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Review: Cuyana Navy 100% Wool Wrap Coat (Made in Italy)

REVIEW OF THE CUYANA WRAP WOOL COAT IN NAVY

cuyana-wrap-navy-wool-coat-catalog-review-save-spend-splurge

BLURB:

This is the one piece you need to enter fall – and wear through winter – feeling polished and confident. Timelessly practical and made end-to-end in Italy, every detail of this coat is carefully considered: from the collar – classically statement yet purposefully warm, to the heavyweight, eco-friendly Italian wool – thoughtfully cut and fashioned into a sleek, slim silhouette. Subtle side pockets, a seamless wool belt, and pleated back detail add beautiful and practical finishing touches. This is a thick, heavyweight coat designed specifically for very cold weather.

TOTAL COST = $932.30 CAD

I bought this Cuyana navy wool wrap coat for $495 USD but ended up paying $30 USD in shipping and another $245.30 CAD in customs & duties.

BLERRGH.

Still, it wasn’t too bad for what it is; a decent wool coat.

By the way, this is not sponsored. I’d love for them to reimburse me for this review though!!!

SIZING:

I generally always take an XS in everything except structured coats or coats with shoulder pads, with that, I always size up and then tailor down.

I normally wear these sizes:

  • XS in Banana Republic or a 00 in pants, or a skirt
  • XS in Zara
  • US4 in Burberry unless it is a very fitted coat then US6 fits my shoulders better
  • US6 in Smythe coats (because of the shoulder) and then I tailor in the rest to be a US4

So… I took the XS in Cuyana because that is my normal size.

WHY DIDN’T YOU SIZE UP THEN?

I would have sized up to an S actually because I always take one size larger because of my shoulders (I am an inverted triangle), but this coat has raglan sleeves which means the shoulders are unstructured and therefore I do not need to account for that at all.

Also, they were out of the “S” size as well.

WHAT IS A RAGLAN SLEEVE?

Think: 3/4 baseball shirts.

cuyana-navy-wrap-wool-eco-coat-model-lapel-review-save-spend-splurge

Google says:

A raglan sleeve is a type of sleeve whose distinguishing characteristic is to extend in one piece fully to the collar, leaving a diagonal seam from underarm to collarbone giving the garment a relatively undefined look.

So no structured shoulder or shoulder pads, which means it wouldn’t be a tight fit.

How I check for sizing in coats is I button it up or wrap it up, then hug myself.

If it feels tight in the shoulders, I size up.

If it feels comfortable, I keep that size.

COLOUR: 9/10

The colour is not a brighter navy blue as seen in photos like this below:

cuyana-navy-wrap-wool-eco-coat-model-3-review-save-spend-splurge

It is more of a dark, true navy blue like this in natural light:

review-save-spend-splurge-cuyana-wrap-coat-navy-blue-colour

I was hoping for a brighter navy blue but in the end, I like the dark midnight ink colour better; it’s more neutral & more black without being black.

WARMTH: 7/10 – AUTUMN / SPRING

This by no means would ever stand up in Canadian winters. NO WAY.

That said, I’d say a cool, windy autumn day about 15C or 59F would be all right to wear that coat with a t-shirt or long-sleeved shirt.

If I wore a long-sleeved SWEATER underneath and a scarf, it would hold up well in colder temperatures let’s say 10C or colder down to maybe 0C depending on how hot or cold you run.

COMFORT: 7/10 – SLIGHT ITCHINESS

It is 100% wool, so if you don’t wear a scarf and a long-sleeved shirt, if you have sensitive skin like me, you MAY feel slight itching around the neck and arms.

I wouldn’t say it is a deal breaker because it doesn’t make me want to rip it off my body and scratch uncontrollably, but there is a light sort of woolly itch that COULD be noticeable if my skin rubbed constantly against it (e.g. in a t-shirt without a scarf).

Really though, if I am wearing a wool coat, why the heck would I wear a t-shirt underneath without a scarf?

Not really practical considering what it is used for.

COMPARISIONS TO OTHER COATS

ted-baker-london-lorili-funnel-neck-wool-blend-wrap

I also looked at the Ted Baker Lorili coat that is a wrap style and similar, and for just about roughly the same price ($619 USD), it was a MUCH thinner still 100% wool, but way softer on my skin and without a hint of that woolly itch.. more like a long wrap wool sweater than a true “wool coat” the way the Cuyana one is.

The Ted Baker Lorili coat would not hold up in colder than 15C temperatures wearing a sweater underneath.

You can see me wearing it here:

Burberry-Regimental-Trench

I also own this Burberry black Regimental trench coat in wool and cashmere and it is about as warm as the Cuyana one, although WAY softer (because of the cashmere) and a little over double the price (~$2000 paid). The Burberry coat is fabulous.

