Wool, Not Polyester: 7 Things To Check Before You Order A Wool Coat Online
The label is the first thing to check, and the one most of us skip. The number on it tells you more than the photo, the brand, or the word "wool" in the product name.
Here's the rule I use: 70% wool or more is a wool coat. The wool does the work, and a little polyester adds strength. 100% wool is the best you can get. Under 70%, and especially the "wool blends" with 20 to 50% wool, you're paying for a polyester coat with a wool name.
Why it matters: polyester doesn't breathe, so you're clammy on the train and cold the minute you step back outside. And its pills cling to the surface instead of brushing off. Wool keeps you warm even when the air is damp, and holds its shape for years.
Both coats in the video pass: the Alexa is 100% wool, and the Cropped Trench is 71% wool. Here they are, and what they cost.
Why the price? Both are made after you order and sold online only: no warehouse of unsold coats, no store rent. You pay for the wool and the making.
✓ Free shipping✓ 30-day returns✓ 100-day quality guarantee✓ Made after you order
Now the seven things to check before you order any wool coat online, and how these two do on each…
Why A Cheap "Wool" Coat Leaves You Cold And Covered In Pills
Sadly, the word "wool" on the product page doesn't make it a wool coat.
- A "wool blend" with only 20 to 50% wool
- Pills that cling and won't brush off
- Clammy indoors, cold the minute you step out
- Thin, and out of shape by spring
- Sized for your body, not the coat
- Boxy, hip-length "tent" shape
Most coats at this price are made months ahead, by the thousand, and the price has to cover the warehouse that holds them. Polyester is how they make the numbers work. So the coat goes straight back in the mail, or pills in the closet.
That's why the two coats in the video are made the other way round: cut and sewn after you order, checked before they ship, and sold directly, so the money goes into the wool and the making.
It's the difference between a coat that's pilled by February… and a coat you keep for years.
Check The Label: Wool, Not Polyester
Ignore the name on the product page. Read the numbers on the tag.
- 100% wool: the best you can buy
- 70% wool or more: a real wool coat. The wool does the work; a little polyester adds strength
- Under 70% wool, especially a "wool blend" with 20 to 50% wool: a polyester coat with a wool name
- "Wool-feel", "wool-touch", "wool-look": these describe the feel, not the fiber. Find the percentage
The Alexa's tag reads 100% wool. It's double-faced: two layers of wool woven as one, so the inside is as finished as the outside and there's no lining to hide behind.
The Cropped Trench's tag reads 71% wool, 29% polyester. Yes, it's called a wool blend, and that's exactly the point: the word "blend" tells you nothing. The number does. At 71%, it's over the line.
"Excellent, classy wool coat for a great price."Review of the Alexa
Check The Measurements On The Coat, Not On You
Lay the coat you love flat, measure the chest and the length, and compare with the chart on the product page. That one habit ends most of the sending-back.
Most size charts only tell you your own bust and hips. That doesn't tell you whether your sweater fits underneath. Both product pages also list measurements taken on the coat itself, laid flat: length, chest and more.
- The Alexa is a regular, belted fit. With no slippery lining in the sleeves, a fine knit slides in more easily than a chunky one
- The Cropped Trench is cut generous on purpose, so a chunky knit fits underneath in your usual size
On the product pages, both models are 5'9.5" to 5'10" and wear a size S.
Still unsure? Email Avielora your bust measurement at support@avielora.com and they'll confirm your size before you order.
"Sizing is spot on. It drapes really nicely."Review of the Cropped Trench
Check Where It Ends, And What It's For
Length decides what a coat is for, so decide that before you fall for the photo.
The Alexa runs long: about 50 inches in size M. One clean line from the shoulder to the hem, with no lining, no visible seam and no bulk. It's made for fall and the milder days of winter, belted over a fine knit.
The Cropped Trench ends at the hip: about 25 inches in size M. Short enough to show high-rise trousers and lengthen the leg, never so short that it looks borrowed. It's the coat for fall and cool mornings, over jeans and a knit.
One honest note: on the coldest days, layer up underneath. A real sweater under either coat does the rest.
Check What The Collar Does
A collar that collapses by lunchtime makes any coat look tired. Look for one that stands up on its own.
The Alexa has a small stand collar that frames the face and leaves room for a scarf on colder days. The Cropped Trench has a tall collar that buttons right up against a cool morning, or folds open when the sun comes out.
Check That You Can Still See Yourself In It
Put it on, and the outfit you chose should still be the outfit people see.
- No logo on either coat, nothing advertising for anyone
- The Alexa: a wrap and a tie belt, and one clean line to the hem
- The Cropped Trench: double-breasted buttons and a short, tidy line at the hip
- Edges sewn closed by hand on both, so the inside is as neat as the outside
"It's cozy and elegant, but casual enough for everyday wear."Review of the Alexa
Check That It Works On A Tuesday, Not Just At A Wedding
The Alexa looks as right over a shirt and trousers on Monday as it does over denim on Saturday. Belted for the office, open for the weekend.
The Cropped Trench makes jeans and flats look put together, the way short trenches look on the streets of London and Paris. Over high-rise trousers or a midi skirt, it marks the waist.
Neither needs saving for an occasion. They're everyday coats.
"Such a versatile piece. I can wear this jacket with anything."Review of the Cropped Trench
Check The Return Window Before You Pay
The biggest reason women hesitate isn't a coat. It's the memory of coats that arrived and went straight back.
So both come with 30-day returns from the day they're delivered, and a 100-Day Quality Guarantee on the wool and the stitching.
Order your usual size, wear it for a week, judge it in your own mirror. And read the label the day it arrives.
One honest note: because each coat is made for your order, it takes a few extra days to reach you. In my view, it's worth the wait.
The Two Coats In The Video
Both pass the label test
- 100% wool, edges sewn closed by hand
- Long: about 50 in. in size M
- For fall and milder winter days
- 71% wool, 29% polyester
- Ends at the hip: about 25 in. in size M
- Room for a chunky knit, your usual size
Both: free shipping, 30-day returns and a 100-Day Quality Guarantee · 10% off your first order with code WELCOME10
Each is made for your order, so allow a few extra days. Secure checkout · Prices in USD
IMPORTANT: Every Coat Is Made For Your Order… Don't Wait For The Cold Mornings!
Each Alexa and each Cropped Trench is cut and sewn after it's ordered. That's how the label can read 100% and 71% wool while the price stays at $199 and $149: no thousands made ahead, no warehouse to pay for.
It also means a few extra days before it reaches you. So if you want to feel the difference real wool makes, order it while it's still a plan, not an emergency.
Meredith Hale is the senior style editor at The Classic Edition. She has written about women's style for 18 years, most of it about dressing well through real winters after 50: coats, layering and fit. She lives in Chicago, where from November to March the coat is the outfit.
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