Sisters Marie: The Ultimate Winter Dress Coat

So, it appears we have skipped Fall and headed straight to winter, or at least a prelude to it. The temps in Chicago have been in the low 40's for almost a week now and it feels like we hit the fast forward button on one of my favorite seasons. I really enjoy the short timeframe where we can get away with just a sweater and no coat but once those chillier days do arrive, we must be prepared.

I have never liked your standard Midwest Winter puffer coat - I only wear mine out of necessity (though I DO love its shade of red!) and let's be honest, it pretty much ruins any cute outfit I work hard on putting together...ugh, life can be so hard ;) But in all seriousness, there has to be a middle ground when it comes to staying warm AND looking chic during the return of Chiberia. We add tights to our dresses and beanies on our heads, but what about the most important layer? This is where a beautiful dress coat comes in...something that will complement your outfit, not hide it. I recommend something about knee length (or even longer) to make sure it covers many of your dresses...Is it just me or do you guys also think it's tacky when your clothes are longer than your coat?

I became attached to this J. Jill style real quick and think it will be my go-to dress coat this season. It's super soft, fully lined and goes with everything. I love that it's gray and not black, there are too many of those...Why not be a Fruit Loop in a world full of Cheerios, you know? :) The high neck and button down front make it feel sophisticated enough for the office yet trendy enough for my everyday street style. It just makes me feel good and that's saying a lot because I wait until the last possible minute to pull out a Winter coat but I kind of want to live in this one!

By the way, this beautiful floral scarf is part of the J. Jill Compassion Fund. If you aren't familiar, this organization is designed to help women in need: 100% of the net proceeds from this exclusive Compassion Fund scarf will provide support to community-based organizations that help disadvantaged and homeless women become more self-sufficient.

How cool is that? Not only is it a beautiful accessory but I feel proud to be wearing knowing the wonderful story and mission behind it. Any way women can support one another in succeeding and bettering their life is so important and so worth sharing.