THE CURATED CLASSIC CAMEL COAT REVIEW

Alllllright folks, the review that many of you have been patiently waiting for is finally here! That is, the review of The Curated’s Classic Camel Coat.

Long story short, this coat has been a pivotal addition to both my style and closet. It was a personal purchase and a piece I’m sincerely happy I decided to invest in. Shout out to Jamie-Lee who’s review and styling convinced me to order.

Now, as per my usual approach, this review will cover:

• Quick facts (about the coat & brand)
• Fit info (in depth look at how it fits on my frame for reference)
• Warmth (how low can it really go)
• Notable design details (elements that make it special)
• How I’ve styled it so far.

Let’s get to it!

Side note: Of course, if you’re not in the market for a camel coat, taking some time off from shopping or maybe you don’t even like them, that’s cool! There are still lots of notes in this post that might be useful for the next time you decide to invest in a piece of outerwear

OUTFIT SOURCES: CLASSIC CAMEL COAT by THE CURATED (size S) // TURTLENECK SWEATER (size S) | JEANS gifted (size 27) on sale for $38 USD! | BOSS BOOTS gifted (TTS) by EVERLANE // BOX BAG gifted MINOR HISTORY // PEARL EARRINGS by CADETTE (made in Toronto) // CIGAR RING by ATTIC (made in Toronto) // LIP COLOUR (Undone) by KOSÅS

QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE CLASSIC COAT

PRICE: $350 USD / $460 CAD – I personally believe that this coat is excellent value for the quality, versatility and truly timeless nature of a classic camel coat. I spent years hunting for the perfect option and for my personal style, this is the one. That said, I understand this is not in everyone’s budget and I’ve included a few options that might be at the end of this post.

CARE: Spot clean as needed. Fibres like wool and cashmere are naturally anti-bacterial so a bit of airing out is usually all that’s needed. These fibres also wick away moisture so most spots are easy to clean. Dry cleaning is recommended only when absolutely necessary as this can break down the natural fibres if done too frequently. Creases from sitting or initial shipping will fall out on their own if you hang the piece up. DO NOT IRON as this can burn the fibres but careful steaming is ok.

MADE: By a family owned factory in Inner Mongolia, China. All products are shipped directly and the factory is a vertical mill. Vertical mills are factories that produce both the raw material and finished product. This helps to reduce environmental wastage and overproduction while increasing efficiency in production and cost.

COLOUR: This coat is a true camel brown that’s neither too warm nor too cool so it works against any skin tone. Even pale, pinkish folks like yours truly! Of course all screens display colour differently but these photos are true to life on my own screen and seem to match what is shown online. If anything, they may skew slightly warm.

COLOUR OPTIONS: CAMEL, BONE, BLACK & LIGHT GREY

MATERIALS: Royal Cashmere and Merino Wool* (30%/70%)

ITCHINESS: I have relatively sensitive skin and at first I found the coat a bit itchy on bare skin. With time it has softened up a lot and I wouldn’t hesitate to wear it over a t-shirt or a style that would put the coat in direct contact with my skin. Some folks are more sensitive to natural fibres than others but this is definitely only getting smoother and softer with use as wool and cashmere typically does.

SIZES: XS-XL (US 4-12) I have a size Small. More details below.

CLOSURE: This coat has no fastenings aside from an optional belt. It does however, come with extra material in case you would like to add belt loops to keep the belt connected. Personally, I prefer the clean look of a loop free side and just throw the belt in my bag when I’m out.

SHIPPING/RETURNS: Shipping is $25 USD / No returns but you can exchange your coat for another size/colour if it’s not a good fit.

ABOUT THE CURATED

The Curated is a carefully sourced collection of timeless, high quality staples that come together under one roof. Scandinavian based and focused on sustainable luxury and minimal elegance. The Curated works in tandem with vertical mills to create luxury staples at attainable prices (compared to traditional retail) by cutting out the middle men and reducing mark-up.

