Why All the Smart Girls are Buying Their Fall Coats Now  Digital
Fashion Writer  Usually cozying up with a coffee and the fun
sections of the newspaper (style, weddings, gadgets, arts) is a
relaxing activity, but last weekend, it gave me some anxiety. It
was the Wall Street Journal's fault, particularly this piece,
which made me feel like I've missed my opportunity to nail the
perfect fall coat even though it's only August.  The points were
clear and hard-hitting: with the way that brands' production and
delivery schedules work, most fall coats are already in stores
now, so there's only going to be less stock to pick from come
November or December. And since coats are big-ticket items for
stores to buy, they're not as willing to put them on sale in the
middle of their peak season as they are, say, bathing suits in
July.  So instead, all you're left with when you decide you need
a new coat in the finger-nipping days of January is an anemic
selection of randomly sized coats. Full-priced, too. It's a
strong case