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Ask Angie and everyone: How many winter coats do I need?

Kirti

(website)

Veteran

I tried two coats today - a charcoal wool blend coat and a navy down filled puffer. Both fit well and provided I can layer under them, I think I might get both. However a few forum members prefer the puffer to the wool coat, so my question is - can I get away with just the puffer and no wool coat? Or does living in a cold, windy climate justify having both?

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18 replies

Latest reply was from Scarlet

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

At least 3 in your climate:

- trench
- wool
- puffer

I have many more coats because I love coats, and am out in the elements all the time.

Kirti

(website)

Veteran

Thanks Angie, I'm yet to find a trench that I love but hopefully have found the other two what about a leather jacket? Is that a must have? Or optional?

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

For me I would need one with color.... It's just a fun way to face a grey, cold day.

Anonymous

What Angie said!!! If you can get both, go for it.

Diana

Veteran

I don't have a puffer (just don't like 'em) so I have two heavy wool coats, one which can take some extra thick layering underneath if it is cold. I also have two trenches, one which is more like a raincoat (so, pretty thin) and one heavier cotton one. I also have one shorter black wool coat (hip length) which I like for variety because all of the others are longer (between mid thigh and knee length). So... that's five, and I don't feel like i have too many since I wear a coat every day in the winter and I am outdoors (commuting, walking around, etc) for a good chunk of time almost every single day.

I am also considering getting a more casual option (maybe like a quilted jacket or something) this winter as well. I do have a gearish ski jacket but I don't like it.

I also have 2 leather jackets but I consider them more fall and spring wear since both are short.

shiny

Veteran

Kirti, where are you living? I am in Boston and like Angie I have a zillion coats.

I wear a wool coat on dry days, as wet wool can smell funny. Also with my cobalt coat the rain or snow spots show and take a long time to dry and disappear. Plus, I want to keep my wool coats looking nice so I reserve them for dry sunny days. Wool coat is also the preference when I want to look dressed up, not casual. And wool can be easier to toss over my arm when I'm indoors (like shopping at the mall); puffers may be lighter in weight, but tend to be too bulky.

I have variable weight wool coats -- some are best for crisp fall days; others are ideal for dead of winter. My thinsulate Jcrew coat is warmer than, or just as warm, as all but one of my puffers.

As for puffers, I break those out when the weather is wet, snowy, sloppy. Or when I want a more casual look. Or for snow shoveling. Or when it's super cold -- that's when my warmest "I could survive Mt Everest in this" puffer comes out.

Leather jacket: has its role in fall and spring. When the cold weather hits, I want coverage for my rear. I only have one (pleather, cropped, lightweight, thin) that layers under coats.

missvee

Veteran

I like the black puffer but I would look for a brighter coloured wool coat, just for a change of pace on a gray day.

Gaylene

Veteran

Seconding what Angie said. For a four-season climate, I'd think those three coats would be a minimum.

After that you could add other options depending on your budget and your style. For example, I couldn't get through the fall/winter/spring without a few jackets: a cloth, reefer-style jacket, a light-weight, down sweater-jacket, and a hooded, Goretex, parka-style jacket. In our Canadian climate, leather jackets are nice in the fall and winter if you are walking a lot and the temperature is around 5-12C. That said, I'd put them in the nice-to-have category, but wouldn't call them an essential because they only work under specific circumstances.

And, oddly enough, I prefer neutral colors like grey, camel, and black for my coats but will opt for a color for my down sweater and Gortex parka. I guess I find neutrals easier to work with in coats, while my jackets are for casual wear so I like to add a shot of color then. I think colorful coats depend on your style, how long you want to keep your coats (colors can date more quickly IMO), where you'll be wearing the coats, and what color accessories you like to put with your coats. My preference is to update coats with colorful accessories.

ETA: By the way, I love both coats on you and definitely think you ought to consider buying both, especially if you don't have any winter coats right now.

Scarlet

Veteran

I agree with Angie's advice. Personally I have several more than that because I love coats and I see all kinds of weather. If you want to get just one now,I would probably go for the puffer. I am going to assume you are used to warm weather and you are really going to feel the cold this winter. Nothing is as warm as down. You can also leave it open when it's not so cold, when you would otherwise wear wool. Since you don't have any coats, if you can, I would get both now if you feel really good in them.

