those who know me best would not describe my style as classic or timeless. and for the last quarter of a century it never bothered me that my skirts were too short, my eyeliner too black, my hair too blonde, or my jewelry too plentiful. at almost a month into 26, however, my universe is beginning to shift. i can’t pinpoint the exact moment this occurred, but right now, more than anything in the tangible world, i want a trench coat. and i want it to be from the burberry spring ’10 collection.

my heart fluttered as their signature nude and camel coats floated down the runway with updated details like draping and ruching and reefer’s knots at the shoulders. my brain caught up as i registered that they were a little shorter, a little rock-ier, and slightly prettier than in the past.

it didn’t end there, either. The rest of the collection was a juxtaposition of hard and soft, of rugged and refined. aren’t we all just trying to achieve the perfect balance? the lilac cropped fur jacket over the skirt with Grecian-inspired folds cinched at the waist with the dark leather belt and anchored by the clunky taupe leather sandals? may not be as classic as the trench, but some habits just die hard.