3 Ways to Wear the Parks Coat, From the Woman Who Named It

September 27, 2017 | Filed in: Humans of MM

Here at MM.LaFleur, we often name our pieces after the employees who make this company great, like MM social media manager Lesley Parks—the namesake of this fall’s Parks coat. When she isn’t immersed in all things digital at MM, you’ll find Lesley leaving her phone behind to seek out hiking trails off the Metro North Railroad, listening to bands her cool little brother discovered long before she did, and hosting monthly gatherings for a network of girlfriends to talk work, life, and politics… and drink maybe a little too much wine. We’ll let her take it from here.

MANY WOMEN HAVE A THING FOR SHOES. Others love jewelry. But like many New Yorkers, my obsession is outerwear. If I could accommodate an entire wardrobe of coats, jackets, and blazers, I’d be a happy girl. And while the reality of one measly closet keeps these dreams at bay, the second I saw this coat, I knew I had to have it. It checks all the boxes: interesting details, a length that hits the mark between ladylike and fashion-forward, and a neutral palette that works with pretty much everything in my closet. Read on to see three ways I styled my new (and probably forever) favorite coat.

Look 1: Power Play

Lesley wears the Parks coat in navy/gray, the Katie dress in carbon, and the Vanessa pump in gray.

This look was made for a long day of meetings—the fine rib fabric of the Katie dress makes it one of the most comfortable outfits I’ve ever worn. It’s not uncommon for me to have back-to-back appointments with partners from the media world, agencies, or other like-minded brands, and when I do, I like to keep the style equation simple but powerful. This is a look that says, “I will be making the final call on that, thank you very much.”

Look 2: Casual + Versatile

Lesley wears the Oshima pant in dark olive and the Vanessa pump in gray with her namesake coat.

I recently wore this exact outfit (with sneakers instead of our Vanessa pumps) during an outdoor shoot for our fall collection, and it was perfectly suited for a morning spent racing around lower Manhattan. Navy is my favorite neutral, and this look is proof: The coat complements the olive color of the Oshima pants, and looks just as sharp with boyfriend jeans and my favorite red sweater on the weekends.

Look 3: Updated Monochrome

Lesley wears the Colvin top and the Pippa pant in galaxy blue, and carries her namesake coat.

When in doubt (or, more likely, with only a few minutes to spare in the morning), my go-to styling hack is a monochrome look. While dressing entirely in one color might sound dull, it can look chic with the right styling. This outfit is perfect for days when I want to look like I put in some effort, but in reality I got dressed in the dark. And it transitions perfectly to after-work drinks, or a show (recommended by my cool younger brother, of course).