Wine + Cheapy = Winter Coat Shopping

Last week, for some odd reason, Cheapy made a declaration: "You need a new winter coat, a black one." I'm not sure what came over Cheapy (besides that he's not fond of my pink coat), but he went so far as to make a shopping plan. He found a babysitter, and told me for our date night we would stop at the wine store to for some tasting so that he would be buzzed enough for retail, we would go to The Mall to buy me a coat, then we would see a movie. Material Girl did not object (and wore the new Anthropologie sweater--which Cheapy loved).

After about half an hour in Macy's (an eternity even for an semi-intoxicated Cheapy), we settled on a Jones New York wool/alpaca belted number. It's got some nice details such as a nubby fabric that's a little more interesting than your average wool coat, and buttoned tabs near the bottom of the sleeves and shoulders. There is also seaming running down either side of the front of the coat that makes a longer and leaner appearance. The belt nicely defines the waist and the slash pockets are useful for warming the hands (I find flap pockets annoying in this capacity) and also work to make the waist appear smaller since they add some curve at the hips. (Have you gotten that one of Material Girl's goals in dressing is to make her waist appear smaller?)

The cost of this classic coat that I'll wear through numerous winters to comes? MSRP: $380, Cheapy: about $150. (It was on sale plus Cheapy opened a Macy's charge to save 35% which he will promptly pay off and close. Cheapy loves to do this.)

Addendum: I googled my coat (which I wore today and is oh so warm!) the day after we bought it and found the exact coat in both black and brown (only came in black at my Macy's) at SmartBargains.com for way cheap ($118.98). I don't know anything about this site and haven't shopped there--any fellow shoppers familiar with it?