How to choose warm winter clothes. Fashionable options for winter outerwear for women, how best to choose The warmest and lightest clothing
In a harsh winter, warm winter jackets are the best choice for women with an active lifestyle. At the same time, down jackets occupy a leading position in the winter clothing market: they are warm, do not hinder movement, and allow you to experiment with images. But when there are questions about the style, quality and type of filler. To answer them, you need to study the products of leading brands and a series of fillers that are used in sewing clothes.
Fashionable down jackets for a cold winter
How to choose a good down jacket for winter
Jackets and down jackets hold leading positions in the winter clothing market. They are fashionable, lightweight and comfortable, but they are also practical. This clothing meets the requirements of the cold climate of the middle zone, protects against severe frosts, wet snow and strong winds.
Down jackets with fur trim
There are budget options for down jackets, but if you hang all the pros and cons, then the scales lean in favor of high-quality clothing that can last more than one year.
Criterias of choice:
- A weighty argument when choosing clothes for the harsh winter of 2019 is the quality of the material and the type of filler. But, before going to the store, you need to study the advantages and disadvantages of each of the presented samples;
- Until recently, the only alternative on the winter clothing market was mixtures of down and feathers in different proportions. But innovative developments do not stand still and worthy substitutes with significant advantages have come to the alternative to natural ingredients;
- When choosing clothes, you should take into account the individual characteristics of each material, the appearance of the product and your own feelings when trying on.
Down jackets "blankets"
Natural fillers
Filled with eider and swan down, while the price of such a product may not be affordable for ordinary people. To reduce the cost, some manufacturers use duck, goose and chicken down. At the same time, the cost is reduced, and the product after the first wash leaves much to be desired.
Original models of designer padded jackets
Cheap substitutes get confused, get an unpleasant odor and lose their attractive appearance. And high quality natural fluff does not knock out at the seams of the product, does not creak, and quickly returns to its original form when crumpled.
Artificial fillers
Every year the range of artificial fillers increases significantly. But with high performance characteristics, the price of the product will differ in its relatively low cost.
Practical models of the mass market segment
When deciding on a model, it is necessary to take into account the purpose of the product:
- for long hikes;
- for short walks;
- for ski holidays.
The type and percentage of the filler will depend on these factors.
Beautiful, but not practical in snowy weather velvet down jacket
Sintepon... Brand manufacturers practically do not use synthetic winterizer, preferring innovative materials. This material is relatively cheap, retains heat well, but has significant drawbacks:
- gets lost in lumps;
- becomes thinner after washing.
Buying a jacket on a padding polyester is justified when the product is purchased for short walks or for driving.
Cheap Chinese jackets with padding polyester
The most popular filler materials are: isosoft, insulate, holofiber, synthetic fluff. Let's consider the features of each separately.
Isosoft. Modern membrane-based material from Libeltex is light, airy, retains heat well. Compared to other materials, it:
- does not lose properties when machine washed;
- has high insulating qualities;
- withstands low temperatures;
- suitable for daily use.
Fashionable down jackets coats. Due to the turn-down collar, they are good for warm winters
Important! When purchasing a product from isosoft, it is necessary to take into account the only drawback - for some people the material causes unpleasant sensations - it bites.
Holofiber... Ergonomic lightweight filler with a number of distinctive features:
- hypoallergenic;
- it has high thermal insulation properties;
- withstands low temperatures down to -15 ° С.
Among the disadvantages of the material, low moisture-absorbing properties can be distinguished, so it is not recommended to use it for sportswear.
Fashionable long down coats in shiny fabrics
Insulate... Specially developed material from ultra-thin siliconized fiber of a spiral shape, which is rightfully considered a worthy replacement for swan down. The properties of the material are suitable for the conditions of the Far North, it is used in the space and military industries. It features advantageous qualities:
- repels moisture and dries quickly;
- does not absorb foreign odors;
- does not lose its shape when worn or washed;
- has low deformation properties.
Classic models of down jackets without a collar are interesting, but impractical for a cold winter.
Insulated jackets can build up static electricity and overheat the body - these features must be considered when choosing a product.
Synthepukh... A worthy replacement for expensive natural fillers. Consists of polyester fibers treated with a special silicone emulsion. This prevents deformation of the fibers, improves ergonomic and thermal insulation properties.
