Abstract: Solutions of polyvinylidene resins with very high vinylidene difluoride content in lactam solvent systems and their uses to form high gloss coatings, especially high gloss clear coatings. The present invention also provides coated articles incorporating these coatings. Advantageously, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) resins with sufficiently high vinylidene difluoride content, as well as a wide variety of thermoplastic and thermosetting resins useful in the practice of the present invention, can be easily dissolved in and then stay dissolved in lactam solvents. Conveniently, these solutions may be prepared at room temperature. The ability to coat such PVDF resins from solution, rather than from dispersions, is a key factor leading to the high gloss characteristics provided by many embodiments of the present invention.