My favorite outerwear consists of all the beautiful but lightweight pieces that I can wear comfortably no matter what our winter temps may be.
I lived in what some would consider the Tundra until age 27…Alberta, Canada can get pretty cold and winters are long. A rare -40C with the windchill sometimes, the news would report how many seconds before exposed skin would freeze. My favorite outerwear there consisted of anything that kept me from freezing to death. Fun times!
coat (S) | scarf | beanie | pants (size down)
Then I moved to California, and it was quite literally a shock to my system. For several years, I didn’t even own a coat. It seemed frivolous at the time, considering what I was used to.
But over time, I’ve adjusted until I find myself too cold if the temps drop below 72F. And yet, here I am, working from home with a heating pad because the thermostat says 64F and gosh, I just can’t justify turning on the heat. I’m ridiculous – I fully admit it.
Theory Just Gets Me!
In the past few years, I’ve developed a major crush on outerwear and honestly, with our weather, we are often outdoors and the outerwear is sometimes all anyone really sees, so might as well make it good, am I right?!
I couldn’t write about favorite outerwear without mentioning Theory. It is one of my very favorite brands and for good reason. They have excellent quality, very classic styling, and they just fit my body perfectly. I have what Rachel calls short limbs (said in love, and alas, she is right, ha!). So the sleeves of a lot of jackets and outerwear are just too long which gets annoying! Not so with Theory — somehow their arms fit me perfectly, and so they are always the first place I turn to when looking for outerwear.
At the time of writing this (yesterday) everything was 25% off (that sale just ended). If you find something you love and it’s not currently on sale, wait until the day after Christmas and check it then!
Long Camel Coat
I had been looking for a camel coat for years and hadn’t found anything quite right until this year. Enter the Theory Trench Coat in double-face wool-cashmere. It took me several tries to land on this coat. And one huge criteria was I wanted it to be lightweight and unlined.
coat (S) | scarf | beanie | pants (size down)
First I tried the Anine Bing Dylan coat — it’s honestly spectacular! Rachel has it and it’s a top pick of ours for a reason — see all the ways she has styled hers. At the time they were out of XS and the S was too large on me (my short limbs and all, haha). I can happily report they are back in stock in ALL sizes, so if I was still looking, the Dylan coat in XS would be mine.
Next I tried the Theory Belted Coat in S (ordered online) and it was sadly, too small, though it is gorgeous and absolutely a great choice for someone wanting a very simple style (note the lack of buttons). After being very frustrated (no local stores carried the Theory coats I was interested in) I spoke to a wonderful salesman who gave me the low-down. I would have needed the Belted coat in Medium. It comes in four glorious colors including this amazing grey which I love.
But then he told me about the Trench coat in wool-cashmere, and it reminded me vaguely of a very pricey Max Mara coat I had once fallen in love with. So he sent it to me, and the rest, shall we say, is history. Favorite outerwear? Well, I absolutely adore it. The tiny thing I don’t love about it…the buckle on the end of the strap. I plan to take it to a tailor and have it removed and sewn up to match the other side. I’m just not a “buckle” girl – I much prefer to tie. Easy fix!
coat (S) | scarf | beanie | pants (size down)
Exact Match:
Alternatives:
Shorter Wool Jacket
I have two of the very popular Theory Clairene Cashmere-Wool Jackets. I got the Buffalo Plaid three years ago on an end-of-year clearance sale, and that’s when I discovered my love for Theory outerwear. Last year I grabbed the black one during a friends and family sale, and it’s become my go-to winter blazer/jacket.
I often keep it in the car to throw on over anything (including workout gear). It’s sooo good. I actually sized up to M in the black but the previous year I was wearing a P/S so I think sizing isn’t always the same year-to-year. It’s worth trying, though, especially if you are looking for something a little more casual than a long belted coat. And they say take your normal size.
Faux Fur Coat
Another thing I had looked at and dreamed about for years, faux fur is sometimes a little bulky or heavy and that was definitely not what I wanted. While I get cold easily, I can also run hot quickly (I know, I know) so I always make sure my sweaters and outerwear are more on the lightweight side. From what I am hearing from friends, a lot of us nearing or going through the “change of life” only want the lightweight stuff nowadays, no matter how cold it is outside.
coat (sized up to M for more room) and here on deeper sale today!
Another Theory winner, their faux fur is dreamily soft and shockingly light and not too warm at all. When it went on sale for almost 50% off last week, I could no longer resist. This thing is stunning. I’ve had more than a few people come up to me to ask if they can pet it. Hey! It’s a stress reliever and coat all in one — bonus!
NOTE! The sales on this jacket have been through the roof! I highly recommend pulling the trigger if you are considering. It also comes in a fabulous camel color (almost sold out)!
Fleece Jacket
Last but not least, and the only non-Theory coat in this list, Rachel and I both got the Anine Bing Ryder fleece in olive green and have been wearing it non-stop for the last couple months. We wrote all about it here, and since then, we can happily report that it’s been one of our favorite purchases this year and it has shown no signs of wear after much use. It’s a good one, guys, and thankfully fully back in stock after being sold out for some time.
The fabulous fleece is now available in three great colors – olive, black, and camel!
And that’s my favorite outerwear that I’ve been wearing non-stop this winter. When we find something we love, we tend to wear the heck out of it, which is why you will see us repeating items a lot on this blog! Wear your stuff! No more saving things!!
