A comparison of the Aritzia Babaton Slouch Coat, Cultivate Coat, and the Oak + Fort oversized trench coat. Find the perfect petite trench coat at a mid price range for the spring and fall. Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links.
Taking a break from my usual food posts to bring you another petite fashion review. This time it’s trench coats!
Spring has sprung in Seattle, which means… it’s still kind of dreary weather. At least the sun sets after 5pm. It’s not quite time to bust out shorts and t-shirts, so I was looking for a new trench coat to get me through this season. Being only 5’2″, finding an appropriate sized coat can be somewhat of a challenge. Additionally, I definitely wanted a coat that was not quite as heavy as my winter coats but still protective against the chilly Seattle breezes.
I tried on a few options from Canadian brands Aritzia and Oak + Fort. You may have seen my previous Aritzia reviews for their Super Puff coat, which I absolutely love. Being from southern California, I’m a total baby when it comes to the Seattle cold. I have quickly learned that I should just wear exclusively Canadian brands. Canadians know how to stay warm. So here are a few of the options I tried, and the one I ended up buying.
1. Aritzia Babaton Slouch Coat
The Aritzia Babaton Slouch Coat is very popular. It’s oversized with double breasted front and no belt. I think these coats are popular in the wool fabric option for very cold temperatures. They do, however, have a lightweight fabric that they call re(essential), which is what I tried on. They only had a black XS coat in store, but I would’ve preferred a lighter color and 2XS if they had had it. The sleeve length of the XS is a little too long and the length also hit almost to my ankles. It still kind of looked cute for an oversized look, but it just wasn’t what I was going for. A 2XS might’ve fit me better.
For reference, I wear an XS in their Super Puff, so this would be a size down for me. They also don’t carry this coat in petite sizing. The fabric was indeed lightweight, but almost too lightweight to give any warmth, and it also wasn’t the most soft. It felt kind of like suiting fabric. I gave this one a pass, but I’ll probably go back next winter to try their wool versions in a size down.
2. Aritzia Babaton Cultivate Trench Coat
The next coat I tried on was the Aritzia Babaton Cultivate Trench Coat in colorway Wicker in a size 2XS, which is the same as an extra-extra-small. The overall length of the 2XS was much much better for petites, although the sleeve looked somewhat baggy on me. The wicker color is also a nice neutral. The fabric is viscose, which drapes very nicely. However, it also appeared to wrinkle really easily. There were already obvious wrinkles on this fabric even though it had been on a hanger. It’s partially lined, and overall, not a bad pick if you don’t mind potential wrinkles. My ultimate choice, though, was my third pick…
3. Oak + Fort Oversized Trench Coat
Sorry I don’t have the best photos of these yet, but this Oak + Fort Oversized Trench Coat is really the most beautiful of the coats I tried on. It drapes nicely with a polyester + viscose + spandex blend fabric that doesn’t appear to wrinkle as much as the 90-something percent viscose fabric of the Babaton Cultivate. That being said, the viscose is probably better for the environment, so there’s that to take into consideration. The beige color of the Oak + Fort also is more of a creamy neutral tan, in comparison to the wicker Babaton which is slightly more warm-toned. The Oak + Fort trench is lined and double breasted, similar to the Babaton. The length and sleeves of the Oak + Fort trench in XXS is perfect for me, whereas the Babaton was slightly too long still. I have other Oak + Fort clothes that I have in an XS, so true to their website description, sizing down is recommended.
At $188, it was also more than $100 cheaper than the Aritzia coats.
This is the coat I ultimately purchased, and I’m very pleased with it so far!
I hope this post was helpful or at least entertaining for you! If you like seeing how else I survive in Seattle as a petite southern California transplant, at least fashion wise, you can check out my other review posts: