One of the best tricks I have to stay moderately stylish in retirement is to upgrade utilitarian pieces. If jeans, sneakers and tees have a little edge to them, I run far less risk of finding myself at the market dressed like a 12-year old boy.
Which has happened.
These days I’m thinking of replacing my 10-year old sporting goods jacket with a new anorak. Or parka. Do you think the word mys means different things? Let’s say no. In any case, anoraks have been so popular recently that they’re everywhere.
The easiest option is an army green field jacket, but I want something softer than my J. Crew, and I’d like it to be black or gray. I don’t need a down hood, I don’t want fur, and it doesn’t have to keep me warm below about 40 degrees. This one’s from a cool but pricey brand.
One of these might do too. An inkling more urban than Patagonia, North Face, Land’s End, etc.
What do you grab out of your hall closet for errands, particularly those done on foot? And how much, might be zero, does style quotient matter to you?
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75 Responses
I have an anorak just like this, but army green, not black, sturdy cotton but no down or other source of warmth. . . won’t be wearing it for a few more months, but yes, it’s important to me that even the jacket I grab for errands etc., have some kind of style quotient, maybe even a bit of edge. Not so much that I have to live up to it when I’m carting groceries, but just enough . . . Good luck on your search. Aritzia have some good options. . .
@Frances/Materfamilias, I like those Aritzia options – and on sale too! Exactly – don’t want to have to live up to it, but not down to it either!
I am so sick of North Face. Every.single.person i see is wearing it. i prefer a little more originality.
i have a long black down coat for the days when it’s below 20F. I have a knee-length steel grey puffer coat, for the days when it’s not as cold, but it’s windy.
i have a dove grey double-faced wool & cashmere car coat for wearing with trousers when it’s not too cold and not windy. same in a great cream for a bit warmer days.
then there’s the ratty barbour quilted coat i bought at the car-boot sale to benefit the injured jockeys fund, which is solely for dog-walking and errands.
there are more, but this is more than enough.
@pigtown*design, Those sound perfectly suited, each to its use case, found by someone who knew what she needed:).
An anorak, often. I think the one by James Perse is perfect, I have it from a few years ago in an army green and the black or charcoal is very tempting. In California it’s a real 3 season piece of outerwear. OK, just talked myself into ordering the black one, as the army green is too close to the gray.
@kathy, So it works, in California? I guess I’m not surprised. I think I’d wind up with black too.
I have to say – I am a bit obsessive and change my outerwear according to what I am wearing. But is pretty cold here, and lately I find myself loving the lightweight puffy jackets – that really are not puffy at all. I love that they are so warm with no added bulk, and that when I am indoors (as the stores here tend to keep the heat in the 70’s) I can fold it into a tiny pouch and put it in my bag.
@Stephanie @ La Dolce Vita, I think in cold environments you have to have some real fun with outerwear.
ahh, the missing piece for my wardrobe! I have never had an anorak, and my outerwear pieces are much more about keeping me warm. Suddenly I realize that a bit of style would be a very good thing. The Perse is wonderful but out of my range…but the Halogen is “just right!”
@Carole, Happy to be of service!
I have a version of this too by Chillax or Chillox I can never remember…it is perfect for our rainy days and with a nice scarf and it dresses up everything from jeans, leggings and I have even worn it with dress pants. A great wardrobe staple.
@Bungalow Hostess, Have we seen it on your blog? I cannot recall…
What i grab when running an errand is weather dependent and turns on what I’ll be wearing underneath. Here in Scotland we have a lot of rain, so on dry days I like to wear a wool coat. Perhaps unnecessarily smart for grocery shopping, but having to wear a waterproof layer gets dull after a while…… On the days when that can’t be avoided, I have a Maxmara water resistant down coat that I have never felt cold in. I was put off buying a down coat for years because they are ubiquitous here. My stipulations when I decided to get one were that it must not be black – something about the fabric they’re made of makes black a dull choice, though I happily have every other garment in that colour – and it must be belted. Of the three coats you show, I favour the Topshop one – the fur collar lifts the black. But you would need another for warmer temperatures. Above a certain temperature, fur is a solecism. But don’t tell my cat I said that.
@Rachel, You used the word solecism. I will keep your secret forever, in return for you keeping the riches of the English language in play.
Yes! Adore James Perse. Currently, I just steal my son’s Arc’teryx Veilance!