NancyLee too

I've lived in cold country all my life except for a few years on the west coast, so I'd say yes, Kirti, if the budget's tight, I think you'd be better off with the "puffer". Boy, do I hate that label. But it's more versatile than wool, as long as it's down-filled and not synthetic. Scarlet's right on that.
Out of my about 8 cold-season toppers, if I had to choose just one, I'd pick my neutral-coloured down-filled long coat. I bought it when I had to go straight from the classroom teaching to outdoor supervision duty and be ready to throw it on over anything I was wearing from dresses to trousers. Because the quilting is on the inside (oh, bless you, clever designer!) and the outside is smooth classy microfiber, it doesn't have that Michelin Man puffy look. It helps also that it's long - between my knees and ankles. Yes, yes, I know, some may feel that length is not current and you may not even be able to find it this year. But do you think you may have to be outside for more than 10 minutes at a time? 'Cause unless you plan to either don long thermal underwear or ski pants each time before you go out, or have thigh-high boots, sooner or later the wind-chill factor's going to give you numb knees Just something else to consider. Oh, yeah, is it raining slush instead of snowflakes? You can always pop open a collapsible umbrella.

And for true versatility, don't forget to look for a coat with a detachable hood.

Raisin

Veteran

I generally like to have less items, more quality, and I live in Canada and I still have both types. I have a North Face puffy jacket for the bitter cold, and a nice leather trimmed wool jacket to look more put together, I find both to be pretty essential. I would say to get both if you love the, and they're in your budget.

Day Vies

Veteran

As many as you want! Seriously it sounds like you have a legitimate need for both. A puffer is warmer than wool but is also more casual than wool. On the other hand when you are dressed nice it's kind of handy to have a coat that goes with the tone of your outfit.

I own lots of coats (I live in the upper mid-west). So there is a purpose for the coats I have. I have 3 rain coats (short medium and long). One of them is red the other two are your traditional rain coat color.

I have one pea coat it has a thinsulate lining which comes in handy when taking public transit in the late fall and early winter. Also it is an ideal length for driving. I don't like fussing with longer coats when I have to drive.

I have hip length faux fur coat (for warmth when I am dressed for the evening in the winter).

I have a full length chocolate brown dress coat.

I have a ski jacket for sub-zero temps.

I have an a-line plum coat that stops just below my knees with a matching fur collar (I have no excuse for this one other than I saw it and I wanted it).

Jjsloane

Veteran

Embarrassed to say I have 3 puffers (one black full length, one red knee length, one tan lightweight trenchstyle ); 3 wool (one brown, one black full length and one pea coat knee lengtjh); one faux fur (leopard print); and one parka. I have a jacket problem, but really like coats/jackets. I think different outfits and situations call for different toppers if you need or can manage them.

Krista

Veteran

I like lots of variety in my winter jackets so I have:
- a knee length puffer
- a knee length wool coat
- a hip-length puffer
- a calf-length wool coat
- a down vest
- a short Gore-tex jacket

I find that I need each of these several times throughout the winter months because it can range from very mild to very cold. I also like to have different lengths available because, for example, I hate having a jacket that's too long if I'm going to be wearing it inside to go shopping or something.

My vote is to think about the type of weather you have and try to anticipate a jacket/coat that mights each or most of them.

JR

Veteran

I think you need both types, easily. I don't have a puffer, but a big coat of similar warmth, because on our coldest days, a wool coat just doesn't cut it, no matter how many layers go under it. I don't worry too much about style in that case - it's survival gear in my mind. The longer the better.

I really agree with Angie's list: in a four-season climate, three coats are a strict minimum, each covering a different temperature range. And more is even better, if you have a variety of activities.

Deborah

Veteran

Yes and both look great on you. You can always bring in some color by adding a scarf if you want to. I live in a four season climate and I have a few coats.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

These look great, Kirti, and if both are in the budget, I say go for them. I have both a knee length wool coat in cranberry red and a puffer in grey, and this year I also got a black and navy colour block pea coat. I could happily add to that collection. Watching Sveta last year I learned the value of a coat WARDROBE. Seriously - we wear coats every single day for about 9 months a year in my climate (sometimes more) so I have finally learned that one coat is not enough!

Scarlet

Veteran

You know, thinking more about that wool coat, I would just say that you clearly enjoy (and look great) wearing color, so I think especially for wool it might be more fab to get a gorgeous color (red, purple, green?) that will cheer you up on endless winter grey days.

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http://www.mexx.de/damen/maent.....urCode=619

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