Recently on a Target run, I was distracted by a faux fur leopard print coat. Of course I tried it on. However, it ran big and I couldn’t stop thinking about how it might look in the right size, so I ordered it and well, here we are.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to think of leopard print as more of a neutral, similar to the thoughts of the author in this Racked article, “Leopard is a Neutral, Fight Me.” Of course, it’s a rather loud neutral. And I love faux fur — so soft! But am I really going to wear a loud, furry coat on a regular basis? In trying to downsize my wardrobe, should a faux fur leopard print coat be one of the things I own? I decided to sit with a couple of them for several days to find out.
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This is the leopard print coat I originally reviewed from Target’s A New Day line.
A New Day Leopard Faux Fur Coat – $39.99, but now on clearance for $27.98!
I found it ran big, so I ordered a size down. I’m a dress size 4 and mostly a small in Target clothes. I’m wearing the XS here.
A New Day Leopard Faux Fur Coat // Everlane Drop-Shoulder Tee [review] // Uniqlo High Rise Jeans [ethical option] // Rag & Bone Slip-On Sneakers [similar]
The faux fur on this coat is decently soft. I like the two slash pockets and the fact the the snap buttons are black — all the better to blend in with the print. However, the fit was a tad tight in the armpits. It’s 16″ shoulder to shoulder and 19″ pit to pit. While fine over the T-shirt I’m wearing here, it wouldn’t be comfortable over a chunky sweater. The sleeves also ran a bit long on me (25″), but then again, I’m petite with short limbs. I think look-wise, it’s a bit much on me, especially from the side, which seemed widening.
Later, I was at Target picking up some paper towels (isn’t that how it always goes?) when I saw this shorter faux fur coat from the Who What Wear line. Ooops, I put it in my cart.
Who What Wear Faux Fur Coat – $54.99, Plus Size $59.99 (both 20% off now now!)
I really like the shorter length of this one (21″). I’m also a fan of the bigger print, and while you can’t see it here, it has a bright red lining, which is really satisfying and a beautiful contrast with the leopard print.
I’m wearing the small, which is the smallest size they seem to make it in. It’s still plenty roomy (without looking too big) and you could wear a chunky sweater under it. This coat also uses a snap enclosures, though I wish the snaps were black instead of silver. The sleeves fit me well, surprisingly. (They measured 23″.) Interestingly, the faux fur on this one is not as soft as the other coat. The whole coat has a slightly crunchier feel to it, if that makes sense. It’s a bit stiffer, construction wise. Not a deal breaker, but not preferable. Between the first coat above this one, I think this shorter length is the winner.
Who What Wear Faux Fur Coat // Everlane Drop-Shoulder Tee [review] // Uniqlo High Rise Jeans [ethical option] | Rag & Bone Slip-On Sneakers [similar] // Baggu Circle Purse [review]
Who What Wear Faux Fur Coat – $54.99, Plus Size $59.99 (both 20% off now now!)
Originally, I meant to compare these Target coats to pricier ones to see if I could discern a difference. This $249 from Kensie (now 30% off) is reversible to a rain coat, but how does the faux fur side compare to the longer Target coat? And how about this $395 one from Rebecca Taylor? It’s 10 times the price of the Target one (even more now that the Target one is on clearance). It is 10 times as good? What about this cropped $348 jacket by Joe’s? These coats are all carried by Nordstrom, so I went to take a look, but disappointingly, they didn’t have a single faux fur leopard print coat on the floor to try. Oh well.
By the time I went looking for the pricier ones though, I realized that I probably wouldn’t wear a faux fur leopard print coat that much if I was being honest with myself. Having these coats for a few days in my home and blogging about them helped me get leopard print out of my system.
Well, almost.
I decided to get one faux fur leopard print item after all.
By the way, as I mentioned in my last review about a wool coat, I’m trying to be better about making ethical shopping choices, so I’m including info about the where, what, and ethics of brands. Faux fur coats are made out of polyester, which is petroleum-based and not biodegradable. Its synthetic microfibers pollute our oceans. These coats and the slippers were made in China and while I don’t know much about the sourcing, I do know that Target was named an ethical company in 2010 by Ethisphere Institute, so that seems encouraging.
