Firstly, please forgive me for such a long entry. Angie, I love you but you cannot, you cannot please ask such a crucial question in a matter-of-fact manner and expect me to remain silent or, worse, brief...! This issue has been at the center of my style preoccupations for the past 5 years. I want to share the fruit of my experimentations, if it could come handy to anyone new to the wonderful world of puffers. I live in a place where winter - of the dreary, cold, icy, messy sort - occupies the better part of the year (more than 6 months). I currently own 4 puffers (that's after a careful thorough purge), on top of a couple of non-puffer coats. Of course I rotate otherwise our front closet would be too crowded. I store the ones not currently in use in long flat wheeled plastic bins.
I own a black Canada Goose, light blue Lolë, long fitted black North Face and very puffy white Stormtech (images below).
1) Out of the four, the most versatile and better suited for all occasions/weather conditions is by far the North Face long fitted black hooded jacket.
Pros: It's black. It blends well with smarter work wear (although can look almost too strict, like, Adam's-family strict, with pointy boots, long thin black gloves and conservative headwear), but can go with ripped jeans, tuque and heavy boots too (if you don't mind the edgy-grungy effect). I personally like that it can yield that much of a difference in looks. I love to wear it with jeans, sweater, slighlty heeled tall boots, cap hat or structured tweed tuque. BUT... here, even the best jacket like this one doesn't suffice. When you live in a place where every time you step out you have to shield yourself, at one point you want to shield in style, and not just in one style.
Cons: It's black. Its fitted shape makes it hard to wear with bulkier jackets.
2) I have to mention my Canada Goose mid thigh down jacket. Yes, I do own one. Yes, I bought it when the price was more than double what it is now. It was a life changer though, as I experienced for once stepping outside without immediately recoiling in a debilitating fetal position shiver.
Pros: warmth, relative shape, great, great hoodie engineering for our unpredictable wet/windy/sunny/snowy weather.
Cons: I made the mistake of buying an XS. I am normally XS but now bigger sweaters or jackets won't fit underneath. Also, these jackets tend to become superwarm, so it's not very practical for city life, when you sometimes spend entire days with you coat on, in and out of buildings. It tends to be bulky and heavy, so not very practical if you want to take it off while shopping or moving around. On a style perspective, one appeal is to wear it with light tees or tanks underneath, and slightly unzip the collar to reveal bare skin, therefore creating a kind of "décolletage" (as shown herehttp://www.canadagoosesale.org/history/). Yeah right. As if. Talk about seasonal confusion. Ladies, if you are into the puffer coat shopping business, I strongly suggest you try all these beauties WITH a scarf on. It can change the whole look suddenly. And when temperatures will justify a puffer, beleive me, they will also demand neck protection.
3) Lolë light blue jacket: I regard this piece as non-negociable basic mental health maintenance, especially in February and March. Plain and simple.
Pros: not very expensive, lightweight yet warm enough, colourful and fun, not too bulky looking (Lolë's a great brand for that).
Cons: can sometimes clash with your workwear - you need coordinate accessories or at least white as it doesn't really look good with old, worn black woolen or leather things. Also requires different golves or mits because it looks frankly depressing with huge tough black leather -30 degrees gear.
4) White stormtech down jacket: This is a treat if you spend one day in the arctic on a boat and if you fancy yourself as a mature blonde marine biologist defying extreme temperatures (warning, must also bring the cable knit turtle neck and bearded Norwegian boyfriend). What it is: a wearable comforter.
Pros: comfort, warmth, many pockets everywhere, the true utility-tool-girl dream, stark white color.
Cons: No shape whatsoever. Could pass slightly better on taller gals and mature blond marine biologists.
Here are the qualities to look for in a puffer if you want to actually end up wearing it with minimum irritation levels on a day to day basis:
- fitted (or with shape, or belted);
- diamond quilt;
- small quilt;
- lightweight (please, most important one);
- decent hood that will not slide down on your forehead nor not quite cover your head;
- no-fuss zipper.