Having followed the brand and it’s founder Nicola for a long time now, it’s clear to me that she is extremely thoughtful and intentional about every single product The Curated offers and the utmost care is taken to ensure the highest quality is offered. I’m so happy to have discovered The Curated and their success is well earned. This won’t be my last purchase!

FIT INFO

MY MEASUREMENTS FOR REFERENCE: Height = 5’7.5 / Weight = 125-130 lbs / Bust = 32C / Waist = 26 in / Hip = 37.5 in / I usually wear a size Small, US 4 and 27 in denim.

SIZE I WEAR: SMALL

I was unsure about sizing and waffled between a Small and Medium. I contacted the brand with my measurements to see what they would recommend and they advised me to go with a Small. When it arrived I wasn’t sure if it was too slim in the hip on me but I kept wearing it around the house with different outfits and ultimately decided it was going to be right.

I believe that the Medium would have been too large through the shoulders and sleeves. Plus, I intended for the fit to read tailored more than oversized. At the time of this post, about 6 months later, I’m still very happy with the fit and even with weight fluctuations it’s been perfect.

If I were to compare the Classic Coat to another well-known style, Wilfred’s Cocoon Coat, I’d say the size small runs roomier throughout but the fit is straight through the body and hip, whereas the Cocoon Coat has a bit of contour. You can see how that coat fits me in this post (I wear a small in that style too).

Here is a closer look at the coat from the front and back showing how much the front panels overlap and how it fits throughout when belted or worn loose.

HERE IS HOW IT LOOKS WHEN LOOSELY BELTED

HERE IS HOW IT LOOKS WORN OPEN

SLEEVE LENGTH

I love the sleeve length on this coat because it can be worn straight or rolled depending on how much of your base sleeves you’d like to show. I generally roll my sleeves to show more and to keep the cuffs out of the way.

Measuring the seam from the armpit to the edge the sleeves are 18 inches.

WARMTH
HOW LOW CAN THIS COAT REALLY GO?

The question I’ve been asked the most about this coat is, “Can it handle Canadian winters?” The short answer is…no. This is not going to cut it as your only winter coat. The long answer, however, is that it is warmer than I’d expected and depending on how you layer it, it can definitely handle some low temps.

I’d say it can work for anywhere between a breezy 15°C over say, a t-shirt, down to -5° over a very cozy sweater (with the addition of a hat, scarf, gloves etc.). It all depends on your tolerance to heat and cold. Of course, if you’re driving and in and out of a car, it’s less critical, but if you’re walking or waiting for public transit outdoors this won’t cut it in the deeper winter months.

I’m personally willing to sacrifice a bit of coziness for style but if you can’t bear any chill whatsoever, then this coat is going to be a Fall and Spring piece for you.

If we’re talking exact temperatures I’d say this outfit would be great down to about 2°C. If I wear a heavier sweater and warmer boots, add on some winter accessories, well, we’re looking at -5°C or even lower (depending on the windchill).

In terms of how thick/heavy the coat is, see the images below for a better idea. It is unlined but quite thick and dense so it keeps heat in.

NOTABLE DESIGN DETAILS

I was initially drawn to the simplicity of this design and just how truly minimal it is. Of course, as is true with so many things, when something looks perfectly simple, chances are, a TON of careful consideration has gone into it. As I’ve worn and made notes on this piece over the last several months, I’ve noticed some key details that set this coat apart from your average wrap coat. Here’s a look at those:

HOW I’VE STYLED IT

These are just a few of the ways I’ve styled this coat but be sure to check out The Curated’s IG highlight showing lots of customers in their classic coats for more ideas.

BUDGET-FRIENDLY OPTION

It doesn’t take much searching to see that a camel coat of this caliber (thoughtfully made, high cashmere component, all natural fibres, restrained design etc.) is going to run much higher than $350 USD, often well beyond the $500 USD range. That said, I’ve done lots of digging and found this very similar option that is under $250 CAD ($199 USD). It comes in a few colour ways and is made of 100% merino wool.

THANKS FOR READING, I HOPE THIS HONEST REVIEW IS HELPFUL FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN THIS COAT!