Mary Tyler Moore Coat...continued

As some of you may know, I recently bought a new coat...I had a post about it that somehow dissappeared, but I'm re-posting it below. Some of you have requested a photo of Mary Tyler Moore coat, so here it is...The photo shows it a bit darker than it really is.

Please feel free to leave a comment about the 100% wool, fully lined Mary Tyler Moore coat, for which I paid four whole dollars!!

Here is the original post, so you may know the back story and mockery I have endured!

A few days ago, I was in my bathroom reading. Yes, I read in the bathroom. I tend to keep the place stocked with magazines one would find if waiting at the dentist's office. People, Oprah, Vanity Fair... occasionally, I go intellectual and toss in a Time magazine or a really ambitious New Yorker. I don't do this very often. I find that the Time and New Yorker's articles require more time and more concentration than I'm willing to give during the average bathroom "stay" if you will...however, women's magazines and People are just about right for bathroom reading, just the right length and not too challenging. (Okay, is this an "over-share"?)

Anyway, reading up with Oprah on the fall wardrobe about "outerwear" fancy speak for "coats'- most of my coats are casual, they don't do well over skirts or nice slacks- they are definitely okay with jeans and sweats. So, according to Oprah's style specialists, a "must have" for your fall wardrobe is a mid-length or peacoat in a "soft neutral"-- Since this is Oprah (if Oprah says it, it must be true!) this sounds like a good addition to the wardrobe. I like peacoats, or a mid length suede deal. However, since my family likes to eat food and enjoy basic services like phone and electricity, I can't see dropping between $150-$300 for a coat, no matter what Oprah says.Yesterday, I'm out at a thrift store to do a story for work on a volunteer and take some pictures. The volunteer is late so I do a little shopping. The store is a treasure trove of the unusual. I find a stack of 8 tracks. They have titles like the "Complete Eddie Arnold"- I also browse the vinyl records and find a "Donnie and Marie" record. On the cover is Donnie and Marie in their variety show heyday, Donnie in a wide purple collar with a white vest and tight white pants. Marie much more demure (she is a "little bit country") is in a flowing purple and white gown. I headed down to the coat rack, and I found it. It was a camel colored 100% wool coat, lined very nicely, a peacoat- my fall "must have"- I tried it on, it fit! It was in good condition, no stains or obvious defects, very nice I thought. And the price was right- $4 !After work I went to Lloyd Center. I went into a store and found a very similar coat for $170 - I chuckled to myself. The saleslady glared at me, well, I went to Lloyd Center after a 4 mile walk, so I was in my sweats and kind of sweaty looking. After my thrift store find, the prices on everything seem absurdly high. I decide that I'm going to be fashionable on the cheap. I decide my trip to Lloyd Center is merely a fact-finding mission where I will take mental notes on the most fashionable items and then find them at thrift stores and buy a fabulous outfit for the price of a Happy Meal.

I can't wait to get home to show off my prize. My husband is in the kitchen and I excitedly tell him about my find. I put it on and preen about. My husband burst out laughing, really laughing. So, I say "What?!!" and he finally is able to speak, "Well, I was just waiting for you to spin around and throw your hat in the air, because that's totally the Mary Tyler Moore coat! I mean only thing missing is the belt and its Mary Tyler Moore. Very 70s"I put my hand on my hips and glare at him. My daughter sympathetically chimes in, "If you like it Mommy, that's all that's important." What I was really hoping for was "Cool coat mom!"I went into the bedroom to look in the full length mirror to see if I was temporarily out of my mind in the thrift store- No, this is totally a nice coat! This is totally the coat Oprah told me I must have in my fall wardrobe! My husband sheepishly follows me into the room and promptly makes it worse by saying "Well, at least it's warm looking. It will keep you warm." Further glaring.

Now, the coat is doomed to be the "Mary Tyler Moore" coat. Everytime I wear it he will say "Hey, you're wearing the Mary Tyler Moore coat" and Allie will pick up on it and say things like "Its cold you should wear the Mary Tyler Moore coat" - even though she has no idea who Mary Tyler Moore is...so, what was, for a few shining hours, my cutting edge fashion-find, is now and forever the "Mary Tyler Moore coat"