Teddy Coat Theories

Garage Clothing coat (c/o) (similar)
Zara tank (similar)
Zara jeans (similar)
Rouje boots (similar)
JW Pei handbag (similar)
Zara sunglasses (similar)
Mejuri earrings (similar)
Location: Saint-Boniface Cathedral – Winnipeg, Manitoba

I can’t believe how often I’ve worn this jacket. I won’t hesitate to admit it. The teddy coat trend was in full swing when I worked on a collaboration with Ivanhoe Cambridge that required me to assemble at outfit on a budget at a local outlet mall. I can shop on a budget but not under pressure, and I had a finite amount of time to make decisions about that outfit. In order to keep my indecisive tendencies in check, I decided ahead of time to build my outfit around a single statement piece. That piece was a teddy coat from Garage Clothing.

Some of you may know that I have an extensive robust collection of childhood teddy bears at home. I keep them on the back of my living room couch. They sneak into photos on Instagram stories now and then, because there are a lot of them. (The couch gets crowded. And they fall over because they’re basically cute pillows.) But despite my affinity for teddy bears, the teddy coat trend didn’t initially hold much appeal for me. After all, it’s normal to love something without wanting to become that thing. I love running but that doesn’t mean I aspire to be a runner. I never felt a particular desire to impersonate my teddy bear friends, either.

But – this teddy coat proved surprisingly versatile. I packed it for our trip to Paris in 2019, and when the weather turned out to be unseasonably warm, wore it pretty much the whole time we were there. (I actually wound up regretting that once, in Bordeaux, where it was too hot for a coat at all even though it was only February.) This is its seventh appearance in this space, which officially means it’s exceeded every expectation I had for it when I got it.

Not only do I wear it year after year, it’s actually convinced me that another teddy coat could be a good investment. That sounds crazy, but I’m serious – I’ve actually looked at the Max Mara version many times. So far stopped myself before pulling the trigger, but I’m not sure how many more seasons I’ll be able to resist. The teddy coat trend isn’t at its peak anymore. But after three seasons, I can speak to their versatility and timelessness. A good teddy coat, like your favourite teddy bear, will keep you warm and cozy year after year.

…and, as an added bonus, you’ll look a lot less eccentric as an adult in a teddy coat than you do as an adult with a teddy bear. Trust me, I speak from experience.

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