As I’m starting to wear serious winter coats, I’ve realized that I haven't done a thorough review of my collection in a while. I generally care less about style and more about staying warm in winter, but I do want to look relatively current, so it is time. My New England winters are long and very cold, although not as cold as Ontario or Alaska. For my morning fitness walks I have a combination of layers that works well, in various sporty styles, and I treat that as a separate capsule from “everyday coats”. I’m not reviewing that sporty capsule here.
Suggestions, comments, all welcome!
Long Term Keepers - I don’t wear these a lot but every now and then ....
- Eddie Bauer black hooded waterproof coat with removable liner. Workhorse for travel.
- AK Black classic wool blend overcoat
- Lands End black thigh length puffer. Very warm, but a bit too big. Might pass on if I find a replacement but not looking too hard.
- JNY Black trench with removable liner. Similar in some ways to the EB one but this is a true trench coat.
Keepers
- Guess Grey puffer jacket, new this year.
- LLbean Dark blue puffer – new this year (not worn yet) bought with temperature rating and longevity in mind. (Temp rating is 10F light activity/-40F moderate activity) Replacement for the burgundy one I’m passing on.
- H&M Grey Herringbone coat
- H&M Brown coat – almost the exact same style as the grey one
Time to Go
- Trina Turk brown coat. NAS 2017 (my first NAS after joining YLF) Not warm enough for my winters, but too wintery a look to wear in fall or spring. Have not worn very often. Needs to be re-homed to someplace with warmer winters than mine or someone who doesn’t run as cold as I do
- Ann Klein Dark cobalt wool coat. Many years old, have never worn much. Has always been a bit snug. Prefer my winter coats a little looser and longer. Will donate.
- London Fog Burgundy puffer. This was a top pick and fits really well, but was disappointing in term of warmth (never as warm as I wanted) and quality. In the 3 years since I bought it the lining material has lost some volume and the baffle stitching is starting to come undone. Will donate. Already replaced with navy LLBean one listed above.
New?
- I’d like to find a thigh or knee length puffer in a light color, with a slightly "trendy" style, does not have to be uber-warm. My two long overcoats that should suffice when I want a classic overcoat, and my L.L.Bean blue puffer will take care of the coldest days. Not sure how much effort I want to put into the hunt ....
- maybe a wildcard...
