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The Puffer Quest

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

I think I am pretty much set for the season with my latest purchases including some hole fillers and wildcard playthings. However I have 3 major holes still gaping:
- white straight leg full length jeans ;
- navy classic blazer;
- a new puffer.
While I can theoretically live without white jeans and navy blazer for another year if needed a new puffer is a priority. My cream puffer has seen 4 seasons and while I loved the color feeling so fresh and uplifting in winter it looks past its prime right now. I can still use if for the walks in the woods (especially at night - he-he) but I desperately need a new puffer for work and other activities. It is a necessity in Canadian winters!

Not seeing anything in the stores I turned online. I see that both LL Bean and Lands End have long puffers which I am considering now.
For LE I am considering Smokey Plum or Neptune Blue.
For LLBean - Darkest Violet
I know that Inge got LE puffer in plum last year and is happy with it. It comes in Tall which is a bonus. In addition LE has pretty good return policy with only $9 shipping back cost so LE puffer is a strong contender...
...but if LLBan puffer is a better quality and more flattering I would risk the return fee. I do like the faux fur on the hood and the fact that it is removable: having fur around your face when it is very cold is nice.
Has anybody seen LLBean puffer IRL? They do not have Tall sizes but it looks pretty long on the model. Should I go for LE as the easiest option for me or should I try LLBean as well?
And for LE - which color you prefer for me: blue or purple?

Thanks for your help: I am sure YLF sisterhood will not let me freeze to death this winter!

Women's Tall Down Chalet Long Coat

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2

Ultrawarm Coat, Long

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28 replies

Latest reply was from Michelle

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

Sveta, I'm considering LE puffers as we speak myself. The fact that they have a 30% off sale this weekend doesn't hurt either (if you don't have the promo code, email me and I'll send it to you). I thought the chalet coat looked *too* long for me, but if you think it's stylish then I can put it back in contention.
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Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Michelle, I saw this coat on Inge (in the pictures) and it hits her right below her knees. I think she is close in height to you and she got Regular length.
If you want it shorter than the knee length then it is not for you but if I need to wear a puffer I would like my knees to be covered for warmth!
I did not see 30% off on the website so I will email you for the promo code - thanks!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

LL Bean and LandsEnd are EXCELLENT sources for puffers, Sveta. I wish I wasn't sized out - then I would get this puffer from LL.Bean for Winters on the East Coast. I vote you get that one in the Violet because the faux fur is lovely. And size down. xo

Ultrawarm Coat, Long

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Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Thank you Angie - so you prefer LL Bean one to Lands End then? When you say "size down" - is it size M I need you think?
I like the cream version btu found that it does not hold well if it is the only color you have

Glory

Veteran

Sveta, Eddie Bauer and Marks might also be worth consideration as both have long puffers. Also The Bay has a Vince puffer at the moment which is quite nice although it has an inner waist vest thing that I personally don't love but it does add warmth.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Yes. Try an M - and layer up underneath it. I like the faux fur collar. A little retro glam for the depths of Winter.

The puffers at Eddie Bauer aren't as long, in my experience.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Thanks Angie.
I just chatted with LLBean and they recommend M. My question is the length - it looks like it will be mid-calf length for me. Do you think it will be overwhelming in this style of the coat?
Another one I am considering is Lands End - it comes in Tall so should be a good length too. It is the same one Inge got last year (and it is on sale but no fur on the hood).

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I am eagerly listening in here. I suspect I am sized out of LE, because I usually am, but maybe not if I ordered in Petite sizing, XS? Hard to say.

I like the LL Bean one also. I have had my grey puffer three winters now and although it is still in fantastic shape and I do not "need" another, I would love to add to my capsule for more variety.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Suz, they have pretty detailed measurements on the LE website for this coat including underarm circumference and length: check it out. Regular is plenty long even for me so petite may work for you. You can measure your current puffer and compare.
I have 25% off coupon for LE which will just compensate for taxes and duties amount - I think will go for this one: if I eally wnat to have fur on the hood I guess my super Mom can add it!
Do you think purple or blue for me in LE coat, Suz?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

No. I would wear the length and I'm only 5ft 6. It's SO COZY.