Prefer the length of a Parka; but, an Anorak is pretty perfect too!
Love u Lisa!
Xbw
@Bunny Williams, And you too! I have had to wean my self from stealing my son’s stuff – he got too tall;).
My current choice is a very dark navy by Margaret Howell which is half lined in tartan wool , this brightens things up round my face – which I need . Cheaper options I own are by a French chain called Decathlon , excellent quality for the price .
@Wendy, I die for Margaret Howell. And Decathalon is exactly who sold me that old black jacket I have now – in Shanghai. Absolute quality for the price.
It’s been pretty warm in our neck of the woods this year (I live in the Silicon Valley area) and the outerwear I’ve found myself wearing most often on casual days has been my down vest. I have a utilitarian vest from Land’s End that is fine, but I am thinking of picking up one of the ultra-light down vests from Uniqlo; my daughter has one and it is quite stylish.
For work, it’s always one of my two trenches, a short Burberry Brit or a longer Cole Haan bamalcaan which is somewhat dressier as it is made out of a twill with the most beautiful sheen.
All of your choices are wonderful and you will look fabulous, of course, in whichever one you purchase. It’s not the coat itself but how it’s worn, right?
@DebH, Why thank you ma’am. I live in the Silicon Valley area too, and it has been warm. I also have one of the Uniqlo vests, in silver, and I do pull it out sometimes when I am not sure just how warm it’s going to get.
Patagonia has a nice “city coat” called Torrentshell in three colors for $199, which I consider reasonable:
http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/womens-torrentshell-city-raincoat?p=27197-0
Living in a part of New England where we have frost-free days only 5 months of the year (if we’re lucky), I’m attached at the hip to several thicknesses of black down coats, so I can’t speak from experience on this coat in particular, but I bought the identical coat years ago in stone and still wear it happily with or without a matching vest for layering. It’s one of my favorite articles of clothing.
@HHH, Ah yes, that Patagonia is perfect for errands/urban/suburban out and about in areas where the weather is less frequently clement than here in Land O’Sun and Drought.
P.S. I bought a shorter version of the same coat years ago. Mine is a jacket. Sorry! Should try to remember to proof-read my comments.
Outerwear? Living in LA, I so seldom need a coat of any kind that replacing the ones I already have would be a waste of my money and the earth’s resources. If it’s cold, I’ll put on a heavy cotton sweater. If it’s raining and cold, I’ll wear my old London Fog raincoat. If it’s raining and warm, I might just take my chances and get a little wet rather than risk overheating.
@Wendelah, I’ve stopped wearing cardigans except for dressing up – without embellishment somehow they don’t look good at all on me any more, so the anorak would replace them as well as the Decathalon/Chechua jacket. Doesn’t get terribly cold up here in the Bay Area either, but enough that I really do need something.
I have a Sandro “utility jacket” from a couple of years ago (style-wise it falls in between a trench and an anorak) that seems to do the trick most of the time. Doesn’t stop me from eyeing that James Perse in black though…
@déjà pseu, I think”utility” is what we all want, right, with a little dash?
Like the Pearse and the Halogen; I have looked at Topshop up close and find the quality not encouraging unless you only want it for a season.
How about a touch of “Swedish melancholy”?:
http://stutterheim.com/ca/
@Duchesse, That brand is so funny to me! Like Noir Anoraks!
K-Way has some great anoraks, and they’re on sale at Ann Mashburn right now.
@Sarah, Love Ann Mashburn.
Maybe this? Note double pockets and sale price:
http://www.amazon.com/ILSE-JACOBSEN-Womens-Anorak-Jacket/dp/B00IIHM3B6/ref=pd_sim_sbs_a_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=03RXYDJYKB9RT43QTEW6
@Duchesse, Close, but I’m looking to get away from the brass snaps – got that in the J. Crew!
Love the Peres in the dark gray but it would be too short on me, the problem with being moderately tall and long of torso. The Halogen is a good length, it would look like the Peres on me, lengthwise, but is black and I can’t bear more black.
I’m struggling with coats now so who knows where I will end up. I did buy a Squall Parka from Land’s End for dog walking, and it has been perfect and warm enough even in our colder than usual winter. For this use, the reflective strips help as I am often out well before dawn and after sunset. But I don’t wear that coat for much else.
