All Bundled Up

by Kena Paranjape on November 2, 2008

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Rudsak Coat

Time slid back an hour today as daylight savings time came to an end. For me, the day the clocks move back does not mean an extra hour of sleep, but rather the beginning of days leaving work in the cold, dark night, all bundled up.

In anticipation of this new routine, I went coat shopping yesterday. Women living in very cold climates need at least two coats - a down-filled, hooded, sleeping bag style coat (no joke - it should be atleast to your knees!), and a stylish wool coat. Having made the former, more practical purchase last winter, I set out on Saturday to find the latter and decided on the Rudsak coat above. Practical, stylish and on sale(!), it fit all my criteria. (note: Rudsak is currently having a 15-30% off sale on selected coat styles).

Here are my 5 Tips on things to consider when purchasing a new coat:

Fit. Your coat should fit well at the shoulders and arms, but should not be too tight. How will you all those cozy layers underneath? As a test, lift your arms as if you are driving a car when trying on the coat. You should be able to do it comfortably.
Length. Choose a below the hips, above the knee length. It is the most practical, versatile and flattering. It will keep more of you warm and you can wear it over everything.
Colour. Choose a favourite colour or stick to always chic black (you can always add colour with scarves). Do not pick an of-the-moment colour unless it is something you already wear often. You will be sick of it by January! An off-white or cream is beautiful in winter but only if you have another coat to wear when your off-white one is being dry-cleaned (just being realistic!)
Sleeve Style. Cropped or bell sleeves are a big trend, but are not overly practical for cold winters. Stick to a classic long sleeve. If you do fall in love with a coat with bell or cropped sleeves, pick up some long opera gloves or arm warmers to give you coverage.
Weight. Wool coats come in many different weights. For the most part, if a coat is under $100, unless it is on sale, it is unlikely to be warm enough for a cold winter (this is not a hard fast rule, just my general observation). There is no rating to tell you how warm a wool coat will be, but it should feel heavy on the hanger. This is another reason why you should leave room for layers underneath it.

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