The Cost of Making a Pink Wool Coat

 This turned out to be a “two wool coats” year so far (and I have ideas for a third, but we’ll see…), which is a bit unusual for me. Wool dress coats are a big commitment - lots of time, lots of steps, lots of details, and a pretty high level of skill to have it be a top-notch looking. But I couldn’t pass up this beautiful pink wool, since I haven’t seen much pink wool come through over the years.

So, this begs the questions: how much would you spend on a wool coat, and how long would you wear it? I remember my grandma telling me she purchased a wool coat after WWII (she put it on layaway - when’s the last time you heard of that?! The system of the past involved delayed gratification, the exact opposite of today’s “buy it now and pay it off for months to come” attitude) and wore it for over a decade. Now in a time when fast fashion is popular and clothes fall apart (and are discarded after a season anyway), having quality pieces in your wardrobe in classic styles that last for years seems a somewhat forgotten way of life. There was an article in The Wall Street Journal entitled “Think Clothes were ‘Better’ Fifty Years Ago? Our Investigation Might Surprise You” by Jamie Waters (January 13, 2024) that talked about how if we wanted to go back to the higher quality items of the past, we would need to adjust our thinking from today’s lots-of-cheap-clothes-for-one-season attitude and plan to spend more per item and wear them for a decade. I do have two black wool coats in my closet that I purchased (and paid quite a bit for) - one is twelve years old, the other nine. They are in beautiful shape yet, classic styles and I intend to wear them for years yet (this pink wool coat is the sixth one I’ve made in the last fifteen years, and I’m still wearing three of them plus now this one). 

Part of the reason I made two coats this year is because I had two that I’d made wear out after 12+ years of wearing. I was sad to find they were done, but when I figured out how long ago I had made them, I realized they had gotten their fair usage. So what did this one cost me? Less than $50, though if I didn’t work at a fabric store, it still would have cost me less than $80. What did I pay for the last coat I purchased? $196 back in 2017 (I believe I got it on sale). What would a similar coat cost me this year to purchase? $399. That’s a pretty significant savings! Now, I did spend about nine hours sewing it, but sewing is my hobby, and I enjoyed it. If I wasn’t sewing a coat, I would probably have spent the time sewing something else, or at one of my other hobbies. 

I don’t have a problem making classic styles in good quality fabrics and wearing them for years (I also occasionally donate things I’ve made when my taste or body has changed). It’s okey not to have something new for every occasion, just as it is fine to let something go after years of use. And you might be surprised at how often someone tells you they love seeing you again in that item you made!