A new parka

The last time I bought a new winter coat was 2015 and that was my black NorthFace that I wear almost every day from November to April (kind of similar here). It is perfect. It's also a ski jacket length. It's served me very well and is, hands down, my very favorite coat.

Before that, I bought a white parka in Alaska in 2012 (similar). It's also very purposeful when needed. Sometimes I wore it to walk the dogs in Colorado, and sometimes I wore it in Pittsburgh to walk the dogs last winter.  But I rarely wear it out-out now. You get weird looks when you're in a giant parka and not in Alaska. There, it was the minimum. I remember my classroom aide (because I had a classroom aide!) had a floor length black parka (probably a $600 coat) that she wore for bus duty and recess duty. It was necessary.

But I got this one for a few reasons...

It's longer than my NorthFace. I can wear leggings and have them be covered by my coat!

It's generally warmer, as well.

It has great, deep pockets. I hate constantly patting diagonal pockets to make sure things haven't fallen out, if I've forgotten to zip them.

I got a small and it's a good fit. I like things looser, so if I were going to wear a hoodie underneath it, I probably would've sized up. Fun fact: I think my rib cage expanded while I was pregnant and never went back to normal. My shoulders just feel wider now when it comes to how things fit. (I can't prove this.)

Plus, it was on huge sale.

It still is!

I got the whole thing bought, taxed, and shipped to me for $75.

I called it another birthday present.