Marfy catalogue causes wardrobe crisis

I had the Marfy catalogue sent to work because its big, and arrives in a satisfyingly thick card envelope. Which protects the lovely catalogue from harm, but ensures it cannot possibly fit through my letterbox. And it is seriously frustrating to get that little card that says "we took your lovely packet of gorgeousness back to the sorting office because you don't have a letter box big enough. Please come and rescue it. We are open before it gets light, and during the time you are at work, but not at any other time. Please entirely rearrange your schedule to accommodate our opening hours."

Today, a colleague walked into the office, took the catalogue from behind his back, launched it through the air from the doorway onto my desk, put his hands on his ears to protect them from the squealing, and reminded me in a Scrooge-like tone that it was "at least two hours till lunchtime. Will you survive that long without looking at it?"

There were a lot of dresses. Fewer separates than usual I thought, and shockingly, on first flick through, not a single jacket that I wanted to buy. I wonder if its trying to tell me that I have enough jacket patterns and should really learn to fit a dress? Perhaps I should learn to wear dresses rather than leaving them hung in the wardrobe, along with the blouses that I love and rarely wear, and the varied coats that I find multiple excuses not to wear.

I won't be ordering the patterns for a while. I want to wait and see whether any of the styles I am considering make it to the high street. Last year I didn't buy a pattern for a divine jacket with dramatic sleeves because I thought the style would be too extreme and was then confronted with rack after rack of this sleeve style.

I am particularly keen to see if a particular collar style, (described as a Danton collar) will hit the high street. I am very tempted by this pattern. Except, I haven't made up last year's fabulous coat, and I own multiple coats but 99% of the time wear only one; a utilitarian black,waterproof, three layer Goretex walking jacket.

I have a really lovely wool coat. It was a gift. I bought gloves and a pair of boots to go with the coat, so it would be practical. I planned to wear it everywhere, all the time. Even to work. Because the sales lady said it could get a bit wet, even though its wool, and it would be OK, I just had to hang it up. It wouldn't die, be ruined, shrink, or turn into a blanket if it got a bit damp. It just had to hang about in a warm place for a bit to get dry. I've worn it twice. Even though it makes every outfit, from my office suit to my scruffy jeans, look fabulous, I've worn the coat twice in five months because I always think:

"That coat is too good to wear to such and such a place (usually work). It was expensive. It was a gift. Its very smart for the supermarket run. It might rain on it. What if it gets mud up the back of it? It will get dog hair on it." and I reach for my utilitarian, everyday, waterproof standby.

Perhaps I should just make a very belated new year resolution that it doesn't matter about the mud, the rain or the dog hair, get the coat out and wear the heck out of it. The coat in question being an absolutely fabulous purple wool one with a huge, enormous, gigantic, cape like collar or a tiny, cute little stand collar (the cape being removable). And the colour does considerably better things for my complexion and mood than black Goretex does. And lets face it, for how long will an enormous, fabulous cape collar really be fashionable?

And if I start wearing my fab coat, then I will need to plan for its replacement won't I? Then I can order the coat pattern with a clear conscience.