A Wildly Stylish Coat for Under $50

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

Racked National editor Leslie Price: Winter coats tend to fall into two categories. There's your functional coat, a looks-be-damned monstrosity that's either puffy or made of thick wool. This usually comes in black, gray, brown or some other goes-with-everything, I-give-up color. Then, there's your style coat, a thin lark that's done up in a bright hue or cool print. Either it's short, or it comes bearing some other entirely impractical fashion detail. 

This version falls into the latter camp—it might not get you through the polar vortex, but it's alluring for a lot of other reasons. First of all, you get quite a bit of design for your buck. Not only is it cool-looking, it can also be worn two ways: slightly rugged, with its faux-fur hood intact, or if you clip the hood off, more sleek. Buy it now and hold on to it for those 40-degree days. 

Racked Boston editor Susie Kostaras: I didn't really get the point of toner until a couple years ago, when I discovered it isn't always synonymous with a stinging alcohol formula. After trying out several alcohol-free, all-natural options, a friend recommended Thayers witch hazel–based toners and I was instantly hooked. Not only are they stupid easy to locate—find 'em at your local Whole Foods or all over the internet—but they're also super cheap, ringing in at about $10 for a 12 ounce bottle that lasts for weeks.

I especially love the Rose Petal toner for its nourishing qualities and sweetly subtle scent. Legend has it that the formula was developed by Henry Thayer, MD, for his niece Rose to fight aging over 120 years ago. According to the bottle, this toner was her secret to looking ten years younger than she was. While Rose may be long gone, I expect Thayers to live on my beauty shelf for a long time.

Racked Vegas editor Susan Stapleton: You can't tell me this handbag from Danielle Nicole doesn't look like it's worth far more than $75. Designer Danielle DiFerdinando got noticed while she was interning at Bergdorf Goodman and started bringing in a different handbag of her own design every day. Before long, she was creating cosmetic bags for the department store. Around 2008, during the recession, DiFerdinando opted to stop designing with leather and turned to more affordable options. 

This shoulder bag can double as a clutch when you remove the strap. The grommets are fairly reminiscent of Balenciaga. Multiple zip pockets give ample room for everything from lipstick to a wallet. And you'll get more compliments on this than anything you could buy for ten times the price. 

If you're in Las Vegas like me, you can find Daniele Nicole at Coterie, but major department stores such as Nordstrom and Macy's also carry the line. 

Racked editorial director Izzy Grinspan: My New Year's resolution: spend less money on fast fashion. Honestly, I should probably spend less money, period, which is why this American Giant baseball t-shirt is so appealing. At just under $25, it's priced to compete with mall brands, but it's made in America of high-quality cotton.

American Giant is best known as the company that perfected the sweatshirt—at least according to Slate, which published a glowing article about the company last winter. If their tees catch on the way their hoodies have, then they'll really be hitting it out of the park. (See what I did there? Baseball, you guys. Baseball.)
· All Editor's Picks [Racked Vegas]