J.Crew Winter Coats: When To Buy?

In the "Love It Or Leave It: J.Crew Opera Gloves" post, many of us (like KatherineD, Melissa, Ashley and myself) started discussing J.Crew's winter coats. I mentioned that I thought this topic was a great one and deserved its own dedicated post. :)

One of the things discussed is when to purchase outerwear from J.Crew. I personally think it is a gamble on when to buy winter coats. Although, the coats usually are offered at their greatest sale prices during the January and February months, you can never be sure that what you want (in terms of preferred size and color) will still be available.

I own 7 J.Crew winter coats and they were all bought at different points of the fall/winter seasons. In most cases, I wished that I had waited a bit longer before buying them. For example, I bought the J.Crew Sybil Coat (in the bright poppy color) last year for almost full price at the end of the Fall season when I noticed it was already on back order. A month after I received the coat, the coat was slashed drastically in price (almost half of what I paid). I also bought the black Bella winter jacket (which is my new personal favorite!) last year for about $150, and saw it in late January for around $80. ;)

I am also a sucker for buying the more expensive Thinsulate version of the coat. I am not sure if the Thinsulate really makes a difference, but I completely "fall" for it. In fact, most of my J.Crew winter coats that have Thinsulate (like the Sybil, Lady Day, and Plaza) are not that great at keeping me warm. The best J.Crew coat (in terms of warmth) is my navy Stadium Jacket (which doesn't even have Thinsulate- the fabric is just awesome).

When do you buy winter coats from J.Crew? When do you think are the best months to buy a winter coat (in terms of selection and price)? What is your favorite J.Crew winter coat (past or present coat)? Would you recommend a J.Crew winter coat (in terms of style or warmth) or do you prefer another brand?