How to Choose a Fashionable (Yet Practical) Winter Coat

It’s that time of year again. Time for winter coat shopping. Read on to learn how to choose a fashionable, yet practical, winter coat.

The catwalks have been filled with fabulous coat trends for Autumn 2018. Some of these coats aren’t really practical for the winter, which can be a little frustrating. Fret not lovelies, the fashion lifeguard is here to save the day!

If you’re looking for the perfect winter coat, you know that you need to have equal parts style and function. Nobody wants to battle blizzards without a heavy coat, even if you do know how to layer with the best of them. A nice, fashionable coat is going to probably outlast most of your friendships.

With great anticipation, here is what you need to look for when choosing a coat for the coming winter.

Feel for Quality

If you’re browsing the coat racks at Macy’s and you want to save your time dealing with shabby materials, it’s really simple. Just run your hand across the coat racks until you feel that texture, the stitchwork, and the softness that comes with quality materials.

Look for any loose threads, buttons, or zippers. Never compromise when it comes to flaws on a winter coat. You don’t have to limit yourself to high-fashion brands, just stick to the signifiers of quality craftsmanship.

Be Open to Hybrids

We all love parkas when it comes to battling blizzards, but if you’re not going to be inside one all winter, keep your options open. Consider heavy cardigans and sherpa coats when the weather is dry and cold. You’ll not only look good, but you’ll also be able to move around better.

Remember, as we move around throughout the day, our own body heat will collect and warm us up more. We love the reversible sherpas and coats with zipper sleeves that can be taken off when needed.

Down Feathers

Keep it simple, keep it natural and go with down for insulation. Down is the best filler for many reasons, but most of all it has the best ratio of weight and bulk. If you’re adverse to feathers poking through, that’s more of a problem with thin, low-quality coats.

Get a coat with a smocked waist or inner bib to get that form-fitting design while staying toasty and warm.

Clean and Care

Winter coats can receive a lot of abuse over the season. Be careful with getting it wet. You should let it air dry in a well-ventilated space. Don’t throw it in the drier unless you get it soaked. Even then, put it on low heat and place some towels or dryer balls in with it to avoid getting bunched up.

Winter Coat Accessories

When choosing your winter coat, make sure you plan ahead for outfits. Scarves and gloves are the perfect companions and you should shop for multiple pairs. Vests and sweaters can also breathe new life into a long winter requiring full-timing heavy coats.

If you need some inspiration and want to shop for the latest winter fashion, visit our new releases page and keep it bookmarked. New collections for the fall are out and before you know it, 2018’s winter fashion lines will soon arrive.