Ideally, you should try both puffers. I love the one Inge got, and you should size down too.

Suz, ooooh. I wonder if an XS Petite from LLB would work for me and my long arms?

Suz

(website)

Veteran

It's worth talking to customer service, Angie. I think LLB has really good SA on the phone, or at least they used to. That coat would be gorgeous on you!

Sveta, thanks for the tip on measurements. I am not at home now so can't compare the details but will do so when I return -- though I would miss out on the 25% off in that case, alas....Hmmm. Might just order to see. Possibly worth it.

I'm going to look at the colours of the coat again and come back.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Sveta, I think the plum is better for you. That blue looks a little tricky and would not mix so well with other blues, I think. The plum is a lovely colour and we know it suits you well.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Suz, I got this 25% because I signed up for LE updates through email. It is valid for 1 full price item until Nov 15.
Unfortunately Michelle's 30% does not work for this coat
I think I will order LE to start - plum color in M Tall. It sounds long enough to cover my longest midi dress so must be pretty warm. If I don't like it then I will try LLBean. I also like plum color in LE better than violet in LLBean as they show on my screen. Additional bonus to be extra twin with Inge!
Angie, I hope XS petite works for you and Suz!

Anonymous

Following with interest here too. I had great success (in terms of feeling great in it and it working with a ton of looks) with a navy one from Joe Fresh, of all places. I especially like it because it's only quilted on the inside, so the coat doesn't look like a sleeping bag on me. It has nice gold zippers and is a bit of a tapered cut too - I feel like a million bucks in it and get compliments on it all the time. I think I spent all of about $89 on it - albeit a couple of years ago now - but I fully intend on wearing it again this winter. I'm not a fan of the puffer look ,but living in Manitoba, I have to have something like this to wear on ridiculous days. I wear it dressed up , and for casual too, and the navy works well over almost everything i wear in the winter.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Lisa, that sounds like a great coat! It's amazing what you can sometimes find if you have a bit of luck. Joe Fresh has great stuff. Except our Joe Fresh doesn't. Just a poor selection here. Grrrrr.

Angie, I looked at the measurements of that LLBean and unless I am mistaken (or the measurements are different on the actual coat) I think the sleeves would be too short for you and it might be too big overall for both of us, even in XS Petite. Too bad it is difficult to test it in person.

Sveta I have a coupon for 25% off today because I always order from LE for my mother and got it with my latest catalogue. I have a couple of days to make up my mind.

I really like the plum colour and I"m also tempted by the packable one that Michelle posted. That could be useful to me when travelling at times. My current puffer is almost knee length. It works with most sheath and pencil skirts even if they show underneath it, as they do. And it is plenty warm. It doesn't work well with a flared skirt or dress because they show and I don't care for that.

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Sveta, I just got back from Costco, and they had the travelling road show of puffer coats by the company beginning with R, that Angie has one of. Gah, can't remember the name. I don't know if it might be coming to you soon... but they were lovely.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Rudsak?????

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Yes Suz, that's it. Tks.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Suz, joe's fresh has a website with free shipping over $50 and free returns to the store:
https://www.joefresh.com/ca/
Just saying... however I don't see anything there which would fit my puffer need.
Lisa, it may be strange but I do not have any association with a sleeping bag for a good puffer. I actually find quilted puffer more flattering that this type:
I think extra lines from the quilting have a slimming and flattering effect if it is not too puffy (and good quality puffers are not too puffy because they use smaller quantity of a better quality down). Call me weird!
My ultimate preference would be a wool coat but they are not warm enough when temps dip below -10C

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

It's wise to order both so that you can compare, Sveta. The LLB puffer is warmer. Remember how cold it was during the Polar Vortex.

I think you're right, Suz. Thanks for the info. Blast. LLB needs to make an XXS in regular. Not that I need a new puffer though. I have a beautifully made extra warm one from Soia & Kyo. But it's black. And I'm just not a black coat gal. I WISH it was cream.

