Rain, Rain, Go Away - Burberry, Part 2 - Black Trench Raincoat

The only upside to rainy days is that my water-resistant Burberry pieces get to come out and play. This brings me to my second Burberry coat: a single-breasted raincoat in size 2 with detachable hood and fleece warmer, acquired circa 2007 at a Burberry outlet store.

Looking back, the fit was so awful that I should have left it behind. But at the time, I knew that size 2 was the smallest size they make, and I was stubborn about "making" it fit. I think of this poor coat like a child whom has undergone many surgeries:

1. Burberry retail store shortened and narrowed the sleeves (barely), refused to do shoulders or the body.
2. Burberry retail store elongated the sleeves, having mis-pinned the first time and made them inches too short!
3. My tailor narrowed the shoulders by 1.5 inches each side, tapered the entire body of the coat, and slimmed sleeves a little more.

End result (a little wrinkled from storage):

Burberry Single-Breasted Raincoat, Size 2

I like how there's many subtly different ways to wear this coat - hood on or off, collar up or down, with fleece warmer or without, belted or unbelted A-line style:

A-line, with removable warmer, and belted with popped collar

My coat had to undergo several stages of alterations because the tailors at the Burberry store often challenge or flat-out refuse my requests. For raincoats, they said they would not work on the shoulders, because all Burberry rainwear is dyed in one piece into water-resistant material, and any detatchment of individual pieces (like removing the arms from the shoulder) will cause damange to the water-resistancy. Another example - I wanted the sleeves slimmer but the Burberry tailor just kept scolding me repeatedly with "It's a coat, not a dress!" Ok...thank you for your opinion, but its my coat, so shouldn't I be able to decide?

As soon as I took the coat to my own tailor, she clucked her tongue at the poor fit and immediately started pinning away. She muttered in disapproval about how wide the shoulders were and how baggy the sleeves were. Sigh ... a good tailor is truly invaluable for us petites!