I miss cold weather only because I miss all the coats I could be stocking up on right now.  With a good coat and a great pair of boots, it doesn’t even really matter (too much) what you have on underneath.  It could be a Hanes tee and jeans, but your flawless wool coat, statement scarf, and lovingly-worn leather boots are going to make you look a lot more put-together.

Maybe that’s why LA makes me so uncomfortable–it’s impossible to hide under multiple layers of clothing.

Before I get too psychoanalytical, let’s talk about Zara.

I love Zara because it’s a lower pricepoint brand that styles itself like a high fashion brand, even more so than brands like, say, Topshop.  Their marketing (which is little to none), styling, and photo spreads are so minimalist in aesthetic that they convey the look of a brand much more expensive than it is.  And who doesn’t love that?

Not to mention outwear can get pretty pricey–and it’s justified by the fact that we wear it repeatedly once the temperatures drop.  But Zara’s coats, for the most part, are under $200.  And they’re unique while still keeping up to date on trends, i.e. leather sleeves and bright colors (because, ya know, bright wool coats haven’t been featured in every magazine fall after fall for the past five years as if a revolutionary concept).

While I can look forward to temps dropping to the 40s at night once January hits here in SoCal, that’s about as much cold as I have to anticipate.  Except for my trips back east, which may necessitate (justify) a new coat.  Or two.

All pictures courtesy of Zara.