Winter Coat Wonderland

OW3 - On Wednesdays We Wear

The top 3 winter coat trends you should be wearing this season.

Our Casual Coat Pick → Puffer Jackets

Puffer jackets are the ultimate casual, keep warm coat. While they have had some rise and fall in popularity in the mid-2000s, they have never been completely “out”. They’ve been seen on runways, and celebrities all season so we don’t think they’re going anywhere any time soon.

The two most popular lengths for puffer jackets are cropped and floor length, similar to shearling coats. The overall warmth factor of a puffer jacket is determined by it’s interior - with goose down providing the most warmth. While you can get warm puffers pretty much anywhere, Aritzia & Superpuff do a fantastic job of breaking down the warmth level of their coats. While other brands use minimal descriptions like “great for super cold weather”, Artizia lists the actual temperature range that the jacket has been tested for. They make the selection process pretty much foolproof.

Here are some price ranges in puffer jackets:

• A designer coat such as Moncler or Prada will cost around $3,000 USD depending on length.

• A name brand coat such as Moose Knuckles, or Aritzia will cost around $350 - $1,000 USD.

Puffer jackets are not something we recommend as a transitional jacket. They are meant for winter and should be stored away for the next season after the cold weather starts to shift. They are great coats, for winter.

Puffer jackets are not versatile with seasons, or outfits. They really only make sense matched with casual clothing. Showing up to a holiday party in a puffer is not a vibe. If you’re dressing up for an occasion you should be swapping for something more formal like a wool coat.

Despite the lack of versatility, puffer jackets are still a great outerwear option and one we will be keeping handy in our closets.

Our Elevated Pick → Floor Length Wool Coats

Wool coats are classy, chic, and a great option when you want to feel more elegant but still stay warm in the colder weather. They’ve been a popular choice since the 1920s - the Peaky Blinders era - so it’s safe to say they’ll be in style for the foreseeable future.

When looking at the composition of a wool coat you’ll often find what’s called a “wool blend”. Even designers like Ralph Lauren, and Khaite will opt for a wool blend when creating these jackets. Wool blend jackets aren’t bad, just like synthetic shearling jackets aren’t bad either. They likely will not provide as much warmth or breathability though, especially if they are mostly polyester. If you are going to opt for a wool blend coat then we recommend looking for a wool percentage over 70%.

Let’s compare pricing on wool and wool blend coats

• A designer coat such as Bottega Veneta, The Row or Khaite can go between $2,500 for a wool blend, up to $5,000 for 100% wool

• A name brand wool blend coat from places like Banana Republic, Aritzia or Zara will cost around $250 - $500 USD.

Wool coats have insulating ability to keep you warm in colder weather as low as 14°F. They can be worn into spring if you wanted to, but we prefer switching into a lighter trench coat version once the weather starts to warm up.

Wool coats can look great with casual outfits, but we understand that might feel over the top for running to the grocery store. They are going to be your go to coat for any dressier occasion though we promise you that.

Whatever you do, don’t get a wool coat in a camel color - because everyone on the planet gets that color. Opt for black, grey, or (if you’re feeling dangerous) beige to stand out in a good way.

Our Mix of Both (and Favorite) → Shearling Bombers

We could easily write a whole article about this coat alone. Shearling is by far our favorite style because of its versatility. This outwear style originally gained popularity in the 1950s and 60s because of its association with Hollywood icons like James Dean.

Shearling coats come in various different styles but our personal favorite is the bomber jacket. The bomber jacket comes in various “style codes” which help to distinguish how heavy or thick the coat is. For winter we recommend a B3 or B6 bomber, with B3 being the thicker of the two. A good quality B3 jacket can keep you warm in weather as low as 1°F weather with minimal layers like a long sleeve shirt or even a t-shirt. Unless you live in Alaska you should be covered for the winter. Keep in mind this is for a genuine sheepskin coat, if you opt for a synthetic version because of price or preferences on wearing animal products then it’s unlikely they will pack the same insulation abilities - they’ll look great though.

Speaking on price, what does a quality shearling coat cost?

• A designer coat such as YSL or Khaite will cost around $7,000 - $12,000 USD depending on length.

• A name brand coat such as Moose Knuckles, Aritzia or Toteme will cost around $2,500 - $1,000 USD.

• This less mainstream brand we found called Overland has genuine shearling bombers for only $695 USD.

• NON-Genuine/Synthetic Jackets from somewhere like Asos can run as low as $100 USD.

Surprisingly, shearling coats are actually a great transitional jacket. Sheepskin is great for thermoregulation because of it’s breathability and moisture-wicking properties. It’s also water resistant so if you get stuck in the rain or snow the jacket won’t get ruined.

While a shearling bomber leans more to the casual side you can still dress it up with trousers, a blouse or even a dress. We wouldn’t pair it with an evening gown but you can definitely pair the jacket with some dressier outfits. We selected a bomber style jacket for the shearling trend because we felt it was more versatile than a floor length version. Longer sheepskin coats would step into the dressier side like a wool coat mentioned above.

A shearling bomber will be a coat you get a lot of use out of for many years to come and 100% worth the investment in our opinion. PS - this is your sign to buy a shearling bomber.