Annie Tomlin, beauty director
"Back in the fall of 2006, I fell in love with a Marc by Marc Jacobs coat. It was a cheery shade of coral, vaguely mod, and at $600, not even in the same universe as my budget. I dreamed of this coat, stalked it at Barneys until my size sold out, and — what luck! — finally snagged a new one on eBay. Even at half the price, it was a huge investment, but a worthy one in my view. (I'd wear it forever! I'd pass it down to my daughter someday!)

A few months after parading around town in said perfect coat, I adopted a kitten. Much to my horror, I woke up one morning to learn that while I'd been sleeping, wicked little Milo had designated the coat as his personal climbing wall. (Didn't think kitties could climb coat racks? They can.) He meowed triumphantly as he gleefully hung from its back.

Riddled with tiny claw marks and smothered in fur, the coat was shredded beyond repair. Literally overnight, I went from strutting around like Cathy McGowan to looking like the crazy cat lady from The Simpsons. I don't buy expensive coats anymore."