White Coat Woes

Not every dietitian (even in my company) wears the dress-code mandated white coat. But I do.

I wear the white coat because it gives me an extra dose of professionalism, because it differentiates me from visitors, because it has pockets to keep my essentials handy.

Mostly because it has those pockets.

But finding a coat that fits me can be an issue.

If I choose a women’s coat, it’s generally intended for someone much shorter than I–and usually has a band that’s supposed to fall at the waist but instead falls inconveniently just below my bust.

If I choose a man’s coat, it’ll be long enough, but tends to fit rather like a bag on my otherwise shapely figure.

I was thrilled to find a coat that fit a little over a year ago, although I was a bit disappointed to find that it was branded “Grey’s Anatomy”.

When I went back six months (or so) ago to get a second coat to replace the one that was starting to get ratty, I couldn’t find one in my size (medium). I bought an extra-large and cut it down to size.

Unfortunately, the next time I went back, it was to discover that the particular style of coat that actually managed to fit me was no longer being sold.

What’s a girl to do?

I’m not sure what most girls would do, but this girl went to Walmart and bought some white twill curtains on clearance.

Then she carefully cut her old coat (the first one, size medium) apart and marked each seam and fold. She used the old pieces as a pattern to cut a new garment from the twill and painstakingly pieced it together into a replica coat.

Finally finished, she loads her pockets and takes some pictures before preparing for bed.

(The first picture is of the store-boughten coat, the second of my newly homemade coat. I think I like my homemade one even better than the store-bought one.)