I was expecting bone chilling winds, sleet and winter weather for May in Auckland. But actually, it been quite pleasant. The odd shower or two but it’s generally nice and cool. That’s not to say that it won’t turn. And I have the coat for such an occasion.

Meet my heavy, duty winter coat. (how d’you do? charmed I’m sure).

I bought it in New York in the winter of ’09. I had arrived armed with a leather jacket and a wool duffel coat. Both lovely and both unable to keep my body temperature at a safe level. I gave in to peer pressure and bought a Calvin Klein ‘puffy’ jacket. Stuffed with duck down & waterfowl feathers with a bonafide faux fur trim (I would never wear real fur. I shudder when I see it. Horrible, archaic & unnecessary). I purchased such a coat at Macy’s for the bargain price of $70. They were having some huge clearance sale and I tried on jackets for hours on end. For some crazy reason I decided on this white coat despite the fact that all New Yorker’s have a black puffy jacket. All black. Everywhere black. But my boyfriend insisted that this one was tres chic. (he himself bought an electric blue Marc Jacobs puffy jacket). Side by side we looked like the biggest tourists you have ever seen.

Long story short, I’m glad that I pulled this out of storage and wear it happily (now that I don’t have to deal with the judgemental stares of New Yorkers). I am snug as a bug in a rug. Or snug as a kiwi wrapped in seaweed. Whatever, let’s rub noses.