Warm cropped models of down jackets
When choosing a down jacket, it is necessary to take into account some features of the materials:
- for allergy sufferers, preference should be given to artificial fillers;
- Thinsulate is suitable for ski suits, and holofiber is more suitable for urban conditions;
- when choosing ovens with natural materials, you should give preference to a down / feather mixture - it is stronger and more durable than down counterparts.
To survive in the Arctic, people had to repulse the main enemy of man in these latitudes - a terrible cold penetrating to the bones. But human ingenuity and resourcefulness made it possible to tame the cold, cruel North. And in this article you will find out how the equipment of polar explorers has changed over the years.
Traditional Eskimo outfit
Canada consists of two fur suits worn one on top of the other. The skins of the upper suit are furred outward, and the lower one - fur inward. Each suit consists of a parka with a hood, pants, gloves and boots. Thus, the double layer of fur perfectly protects the whole body from the cold. The Eskimos do not wear belts, so both parkas hang loosely for ventilation. For the manufacture of boots, a deer skin is used, which is sewn with fur outside so that the foot does not slip on the ice.
Reindeer hide clothing not only provides excellent thermal insulation. It can also become the only means of escape in the event that a hunter accidentally falls through the ice. Since the hair of a deer is hollow, this allows a person to stay on the surface for a long time, sometimes up to several hours, which significantly increases the chances of salvation.
It is for all these qualities that the first polar explorers fell in love with the traditional clothes of the peoples of the North and took it as a basis for making polar explorers' suits up to the 40s of the last century. This is how the Arctic explorer Nikolai Urvantsev describes a typical polar suit of the 1930s: “I dressed warmly enough and at the same time lightly. I was wearing simple jersey and woolen underwear, a woolen sweater, a fur shirt from a fawn with fur inside; fur pants with a bodice, where the shirt was tucked in; on the legs - simple and woolen socks, long, up to the waist, with fur inside the stockings and, finally, fur, also up to the waist, “bakari” boots. The boots contained a thick felt insole. For protection from the wind, a "wind" shirt with a hood and pants made of dense parachute silk were worn over everything. I wore the kukhlyanka only during a particularly strong blizzard. "
But since the occupation and life of the participants in high-latitude expeditions often differed greatly from the traditional way of life of the Eskimos, the clothes of local residents did not always meet their needs. The challenge was maintaining a balance between seemingly two mutually exclusive qualities - high thermal insulation and good ventilation.
Therefore, until the mid-60s, polar explorers experimented with suits, for which the fur of various animals was used. Quilted clothes with eider down or cotton wool were also in use. The set of clothes for the polar explorer of those times included silk and woolen underwear, trousers with eider down or camel hair, a woolen diving sweater and a short quilted jacket. A woolen comforter protected the head from frost, a hat with a leather top and a fur hood on top. This outfit was completed with a woolen scarf and woolen gloves and shoes, whose assortment has not changed until now: high fur boots, felt boots and rubber boots. Outerwear was sewn from thick windproof fabric.
With the beginning of work in the more severe physical and geographical conditions of the Antarctic highlands and with the change of activities in the Arctic from expeditionary to mainly industrial, the polar explorer's suit required serious modifications. Thus began the search for new materials and work on the study of the thermal state of a person in various conditions. This is how the best-proven model of polar workwear - the KAE suit - appeared in the USSR. The suit consisted of a jacket with a hood and a windproof flap covering the lower part of the face, and a jumpsuit. Camel wool, laid between two layers of gauze, and a nylon windproof film served as insulation. Cotton fabric was used as an upper material for a long time until it was abandoned due to numerous shortcomings.
In the 80s, instead of cotton fabrics, fabrics made of polyester textured threads, which retain elasticity at low temperatures, are soft and wear-resistant, began to be used as upper materials. In Europe and the USA, attempts were made to create polar workwear from synthetic materials: nitron, polyvinylchloride, polyester and others. However, clothing made from these materials did not provide a satisfactory heat-shielding effect.
A new impetus in the production of equipment for polar expeditions was given by the invention of membrane fabrics and materials. Due to their structure (their pores pass moist warm air from the inside and prevent the penetration of moisture from the outside), membrane or "breathing" materials combine excellent wind and moisture protection properties with good ventilation and thermal insulation.
