In Which I Become Possessed by a Sensible Demon Spirit

I am so annoyed. I just bought a winter coat from Brooklyn Industries, and when I got home, I went to their website only to discover that they're offering an online-only 15% off deal. I suppose I could return it and then just buy it online, but I'm short on time and I'm sure once shipping is factored in, the difference will be negligible.

According to the sales associate, the coat I bought was featured in the Times twice. To be honest, I wasn't exactly buying it for the style factor. It was more like I was traipsing through the West Village on an absolutely frigid evening, clad in one of my (many) cute-but-utterly-useless coats, and was no longer able to tolerate its lack of warmth. I saw a long puffer coat in the store window and instantly wanted to fling off my adorable jacket, hurl it to the ground, and shriek profanities at it.

I ran inside and made a beeline for the coat section, found one in my size, tried it on, and handed over the plastic. It was as if someone else had, for my own good, momentarily taken control of my body and mind, drowning out the little voice that protested, "but you look like a marshmallow!" He/she/it told that voice to go to hell, and reasoned that marshmallows are in fact very cute. Plus, it felt so warm in there that I was hooked.

One of my favorite things about the coat is that it features fleece lined pockets that are perfectly positioned for jamming one's hands into. I pretty much ignored anything else the sales guy was saying as he rattled off a list of winning attributes because I was too happy being cocooned in such warmth, the likes of which I probably haven't felt since leaving the womb.

Anyway, if you're interested in getting one of your own, the Fjord Coat comes in maroon, black, and graphite (my choice) and is priced at a recession-friendly $178. Also, I happen to love the word "fjord." Sometimes in my fashion daydreams, I even envision a character named Tom Fjord (a Nordic version of Tom Ford), who designs chic, sexy cold-weather gear fit to handle Scandinavian climates.

Some other finds:

Lipstick Bullet tee, on sale for $24. The burnout fabric is semi-sheer and incredibly soft.

I have convinced no less than three people to buy the Bluebell Button Skirt. It comes in black and white, or navy/red (my choice). It's so much cuter in person. Now on sale for $54.

I also got a pair of tights in the perfect purple, but they're only available in store. Do check them out if you have a chance.

Remember to enter code "AUTUMN08" at checkout and order by Oct. 26 if you want to save 15% on your purchase. Also, check out the expression on this model -- clearly she too suffers from having chosen form over function at a wintry point in time.

Photo credit: www.brooklynindustries.com