I have down for cold days,
@Mardel, Well, summer is coming, so perhaps you can let the decision slide for a while:).
Still deep winter here for another month and a half. After that, I usually want some sort of light weight, bright colored jacket. Ralph Lauren has one in the Lauren line for spring in bright turquoise, Talbots in kelly green. Oh, you wanted black. I’d probably be looking for a knee length coat in black leather (I have a brown one) or a short trench in black. For some reason, anything parka like, in dark colors, when worn open here at the end of winter just looks and feels a bit bedraggled.
Style quotient? Without getting on my soapbox, a plus sized woman always needs to worry about style quotient if she doesn’t want to become invisible to sales/service people when running errands.
@DocP, I am sure that if I lived some place with a real winter I’d want all kinds of colors. In a way, with my MaxMara wool 3/4 coat, I’ve flipped it. I get my pastels when it’s coldest! And women over 57 also have to worry about style if they want to get served quickly:).
On not-too-cold days, I wear an anorak a bit shorter than the first one featured. It is a lovely wool twill that I made. I also made one for my daughter in army green gabardine which is perfect for a college student. I love mine so much, I’m thinking of making another in fleece, for hiking, my wool jacket gets a lot of wear, and the fabric dresses it up a bit, so I don’t feel like a teenage boy (even when I’m wearing it with yoga pants and hiking boots). I read in the WSJ last week about how classic Patagonia jackets are en vogue.
@Susie, Yet another moment when I wish I had the patience, coordination, and willingness to measure well that sewing requires:).
I have two things I use in winter, here in CT. One is this coat:
http://www.modcloth.com/shop/coats/the-importance-of-being-forest-coat
And the other is a lighter wool cape from 10,000 Villages, which is very practical.
(I have a dressy cape and a ratty coat as well, but the two above are fantastic) I need something dressier than an anorak/parka, and a little warmer.
@Catherine N., Capes and swagger coats! I salute you!
While I never run the risk of looking like a 12 year old boy, I do fear looking totally frumpish. Considering I live in Dallas, I have quite a number of light weight coats/jackets for cool weather. Most often, I reach for a wool/reversible mid thigh length coat which is black and ecru tweed on one side and the same color plaid on the other. I’ve received many compliments for this coat and it goes with my everyday wardrobe.
@Susan, That sounds great, subtle but not boring, and very versatile.
so, since I live in a cold winter area, my go-to jackets are as follows: a Baxter State Parka from LL Bean, a slightly dressier Liddesdale jacket from Barbour, and a thinsulate lined barn coat, also LL Bean. Very useful for me, but except for the Liddesdale, probably not for Bay Area wear.
@Mary Anne, Yes. You might be the commenter with the coldest winter. At least so far.
I have new-ish grey/black/pale blue Theory anorak that I bought last spring when I couldn’t find a spring coat I loved. It’s reversible with a kind of leafy pattern on one side and solid black on the other. Love it…but won’t be able to wear it for many moons. It was a balmy -20 Celsius today in Ottawa, no wind and sunny, so felt like… only -15. Which means, of course, that it’s down coats for me for a while. I love that Halogen anorak you’ve shown, though.
@Sue B @highheelsinthewilderness.blogspot.ca, The Theory sounds amazing. I suspect Canadians could write the book on outerwear – with a foreward from their American neighbors in Michigan, Wisconsin, and the Dakotas:).
Now I’ve gone and ordered the one from Nordstrom. I didn’t need a black anorak but you made me want one.
Hmmmm.
Xo J
@Flwjane, I look forward to having twinsies all over the country! You make me cut flowers, I don’t suppose that’s equivalent;).
http://www.poetryfashion.com/product-V519-POAJC/jackets-coats/winter-parka.htm
or look at the stylish coats on sale at Zara.
@Hope, Ah, that brand is new to me!
James perse has a couple of nice ones on sale, too:
http://www.jamesperse.com/sale/women/womens-water-repellent-utility-jacket-http://www.jamesperse.com/sale/women/womens-water-repellent-utility-jacket-wjq2641?color=1931&sale=1&cm_filter=SALE%2FWOMEN%3ASTYLE
http://www.jamesperse.com/sale/women/womens-yosemite-lightweight-utility-jacket-wqa2641?color=2066&sale=1&cm_filter=SALE%2FWOMEN%3ASTYLE
@nunc, I’m definitely going to sto by their SF store and see what’s in stock/discounted.