The modern polar workwear set has three layers: thermal underwear, wool or fleece, down jumpsuit or jacket. The main function of each layer is to retain heat and transport moisture to the overlying layer and subsequently remove it outside. To achieve these goals, the latest membrane materials are used.
As a filler in a down overalls or jacket, not only down (duck or goose) is used, but also synthetic materials such as Thinsulate, Thermolite, Daune and Quallofil. They compete with natural insulation and provide reliable thermal protection combined with good ventilation.
Text: Anya Krotikova
The popularity of street fashion and the course for comfort in recent years have turned the selection of winter clothing into a truly fun entertainment. A leopard fur coat, a voluminous down jacket and a sheepskin coat up to the toes - today you can find outerwear for every taste both in the mass market and at expensive brands. We will tell you which models you should pay attention to this winter.
Sheepskin coat
Zara, 7999 rub.
Joseph, 99 000 rub.
The Arrivals, 80 844 rub.
Topshop, £ 795
Acne Studios, £ 2000
Sheepskin coats, the unloved clothing of many Russian children, returned to popularity a couple of years ago. The classic model from Acne Studios remains the benchmark, but many brands have released similar (and more budgetary) versions this season, from Arrivals to Zara and Mango. A sheepskin coat from the mass market will hardly warm you in cold weather, but it is quite possible to wear it with a jacket-liner with a moderate minus. It is better to choose warm jersey sweatpants and a fluffy turtleneck sweater for a short jacket, and we recommend wearing a knee-length sheepskin coat with massive boots resembling trekking boots or flat boots.
Faux fur coat
Zara, 9999 rub.
Alice + Olivia, £ 663
Shrimps, £ 595
Topshop, £ 129
Mango, 9999 rub.
Today faux fur is made indistinguishable from natural, which is great: responsible consumption goes hand in hand with the rejection of real fur. In the new season, there are no restrictions on either the color scheme or the style: the designers produce candy coats with a long nap, imitation of astrakhan fur, long vintage models and fluffy coats with a print. Fur coats themselves have long ceased to be outerwear for going out: they can be worn with trousers with a camouflage print, and with a sweatshirt and a pair of mesh sneakers.
Wool coat
I AM Studio, 17 900 rub.
Petar Petrov, £ 1000
Acne Studios, £ 959
Vetements, 126,000 rubles.
Topshop, £ 150
A coat with a high percentage of wool in the composition and an insulated lining is quite capable of replacing a parka and even a down jacket. At the same time, it is better to choose an oversized model or a dressing gown for the winter (Vetements got a literal interpretation of this idea), under which a chunky knit sweater or a down vest will fit. You can complement the multi-layered look with a knitted dress, boots and balaclava.
Parka
Vetements, 226,000 rubles.
Topshop, £ 59
Zara, 7999 rub.
Monki, £ 120
Calvin Klein, £ 1800
The park is the best choice for those who, even in the cold season, do not miss the opportunity to walk from home to work on foot. Truly warm models can always be found in specialized brands like Canada Goose or Woolrich, but the mass market does not fail either. Zara, Monki, Topshop and others produce their own version of the classic silhouette with a huge hood.
Down jacket
Zara, 7999 rub.
Monki, £ 70
Balenciaga, £ 2000
Uniqlo, 9999 rub.
Marques'Almeida, 73,000 rubles.
The triumphant return of down jackets happened a couple of seasons ago. Now cunningly cut models do not hesitate to release expensive brands like Balenciaga or Marques'Almeida. The optimal ratio of price and quality can also be found in mass manufacturers: Uniqlo has been producing a straight cut model for several years now, changing only the color palette. In the mass market, you need to look for the funniest down jackets: with a leopard print, from metallic materials or with a large print.
Lining
A lining jacket from an addition to warm winter clothes has long turned into an independent wardrobe item - you can wear it over a lace dress, a top in sequins or a knitted suit. For those who are constantly freezing in winter, this thing will help them survive the next six months. Such jackets are most often made with a thin layer of down or synthetic filling - this provides warmth, but does not add volume to the silhouette, so that the lining is easy to fit under a coat or sheepskin coat.
Illustration: Dasha Chertanova
Photos: Zara, Monki, Mango, Net-A-Porter, Farfetch, Topshop, Shrimps, I AM Studio, Matchesfashion, Uniqlo, Kixbox, Need Supply
Increased demands are placed on winter clothing for residents of northern regions with a cold climate. Such wardrobe items should easily withstand low temperature conditions, create reliable thermal insulation, prevent blowing and getting wet.
