Warm dressy coats
 

I'm not sure if this exists or not but I know you northern curlies will know. Lately I've been wearing my very puffy down jacket to work but it doesnt look very nice with my business casual/prof attire. Most wool coats are no where near warm enough. Does thinsulate actually work?

TIA

Thinsulate is fabulous!

If you're encountering wool coats which aren't warm enough, though, they probably aren't thick enough. Thick, lined wool coats are EXTREMELY warm. You can also get down "puffy coats" which look more dressy. What I find is that typically longer coats/jackets* will look more dressy and flattering than shorter ones if they're not a Columbia extreme outdoor weather jacket or something but they are meant to really keep you warm.

*Disclaimer: I do not know if there is a differentiation between coat and jacket when talking about winter outerwear, so give no significance to which word I use. :)

I find dressy coats are okay down to a high 30s to low 40s temp if you're wearing a decently warm top.
I hate puffy coats so I don't wear them. I buy pretty much all my coats from Nau. They do warm insulated coats that are lightweight and sleek. I get a lot of compliments on them!

Thanks, I've been looking into some nicer sleeker looking puffy coats. I've seen the wool coats with lining but still doesn't seem as warm but I will try them since they are the nicest looking. Never heard of nau..going to go check it out now.

I agree that it's hard to find really warm AND professional looking women's winter coats. Hnestly, unless you are going w/ the North Face or similar or something w/ Thinsulate or lots of real down, it's just hard to find any kind of really warm coat.

i couldn't find one i liked in between my heavy fun fur for really cold days and my fleece coats/short leopard jacket for warmer ones, so i made one.

V8549 | Misses' Jacket and Coat | Coats/Capes | Vogue Patterns

view B to be exact - in a dark brown wool bouclé, with a turquoise kasha lining (heavy, fleece-backed satin). i interlined it with a layer of very thin fleece that adds no bulk but blocks the wind.

i LOVE it!

:D

A gf of mine has a long puffy coat by Cole Haan that she says is super warm. Got it at Burington Coat Factory last year.

^ I have one of those from Kenneth Cole. Was looking for something a little nicer.

I have a store-bought cape like that. But it's not esp warm. Maybe I could duplicate it with a fleece lining. (Woudn't want to try to add a lining to the existing one and risk messing it up...as I look the look of it.)

It really does seem like most brands that sell wool coats sacrifice any semblance of warmth for some style. But I agree that a good wool coat is very warm if you can find one!

I have to travel to Europe for work a couple times/year, and this seems to be one area where they are just WAAAAAY better than us Americans. I have a long wool coat (goes just below my knees) that I bought in Amsterdam that has an internal zipper piece, and then buttons over the zipper (hard to describe, but it basically looks like I'm wearing a matching zip-up turtleneck under my regular wool coat, only stylish), and also has a big hood. It's not as warm as my big puffy parka, but it's warmer than any other wool coat I've had. I wear it to work almost every day, and I commute by train/bus. I really only trade up to the puffy parka when it's grossly wet or something and also freezing cold, or if I'm planning to be outside for a while.

Yes, it does.

Signed,
Minnesota Curly

That sounds gorgeous.

Where do you get nice jackets with thinsulate? I've seen jcrew has some and talbots. Never been in either stores. I guess I'll check em out.

Sorry, I was really just answering your question about Thinsulate. My coat isn't dressy, but it has Thinsulate and it’s very warm and not bulky.

[I either got it from Land’s End or LL Bean, can’t remember. But they don’t have very dressy stuff. :) ]

I have a faux shearling coat with a hood which is long and much warmer than any wool coat I've ever had. It is very glamorous looking but not as warm as the puffy down coats.

Real shearling is dressy and supposed to be as warm as down but it is very heavy and many object because it is using the hide of an animal. I think they kill the animal (sheep?) to get it but I'm clearly not an authority on this. They are beautiful looking though.

I haven't yet found a great warm dressy coat, but my trick is to layer a very thin down vest (I have this one by Marmot, it is very warm and very thin! Marmot Jena Down Vest - Women's - Free Shipping at REI.com) under my dressy coats. Works like a charm until we get below 0 weather - then, I don't really care what I look like!

Signed, another MN curly :toothy5:

Canadian prairie curly co-signing.

A have a thinsulate by Helly Hansen which is mid thigh, black, and I get a ton of compliments on it.

ETA Mine isn't this one, but very similar in look.

http://shop.hellyhansen.com/ca-en/it...src&t_type=cat

A really good idea.