Parkas at every Price

After last week’s post I thought I should do another post about parkas at every price. You see I am not against the parka. I have one that I wear to walk my kids to school every morning. But when it comes to how much I am willing to pay for a utilitarian coat is a whole other matter.

It’s not that I am against Canada Goose coats. They are down, Made in Canada, and extreme weather proof, which means you are getting an extremely warm coat. But not all of us want or can pay $800 for a coat. So lets take a look at Parka’s at every price point so you can find one that fits your budget.

Shop the parkas:

1. Metro Flannel Covered Down Anorak

2. 1 Madison Cargo Jacket with Detachable Down & Feather Vest

3. ASOS Parka With Quilt Stitch Detail

4. The North Face ‘Juneau’ Faux Fur Trim Hooded Down Jacket

5. Won Hundred Evy Coat

6. Vince Leather Trimmed Asymmetic Puffer

Now I will say that you are not going to get the same quality of coat for $100 as you would for $1000. Flannel covered down (see jacket 1) will most definitely let the wind through, which is why some of the higher end coats have wind proof outer layer.

So you need to ask yourself what you need in a coat. As someone who grew up in the snow belt (a good 3 hours north west of Toronto) I am more immune to the cold than ALOT of people in the city. It is very rare that I go with a full on down coat. They are just too hot unless you are outside for hours and hours. I find that if you dress for the weather (ie wear a wool sweater, put on a hat, scarf, mits, winter boots) that wool coat you have will be just fine most of the time.

Still sometimes fit is an issue. Iva mentioned that she went with the Canada Goose coat because it had long arms for her, well, long arms.

Other parts of the country are just colder than Toronto. I mean nowhere in Southern Ontario was voted the coldest. That was saved for Newfoundland and Alberta among others.

One suggestion I thought was awesome was using a zip out puffer layer (like in coat 2), or a puffer sweater and layering THAT under something a bit more stylin but maybe not as warm. Best of Both Worlds.

Parka coats $100 – $200

Parka coats $200 – $300

Parka coats $300 – $600

Parka Coats $600 ++

If you are shopping in Toronto you can find these coats everywhere from Hudson’s Bay to stores like Higher Ground and Sporting Life. But lets face it if you are looking for the $100 option Joe Fresh, Old Navy, Gap all make down puffers and parkas.

I put this post together for a follower who is moving to Toronto from France where the winters are more mild. Which coat would YOU suggest?