A long fur coat made of thick and bulky fur is the warmest for a harsh climate
Modern manufacturers offer a large selection of equipment - down jackets, jackets, sheepskin coats, fur coats, overalls with traditional fillers and new generation artificial insulation. What kind of outerwear is best able to warm you in extreme winter frosts?
Fur coats
An elongated fur coat made of natural fur will create a luxurious and respectable image and will warm you well in the harsh Russian winter. The best thermal insulation properties are possessed by beaver, reindeer, fox, bear, silver fox, raccoon and sable fur. In such fur coats, frosts up to minus 50 degrees are not terrible. Thick and bulky fur provides a secure air gap, protecting from the cold and piercing wind.
In second place in terms of thermal insulation qualities are products made of mink, astrakhan fur, muton, marten. Such outerwear of midi or maxi length can be safely worn at temperatures up to minus 30 degrees. For regions with a changeable climate and high humidity, products made from muskrat, wolverine, otter, beaver, nutria are suitable.
Down jackets
Winter down jacket with goose down will withstand the most severe frostsDown jackets filled with natural goose down are the undisputed leaders in thermal performance. They are able to withstand cold temperatures up to minus 40 degrees. Wearing clothes made of waterproof materials, you will feel comfortable and cozy in any weather - rain, snow, severe frost, thaw. Outerwear made of combined fillers (down + feather) is slightly inferior in terms of thermal insulation properties.
Worthy analogs of down, withstanding 40-degree frosts, will be synthetic insulation - biofuzz, thinsulate. For frosts down to minus 25 degrees, down jackets based on padding polyester, holofiber are suitable.
Ski Jackets & Pants
Ski jacket will keep you warm during outdoor activitiesSki jackets are the perfect solution for outdoor enthusiasts. They are designed for temperatures ranging from +10 to -20 degrees and reliably protect against piercing wind, rain and snow. The main advantages of such outerwear are lightness, high strength, waterproofness and freedom of movement.
Ski jackets have a hood, double cuffs, an elastic band that prevents snow from entering, reinforcements in areas of increased wear. It is recommended to wear thermal underwear and sportswear made of fleece under such equipment. An excellent addition to the jacket will be insulated waterproof ski boots with a drawstring at the bottom to prevent cold air and snow from entering.
Sheepskin coats
Sheepskin coat made of natural sheepskin is a worthy competitor to a fur coatSheepskin sheepskin coat is a practical and comfortable alternative to a fur coat. The main advantage of such outerwear is that it is moisture resistant, ensures that the body temperature remains unchanged under fluctuating environmental conditions and perfectly retains heat in severe frosts (up to minus 40 degrees).
If the front side of a tanned sheepskin is covered with a protective layer, then it can be safely worn in a thaw, with snowfalls and dry frosty weather. The warmest outerwear is considered to be made of Tuscan, Russian, Turkish sheepskin and mountain goat, which has a high and thick pile.
Jumpsuits
Winter guarantees warmth and comfort in cold weatherWinter overalls made of membrane fabric are vapor and water resistant. This innovative micro-pore material does not get wet from snow and moisture and allows the skin to breathe. That is why overalls are perfect for active winter recreation, mountaineering, long walks in the fresh air. The warmest are products with insulation made of eider down, holofiber, isosoft, tinsulate. They can be safely put on if the thermometer has dropped to minus 25-30 degrees. Under membrane overalls with synthetic winterizer at temperatures below -10 degrees, it is recommended to wear thermal underwear, sets based on wool or fleece.
Thermal underwear
Thermal underwear provides heat retention and sweat removal from the body, which guarantees high thermal insulation qualities. Modern manufacturers for sewing such products use natural cotton, wool and artificial materials (polypropylene, elastane, polyester, polyamide). For sports, it is best to choose synthetic products that provide good drainage. The warmest is woolen thermal underwear, which is perfect for everyday wear.
A wide selection of winter outerwear variations allows you to choose the right solution, taking into account climatic conditions, lifestyle and individual style. Leaders in thermal insulation properties are luxurious fur coats made of lush and dense fur. The second position is taken by sheepskin coats, down jackets based on goose down, tinsulate, on the third - ski jackets and overalls based on holofiber, biofiber.