Well worth the $2000. I wish Cuyana had mixed a little cashmere in the wool so it wouldn’t be 100% wool and with that slight woolly itch. I also am not sure I’d spend another $2000 on a coat though especially since the design and cut looks so good in this Cuyana one.

FEATURES & CONS

 

PRO: STRUCTURED LAPELS & COAT

I love the way the collar is popped and structured or lifted and it is stiff and not at all flimsy or too soft. cuyana-navy-wrap-wool-eco-coat-model_alone-review-save-spend-splurge

PRO: DOESN’T LOOK LIKE A ROBE

The styling of it and the way it is cut, doesn’t make it look like a bathrobe which other wrap coats have a way of looking.

cuyana-navy-wrap-wool-eco-coat-model-2-review-save-spend-splurge I remember trying on the Max Mara alpaca coat and that looked terrible on me, like a bathrobe because it wasn’t structured enough like this one to hold its shape.

PRO: POCKETS ARE DECENTLY DEEP & WELL PLACED

On either side, can fit a wallet and a phone as well as keys. It DOES bulge out when you put stuff in the pockets though which is to be expected. It looks better without anything in the pockets but I hate that. On my Burberry Regimental Trench, I can stuff the pockets and it still looks great because the bottom flares out a little & hides the bulge.

PRO: LITTLE BUTTON TO HOLD IT CLOSED ON THE INSIDE

It just holds it closed but it isn’t really needed. You can just wrap it lightly and belt it. cuyana-navy-wrap-wool-eco-coat-model-back-review-save-spend-splurge

CON: A BIT AWKWARD IN TERMS OF LOOSE FIT WHEN BELTED

That said….it’s probably because if I wanted a truly fitted wrap coat I should have taken an XXS (which doesn’t exist). It feels a bit loose and like there’s too much extra fabric when I wrap it closed & belt it. That said, if I wore a sweater underneath it would fit a lot better, I bet. It just feels like a LOT of fabric.

CON/PRO: BELT FEELS CHEAP AT FIRST

The belt is not the same thickness as the coat. I think this might be deliberate because then it belts easily and better than if it were a stiff wool belt the way the rest of the coat is. That said, I did initially expect it to be thicker to match up with the coat but I can see why it was designed that way.

REAL-LIFE SHOTS

 

A photo posted by Sherry @ Save. Spend. Splurge. (@saverspender) on

16 Comments

  • Tina

    Quedtion: how tall are you? I’m only 5’0″ ~110lbs… Do you think it would be too big for me?

    Thanks so much!!!!

  • Chi

    I’ve been lusting after Cuyana products for a while and was recently gifted a wallet for Christmas which I’m falling in love with. I’ve been curious about the quality of their clothes so appreciate the detailed review!

  • Elaine

    Thanks for the thorough review of both coats. The italian wool is droolworthy whereas I find the Burberry a bit of a yawn. The cut of the Cuyana is beautiful and that can be explained in part because of its wool fabrication. The Cuyana might feel warmer when you are actually up and about because of the thermal properties of wool. Where is the Burberry made? I notice that it can only shipped to parts of the EU and USA because of trade restrictions. I am so curious about both coats because of your review. Can you update the review in a few months?

    • save. spend. splurge.

      OK so the Cuyana DOES feel slightly warmer but the Burberry feels softer because of the cashmere.

      Burberry is made in Romania.

      I will review again in a few months if you’d like or you can ask me specific questions now as I have worn the Burberry for years and the Cuyana one almost exclusively these days.

  • Michelle

    I hate to say this but I’m in love with the Burberrry coat! The thing is, these coats are classics and are well worth the investment.

  • Olivia

    Thanks for posting this review. Have you had any experience with Canada Goose? If so, did you find they can stand up to Canadian winters? Thanks and have a nice weekend!

    • save. spend. splurge.

      Olivia I have spent years without wearing a single Canada Goose jacket. I froze, I cursed winter and I wished I lived somewhere warmer.

      …then I bought a Canada Goose jacket just a year ago and never looked back.

      For freezing, truly cold, wet Canadian winters, you NEED A GOOSE or something similar. Wool coats look cute and everything looks adorable but nothing feels as good as being warm, dry and comfortable when you’re outside walking or waiting for the bus.

      I loved it so much my partner bought one, and I bought one for my mother.

  • SarahN

    Hmm still a little bathrobey to me – when the collar isn’t popped. I do like the photos they sell it with though, so I would have tried it on too. I only have one wool coat, cause Australia doesn’t warrant them really, but it’s from 2006 when I lived in France. I’m getting it relined currently, as I still love the style, so why not make it last longer. Whilst I’m getting it re-lined, I also asked him to add satin up the inside of the collar – given it has a satin ribbon belt and cuff detail (which I hand sewed on as I didn’t like the woolen belt), it should work.

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