Anonymous

I'll have to check out LLB and LE Sveta - thanks for the tip! I've never had a top-quality puffer because I felt it a necessary evil purchase and didn't want to spend any $ on it. So it sounds like the better ones are more flattering than the mid-range ones I would love a cream with fur shorter one - hmm.....

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

I hear you, Angie! Although LE puffer is good until -40C which is plenty for Southwestern Ontario where I live (even in Arctic vortex )

Lisa, but it makes a PERFECT sense to spend money on a good quality item which will see the THE MOST wear in your closet. You need it for what - 4-5 months out of the year in Manitoba? Even here in Southwestern Ontario I wear my puffer for at least 3 months straight! Check this old post for guidelines how to selects a flattering puffer.

Anonymous

I'm the odd ball who is quite happy and comfortable in a wool coat for work days. I can tolerate a bit of cold With a hat and huge scarf and good gloves , I'm just fine! I also have shearling jacket with a massive collar that is warmer than anything and it's what I wear when it's horrible out.

I wear a puffer jacket for to and from the gym, or out and around on a weekend, but not for my work days. The navy one I mentioned is dressier because it's not as visibly quilted so I do wear that when I have a navy based skirt/dress outfit on. Because i can often have a coat on for hours at a time calling on my accounts , they need to be lightweight and not bulky. I'm not walking to work or standing waiting for a bus or train, so .....it's not a day to day piece for me. But I get that it is one for those who commute and need warmth. I'm also on the short side at 5"5" and feel like a fat little stuffed animal in most bigger puffers.

Cristin

As it happens, I have that LE coat in the blue (just got it yesterday!) and I like it more than I expected. I had 2012's version of this coat in violet and liked it quite a bit, but a large weight loss necessitated new... everything, really. I'm 5'4", 163 lbs, 36DDD for size reference; I wear a 10 or 12 depending on the garment.

The color, first: it's actually quite nice, like a bright navy, more of a midnight blue without the yellow undertone that can come with midnight. The Smokey Plum LE is doing this year is too warm for my coloring but is very rich looking in person.

On me, the length is about 4" below my knees. This is desirable for me in this type of coat; I'm using it for walking-places-outside-in-Milwaukee-winter purposes, not a dash from car to grocery store, so I want for there to be little to no gap between tall boot-tops and coat hem. I wear a kelly green wool overcoat for less frigid tasks.

I bought the medium, my regular LE size. It's a little roomier than I prefer--there's space for a couple of strata of winter-layering underneath--but in hard subzero wind chills I find that I am warmer in a coat that isn't extremely fitted. If you are less busty you may find that going smaller would yield results that were more streamlined and flattering.

I don't care for hood fur--it just statics up my hair--so the absence is a selling point for me.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

I weigh in in favor of Patagonia. I have had their black Tres Parka for the last ~four years. It is a combination of waterproof long shell and down long jacket, which can be worn separately and together. It wears like iron so I have no excuse to get another even though I see they added purple this year. http://www.patagonia.com/us/pr.....?p=28406-0

When I bought this parka, it was the most expensive garment I had ever owned but I have gotten more than my money's worth out of it. I wear it daily during snow season to walk a mile or two with my dog. Unless the temp goes under -10 F it is quite cosy.

Whether it fits in length and you can obtain it where you live, may be other questions...

Anonymous

Wow - I love that orchid purple Ummlila - I like the shorter length too. Hmm - Now we're talking - that could be really funked up for work with black ad metallic accessories . I'd wear it without the shell. Why is it ,the more I read on these posts, I think I need all of this stuff??

Jjsloane

Veteran

Now you've made me want that cream LL Bean with the fur! I will not purchase. I'm waiting to see what works for you. I like the purple versions of both coats, but I like the fur hood trim (which is removeable for another look).

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

Now Cristin's description of the Neptune Blue shade has me seriously considering this option for my own puffer quest. Thanks Cristin!
Lisap: welcome to the YLF effect. I promise it gets easier over time and you stop wanting everything...you just get more discerning and want fewer things more intensely. :p
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