The indisputable fact is that a fur coat is the most coveted element of the wardrobe of almost every woman. But a natural fur coat is quite expensive, and somehow I don't want to buy a fur coat of dubious quality. Or another case. You have an expensive fur coat, but it's a pity to wear it on a daily basis to work or to the market. In this case, you need to consider what is the alternative to a fur coat.
In general, in the best scenario and if possible, you need to have at least 2-3 items of winter outerwear in your wardrobe. A warm fur coat in cold weather can only be replaced by a sheepskin coat or parka. Alternatively, a warm winter down jacket will do.
Warmest clothes for winter
Sheepskin coats
- this is the same fur coat, only with the fur inside. The price of a sheepskin coat in comparison with a fur coat is not so high, but in terms of its thermal characteristics it is not inferior to a natural fur coat. And if there is no money for a fur coat, then you can “scrape together” for a sheepskin coat. Sheepskin coat can rightfully be called the warmest winter clothing.
In addition, a sheepskin coat has some advantages over a fur coat:
- Firstly, if she gets wet, nothing will happen to her, in this case she just needs to be dried.
- Secondly, it is much easier to clean a sheepskin coat than a fur coat, therefore, you can wear it in slush and in rain or snow.
- Thirdly, the sheepskin coat is not afraid of such pests as moths, and this is not unimportant!
The fact that now you can buy any model you like speaks in favor of sheepskin coats. There are long, short, loose and fitted models of sheepskin coats. The most important thing is to choose a quality item that you will wear with pleasure and that will keep you warm in winter.
The main thing in that business is not to buy a sheepskin coat at the bazaar. Such a thing must be purchased in a specialized store or from the manufacturer. Alternatively, you can buy a sheepskin coat in an online store from a fur factory, for example, in Kalyaev.
When buying an expensive item, do not forget to take a receipt and a warranty for the product, because it may happen that they will be useful to you if you find a factory defect.
Do not buy a sheepskin coat "in the butt", it is better to take one size larger, because in severe frosts you will wear a warm sweater or jacket. In addition, after cleaning, the sheepskin coat may shrink and become slightly smaller than when you bought it.
And also a sheepskin coat can be called an alternative to a fur coat and the warmest thing for winter: in it you can go out for a walk, go to work and dress for a visit, while you will always look pretty decent.
Winter jackets
How to replace a fur coat, if not a winter jacket made of polyester. Such a jacket may have a hood with a fur trim. This element gives it solidity and serves as a kind of decoration. A winter jacket with a fur trim on the hood can be classified as the warmest outerwear for the winter.
The price of a warm winter jacket is much lower than that of a fur coat... When choosing a winter jacket, it is important to be guided by a simple rule: do not buy expensive things at the bazaar, because you do not know what quality it has and who its real manufacturer is.
A jacket is a thing that can be washed in a washing machine, and if it is sewn from low-quality material, then it will not withstand such manipulations and will simply fall apart, after which it will have to be thrown away.
Winter jackets are insulated with padding polyester or holofan. This is a material that has excellent thermal characteristics: it protects from the wind and prevents overheating in warm weather.
You can buy winter jackets both in regular stores and online stores. The second option is more profitable because buying things online, you save.
So, in a jacket that has a fur edge, you can go not only to work, but also to the store and for a walk. The jacket is warm and versatile. With such a thing in your wardrobe, you can not be afraid of winter: you are not afraid of snow, frost, or slush. A winter jacket with padding polyester will replace your fur coat if there is no money to buy it.
Parks
Parks have become a very popular outerwear that is not inferior to fur coats, neither in appearance nor in thermal characteristics.
However, they are not cheap. This is due to the fact that natural fur is used for their manufacture, which, as a rule, is dyed to make the product "fashionable".
Nevertheless, there is a buyer for each product. A parka is a great alternative to a natural fur coat, if only because it is easier to care for. The parka can be cleaned if it gets dirty. You can go anywhere in it: to a restaurant, for a walk, to study, to work, to shop. At the same time, you will always be warm.
As you can see, even if you don't have a fur coat or don't have money for a fur coat, you can replace it with a winter jacket, sheepskin coat or parka, which are the warmest winter things. The choice is yours!
Experiment: What is the warmest winter clothing?
Video: down jacket or fur coat?