The alternate title of this post is Why I Have The World’s Greatest Little Brother… what, you say?

Before I divulge one of the (many) reasons why my little brother Matt is one of my favorite people in the entire universe, lets talk about coats. If you live in Chicago, or anywhere cold for that matter, you should have a wide selection of coats. Why? Because your coat is the look when it’s chilly. People seem to forget that! Sure, the “official” purpose of outerwear is to protect us from the frigid wind shears that barrel across the frozen surface of Lake Michigan like waves of of tiny daggers, but you and me both know the real power of coats is that they make or break your cold-weather outfits.

Thrifted wool coat, Proenza Schouler tee, c/o rag & bone jeans,

Dethrose Vintage heels, Tom Binns earrings, c/o Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses

MAC ‘Amplified Heartlessness’ lipstick, Essie ‘Fishnet Stockings’ polish

For Fall 2012, several of fashion’s leading designers showed the new boxier, looser-fitting silhouette. Céline and Proenza Schouler entranced women with their new architectural explorations of the space surrounding women’s bodies, albeit from different references – Philo pushed forward the neo-minimalism first pioneered three years ago, while Jack and Lazaro sought inspiration from the flat, angular karate uniforms of Asian martial arts. And we haven’t even gotten to the sumptuous crimson coats that collectively wooed women – myself included – from across the runways. After all, I had been on the search for a coat in this style for months ever since the February shows. Finding the perfect red oversized coat was always in the back of my mind, although  I’ve never converted into the fashion version of a heat-seeking missile, searching out my prey with cold, laser like efficiency. Thrifting for me is more like a meandering form of meditation as I lose myself in the treasure hunt, looking for that one magic piece.

So why was this $12 wool coat – in perfect condition – quite possibly the greatest thrifting find of my life thus far?

Photo via Style.com

When I saw this red Jil Sander coat (left) for the first time on Style.com I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. This is fashion that moves the spirit. Powerful yet feminine, in an unforgiving shade of lipstick red, this was sure to be the coat of the season. It envelopes the body like a cocoon, reminiscent of the revolutionary silhouettes championed by Cristobal Balenciaga yet completely forward-thinking. I prefer the looser shape of Jil Sander’s with the wide, somewhat cartoonishly large lapels with their vaguely Prada feel to the other red coats shown below.

Comme Des Garçons, left; Calvin Klein Collection, right

American Vogue, October 2012

A blog post about Fall 2012’s infatuation with the oversized red coat wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the striking outwear shown by Rei Kawakubo at Comme Des Garçons, a cheeky riff on pattern-making. The models looked like 2-D paper dolls, and there’s no better color to make a dramatic statement than red. Francisco Costa – ever the master at creating directional fashion that is as wearable as it is influential – presented a gorgeous poppy-colored coat using a densely woolen fabric for a softly touchable yet completely architectural spin on the “power coat.” Yes, the “power coat.” Could there be a better phrase to label such an intimidating piece of outerwear?

So, wherever did I find my amazing new vintage wool coat that looks about as close to the Jil Sander piece as I could get? Clearly not in Chicago, where this would have sold the day it came in. No, I found this magnificent piece while thrifting with my little brother Matt at the Madison Goodwill on State Street near the University of Wisconsin campus when I went up to visit him last weekend. Keep in my mind that Matt just pledged to join a frat (I don’t hold that against him) and is one of those classically handsome, blonde-haired blue-eyed boys who’s authentically friendly yet intimidatingly popular. He is honestly one of the coolest people I have ever met. Whereas I am constantly going fangirl on people in my head, I think Matt could have dinner with President Obama, Radiohead and Michael Jordan at the same time without breaking a sweat, but he’s not at all bored or cynical or tired. He’s just fucking cool. THIS IS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT – I am totally going fangirl on my own little brother right now. How meta of me!

So when I told him I wanted to check out the vintage and thrift stores near campus, he didn’t complain. No, he shepherded me from store to store and helped me deliberate over the strengths of all-black vintage sequined tops versus colorful vintage sequined tops in the corporate office environment. He patiently waited while I dug through coats before coming across the sartorial Holy Grail – this seemingly unworn wool coat from the early 80s with exactly the right proportions, silhouette, and color and a literal steal at $12. Yes, TWELVE DOLLARS. I still can’t believe it. Hallelujah, I found my dream coat and it’s all thanks to Matt! He did note that it “looks big,” but conceded that it was “totally something I would buy and wear.” The best complement of my life.

And that is why Matt is the world’s greatest little brother.