ITALIAN DESIGNER-LABEL COATS

With five kids and no lotto cash in the bank, designer clothes isn't something I can allow myself to indulge in. Coats are usually something I buy on sale at the end of winter and keep ten years. I've never had an exciting coat, only a standard, functional, dark-coloured one. Last Xmas my in-laws were over from Denmark. The pound hadn't long fallen by 35% against the Danish currency. Out shopping, my mother-in-law was skipping along telling me that shopping in Scotland felt more like you'd expect in India or somewhere similar. When she saw the price of coats in an Italian designer shop had been reduced by 50% and factored in the new exchange rate, she insisted on buying me one. I didn't put up much of a fight! People who usually don't notice my clothes started declaring coat-envy! I felt a million dollars in my beautiful purple coat. I considered putting in my will that I should be buried in my coat, given I was never likely to have another expensive coat. This winter I was pregnant so didn't get to wear my beloved coat until this week. I happily put it back on yesterday. What happened to your coat? Thomas asked while we were out walking... what did he mean? I took it off. Half of my coat has faded to a pale pink where it has been in the light in our hall, the other half is still purple. My coat is ruined! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaah! I guess I need to go back to being the girl with the coat no one envies :-(