it's probably not the best option but for Suz in a colder climate it might be. How about it Suz? The coat really has a great design when it's buttoned.

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I'm just your average working stiff who loves nice things and hates to pay for them. This blog outlines my efforts to navigate that treacherous shopping/saving divide through swappin', thriftin', and even a little resellin'. Many of the pieces in my wardrobe cost me just $1! We've heard a lot about people "living above their means" in recent years; I'm championing the concept of living large *below* your means - whatever that means for you. :)