Fall and winter coats, anyone?

I haven't given too much thought to coats in the past. When I lived in the Midwest the most important thing was that the coat was warm. Also given the fact that my budget was extremely limited, I usually had two coats -- one for work and one for dressier occasions. I loved off-white coats, but I could never get my mother's voice out of my head that off-white coats got too dirty.

Fast forward many years, and suddenly I'm noticing fall and winter coats. I'm thinking about "upping the anté" so to speak and investing in coats that (hopefully) will last more than one season and fit the "timeless" category.

I've discovered after trying on many coats that designers often don't account for the fact that the wearer will be donning a heavy sweater underneath. Which is why I've fallen in love with fuller sleeves that are shorter (hence no hemming needed) and make me also want to invest in a gorgeous bright pair of leather gloves. This Ferragamo coat seems to fit the bill and should hit boutiques soon:

I also just spotted this Milly Ruffled Darling coat which is more budget friendly but looks promising:

 

I will keep searching, although it looks like my coat closet is in for an overhaul!