I wear my Burberry black belted coat even if it’s raining, unless it’s really pouring. It’s warm and comfortable and makes me look like I am dressed up even if I am wearing leggings…
@Chiara, I love pieces like that, the ones that so reliably lift up everything else you’re wearing.
The JCrew one is very nice. Love the color!
I’m ordering this one from Anthropologie: http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/clothes-new/4115581480082.jsp#/
@Candace, That’s a different take, so flowy.
You can buy a basic black parka and bring it to a tailor (Chinatown?) and have the hood lined (body too if you’re inclined) in a bright fabric. Just for fun.
@eon, Now there’s a thought. I’ve never ventured into Chinatown tailoring proper. However, the tailor J. Crew uses, on Market Street, is a Chinese tailor outside of Chinatown…
Patagonia Fiona. Knee length, down, slim fit. Best coat money I’ve ever spent. Folds up into nothing. I wear it to the office, on errands, out walking, xc skiing, ice skating, as a blankey on the plane or in the car…I see they now have a lighweight Fiona hoodie.
@Patsy, That looks great for New England. And how wonderful to be able to fold it up/stuff it.
Bought a Michael Kors olive green and black waxed cotton anorak earlier this season and it’s had the most wear of any coat in my closet. I’m hoping it will hold it’s currency through a couple more winters. Stay warm!
My favorite coat isn’t an anorak exactly, it’s a Shroud of Purrin trench coat from Nau, which is a technical-wear company that makes actually stylish garments. Mine is sort of a plummy raisin color, too, so it doesn’t look like the typical sportswear. Highly recommended. They’re on sale right now too.
I will look at that when my black trench, currently on its last legs, has to be put to rest:).
I’m obsessed with assembling the perfect travel wardrobe, even when there aren’t any trips on the horizon. Waterproof outerwear is, therefore, a very high priority. My Burberry coat with zip-out lining is too weighty to pack. My technical jackets are too sporty. I’ve finally found my perfect travel jacket- the Whitehall by Marmot:
http://marmot.com/products/details/womens-whitehall-jacket
It’s lightweight, waterproof, zip off hood, slim fit, unadorned styling. Black, of course, although there are other colors. I wear it with a vest underneath if it’s chilly, with a scarf for panache. It’s casual but not technical. Clean lined but not hum-drum. Worth a look.
Nice. I especially like that the hood comes off.
I just bought a Patagonia Vosque 3 in 1 for an upcoming trip. I live in the high desert and so rarely need a raincoat at home, but we’re going to Asia minor and it should rain (or snow) a fair amount while we’re there. It’s longer than your examples here, but that was what I was looking for, more coverage. I bought and returned three other insulated raincoats before I bought this one. I love Patagonia’s quality.
http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/womens-vosque-3-in-1-parka?p=28565-0
Cute. I like the look of the fabric, and that they don’t show the logo large anywhere.
Love it! Too bad it wasn’t “THE one.” But good you recognized that instead of trying to convince yourself otherwise.
I bought one on-sale from Madewell at the end of last winter, but it’s built for Winter with a capital “W.”. We’re sturdy people out here on the East end of the island.
Sturdies Forever:).
I recently picked up this jacket from Boden: http://www.bodenusa.com/en-US/Clearance/Womens-Coats-Jackets/WE455/Womens-City-Padded-Jacket.html
I’m quite enjoying it. Perfectly comfortable, machine washable (key in my book), and enough shape/style that I feel a bit more put together as soon as I put it on.
Totally classic!
I happened upon your blog during a Google search for an anorak. I’ve had a great time browsing back through your old posts.
Exhausted from too many people in Union Square (I was shopping for my daughter’s birthday), I almost walked past Armani Exchange, a store I’ve never stepped foot in prior to today.
In the window I saw this-
http://www.armaniexchange.com/product/lightweight+parka.do?sortby=&imageName=1524.11062.2310.825
The mannequin was androgynous and the coat evidently for a man. There’s a little navy detailing that doesn’t show in the photo and the color is more “burnt” than “deep” orange. The small fit. I received compliments as I tried it on and it was a done deal. YEA!!
Nice to meet you! And yes, that parka is almost exactly what I had in mind. If the burnt orange looks good with your coloring, seems like a piece that you’ll be happy to see every time you take it out of your closet.
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