Edmonton: Survival of the warmest

When the mercury drops to 30 degrees below zero, I often long for the warm sand beaches of Trinidad and Tobago. My only consolation is beautiful winter wear I can flaunt while braving the blizzards. In fact, one of the primary reasons I adore living in Alberta, Edmonton in particular, is the four distinct seasons we have, which, for me, translates into four fabulous wardrobes (and some multi-tasking transitional pieces).

My favorite boutique for outerwear and wardrobe staples, including designer denim, is MoltiSanti (#332 Southgate Centre, 780-435-3404, moltisanti.com). The shop specializes in premium casual wear for both women and men and offers a personal shopping service. I am having a great deal of difficulty deciding between two impeccably tailored black wool coats by the Montreal-based brand Mackage (mackage.com). The Noah (shown, $560) is quite fitted and has a black leather belt and leather bands at the wrists. The Isa ($496) has a high collar, slightly flared silhouette and leather detailing on the pockets.

While it is of the utmost importance to demonstrate fiscal restraint when we are in the midst of a recession and possibly recovering from post-holiday spending shock, I prefer to think of buying outerwear as investing in something that fills a need, rather than a splurge. As any worthy survival handbook will note, the three basic needs of all human beings, especially Edmontonians, in winter are food, shelter and coats.

Dilemma solved—I will purchase both. It’s a matter of survival!

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