Seven Beige Trench Coats, One Driving Problem, and a Fabiana Filippi Find

 When the seasons changed, I packed away my summer clothes and took out my fall and winter ones. And then… seven beige trench coats came out. Seven. Just the beige ones. If I count the other colors too… oh dear. 😂

The funny thing is, I've barely worn them in years. The reason is simple: they're so inconvenient when I drive. (The story of the seven beige trenches deserves its own post. Coming soon!)

A Fabiana Filippi coat with a length and fabric that are great for driving.

Long coats and driving don't mix

It's not just the trenches. Almost every coat I own is a long coat. And long coats are beautiful, I know. But every time I get in or out of the car, the hem gets caught, and when I sit, the back gets crushed and wrinkled.

So this year, I decided to find one short coat just for driving. What I wanted was very specific: a coat I can throw on like a bathrobe, one that wraps my whole body in coziness, so I can pull my shoulders back a little and shuffle around all bundled up. 😂

YOOX and Fabiana Filippi, again

Where did I look first? YOOX, of course. Their markdowns can be wild. And the brand? Fabiana Filippi, again. 😂

I shop for Fabiana Filippi on YOOX quite often, and surprisingly, I find a lot of great pieces there. Three recent ones stand out:

• The fail: I bought a "coat" that turned out to be a jacket and had to return it. Getting my import duties back was a hassle.
• The win: I found the mohair knit I had walked away from at an outlet in Korea.
• Today's star: a light grey hooded robe coat.

I placed the order praying, "Please let it be a real coat this time." And yes, this time it really was a coat! 🎉

Fabiana Filippi coat receipt

What I paid for a $1,858 coat

• Retail price: US$1,858
• Item price: US$685 (with a 15% Mastercard discount)
• Shipping: free
• Duties and tax (for shipping to Korea): US$164.40
• Total paid: US$849.40

The 15% card discount saved me about US$120. That didn't make the duties disappear. I still paid US$164.40 in duties and tax. But the discount offset most of it, which made the total much easier to accept. With everything included, I paid about 46% of the retail price. I think that's a pretty good deal.

💡 If you shop on YOOX, check for card promotions before you pay. The higher the price, the more it helps, especially when duties are added.

Even better in person

I felt this with the knit too, and I felt it again here: with YOOX, the real thing is often much prettier than the photos.

The moment I put it on, I thought, "This is it!" It's exactly the bathrobe-style coat I had imagined. It wraps around me softly, and it has that "I just threw this on" feeling.

• Hood: It has a big hood, so of course I took a photo wearing it. 😂
• Sleeves: The wide sleeves give it an oversized look, but strangely, they make my body look slimmer.
• Length: It ends above the knee, which is perfect for driving.

The lines are so elegant, just what you'd expect from Fabiana Filippi. Whether I let it fall back off my shoulders a little or wrap it closed in front, it has its own mood. It's hard to explain in words. Honestly, it just makes me happy. 😊

A Fabiana Filippi coat with a length and fabric that are great for driving.

Soft, thick and cozy: what I know so far

What I can already tell: The fabric has exactly the soft, plush feel I was hoping for. It's thick and cozy in my hands. I also sat on the sofa in it, and it was comfortable, with nothing pulling or digging in.

What I still need to find out: whether it's really as warm as it feels on a freezing day, and how it works in the driver's seat. Getting in and out of the car, the seatbelt, sitting for a long drive. That was the whole point of buying it, but it's not cold enough for a coat yet. 😅 When it gets colder, I'll wear it in the car and update this post!

Shipping wrinkles? Steam them out

Because it came from overseas folded in a box, it had some wrinkles when it arrived, especially on the sleeves and hem. I ran it through my clothing care steamer (an AirDresser) once and most of the wrinkles came out. It still feels a little creased, so I'm going to run it one more time. Wool coats often don't smooth out in one go, so don't panic!

Final thoughts

Seven beige trench coats, a closet full of long coats, and still nothing to wear when I drive. That was my problem. Now I think I've finally found the coat for it, and from Fabiana Filippi, a brand I love.

To be honest, I haven't actually driven in it yet. So the real test is still waiting for the first cold morning. 😅

So far, my YOOX Fabiana Filippi shopping has another happy ending. 🧥💕 (If you're curious about the mohair knit I mentioned, you can read my knit post here.)

What do you wear when you drive in winter? If long coats have ever given you trouble too, tell me in the comments!