To Think My Puffer Coat Is Making Me Depressed

[ProcrastinatorsAnonymous]

I hate puffer** coats. I hate them so much. The shape, the texture, the dull colours. It might be shallow, but I find nice clothes an easy way to boost my mood. I like colour, surprising combinations, interesting shapes... However, various lifestyle changes mean I'm outside much more than I used to be, so a couple of years ago I caved and bought one from Uniqlo. It works. It keeps me both dry and warm. As all the marketing promises, I do indeed feel like I am wearing my duvet - which I admit can be quite nice.

But now the weather has turned, the thought of putting it on is making me so sad! I can't rot away in this slug-like thing from now until March.

Has anyone found a decent knee length one with a hood in a colour other than black, grey, khaki, navy, sludge brown or beige? I would love electric blue or bright green, or - god forbid - even a pattern. Does such a thing exist? I'm wiling to pay for it. Cheaper than therapy.

** I hate it even more when people spell it "puffa coat"

Trust the Canadians and order a Super Puff

https://www.aritzia.com/en/clothing/coats-jackets/puffers/thesuperpuff/super-colours?lastViewed=96

How about these?

I agree with the OP, puffer coats are just so sad and depressing (and at a certain temperature, necessary). Just looking down your average High st in January and seeing nothing but heavily lagged black clad individuals.....😒

I do cave in and wear my puffer if it gets cold enough but I do have an extensive collection of colourful hats, scarves and gloves to brighten it up!

They're awful. I would look like the Michelin man. Not flattering at all. Same with those awful wide leg trousers.

You’re all crazy. I love puffas. Here’s mine.

I like that it's bright! But it's not waterproof... Boo!

@ProcrastinatorsAnonymous I totally get where you're coming from OP. I've got my eye on this beauty from Hobbs (currently 25% off!): https://www.hobbs.com/product/jaymie-puffer/0225-3705-9322L00-VIBRANT-PURPLE.html#cgid=clothing-coats-and-jackets&is=true&sz=60&start=0&isSecondPage=false&pid=0225-3705-9322L00-VIBRANT-PURPLE&pos=14 I just LOVE the colour! 😍

I have a mid blue one, although I don't mind dull colours, as I wear them to walk the dog and they get filthy anyway, I brighten myself up with bright hats and scarves, my sister knits my socks and gloves in bright multi-coloured wool, so even my really drab but very cozy grey and black camouflage quilted fleece lined coat doesn't make me feel drab. I love to be cozy and dry in wet cold windy weather.

😂That looks like the Michelin Man in a gimp suit! 😂😂😂

I love the deep green in this.

This thread has tickled me as I’ve been toying with turning my back on more stylish coats in favour of a longer length, waterproof, padded down coat! It might feel like giving up but warmth wins out over anything else for me right now!

I've got one of those, different OK pattern. It's really nice, warm, waterproof. But I don't wear it as a coat, I only wear it when we go camping! Like a nighttime dressing gown to wear to the loo.

This is not the worst thing I have ever seen (which is high praise indeed for a puffer!). I'm starting to realise from this thread that it's injecting a bit of pattern that makes the biggest difference, rather than the colour. The pattern does a lot to counteract the "water tank lagging" vibes.

I'm quite tempted by this one. The website doesn't specifically say it's waterproof... but I assume it is???

This is the point I reached a couple of years ago. It's a low ebb and I'm sorry.

I was thinking red, but then someone in a comment a few pages ago (can't believe how long this thread is!) mentioned water tank insulation - and now I can't unsee it.

I’ve never owned one, awful looking things. Why can’t you just wear a woolly type coat or something similar? That’s what I do, and just use an umbrella if it rains. I say this as someone who goes hiking, has dogs and a baby. I don’t even have a raincoat.

I just bought a down filled coat from Mountain Warehouse online at a great price. They do a range of colours but I bought the burgundy which is a lovely colour. It has a warm hood and a zip plus a wrap over front with poppers. Also because it's filled with down, it's lightweight and I don't feel like the Michelin man.

I am not OP but how do you ride a bike holding an umbrella?
I take the Tube and umbrellas are unpopular.

Because my day is bookended by a school run on a cargo bike though howling wind, freezing rain and (when I'm really lucky) hail. Wool would be a heavy, soggy mess by the end of that, and umbrellas etc not an option.

I was once glamorous like you. I rotated through a range of wool coats. I used umbrellas. But a series of poor life choices has since led to me needing a puffer.

Look at all of you comparing puffer coats ❤️

I live in California.
The warmest piece of outerwear I have is a sweater.
I don’t wear it very often.
I’m not mocking you ladies in the UK - I’m very envious. I’d love to look outside and see the snow and think “oh, it’s a puffer-day today!”
Instead, I look outside and it’s another, dry day in the 60s (your 15s) and it’ll be another dry day in the 60s tomorrow.
And in the summer it’ll be 100+ ugh.
But it’s a dry heat, people say.
Yeah, maybe - but it’s still 105, 110.
It’s like living in your oven turned on low - no shit.
To be fair, at night it cools off to 85 or 90.
I wait all year for winter like Scrooge. lol

I really appreciate everyone who has taken the time to respond to my ridiculous thread this evening. I have read all the comments, looked at most of the links and realised the following:

1. Puffer coats depress not only the wearer, but those unfortunate enough to see the wearer
2. It's not (as I originally thought) a brighter colour that I'm after. Thank you to everyone who sent links for brightly coloured puffers as I requested. They are less depressing than black / grey / beige / khaki / sludge - but let's face it, they're mostly still awful. The key to making this garment slightly better (for me at least) is PATTERN - as this breaks up the horizontal stitch lines of the insulation.
3. Jacket length puffer coats look much better than longer ones. Sadly - I need a longer one due to school run on a bike. Boo.
4. The only thing worse than a puffer coat is a puffer coat pretending it isn't a puffer coat. Belts, cinched waists, stitching in a more "feminine" shape, fake fur trims etc all make it worse. Better to lean into the more shapeless styles and embrace the fact you've given up on life and gone out in your duvet.
5. I have sunk so low, I now find the idea of living life with a wool coat and an umbrella impossibly glamorous.

Many thanks.

Edited to add: Except this woman above in California. She can get right in the (balmy) sea.

I’ve never owned one but last week bought the orla kielly regatta dry robe linked above, just waiting for it to arrive. I think I like the orange Didrikson one above but perhaps I’ve just looked at so many puffas now I’ve become desensitised?

I got something very similar to this a few years ago. It is very well insulated and waterproof. I bought it after spending all night in a forest in north Wales one January at a rave party, with ferocious winds howling through... I've never been so cold in my life. This coat was the perfect solution.

www.regatta.com/womens-yannta-waterproof-insulated-jacket-dark-khaki/

I totally get it. There is something deeply depressing about giving in to the big, black duvet coat. But there comes a point when it’s cold and wet and you just have to admit to yourself that stylish coats don’t cut it anymore.

I try to eek out a well cut wool coat with scarf and gloves (and umbrella) for as long as possible before moving into puffa season. But eventually it’s just too bloody freeeeezing to give a shite!

I think bright colours, ruching, a waist etc …all the details to make it look less puffa-like…just make it worse! It’s still a puffa. You can’t hide the fact . You’ll probably be as depressed as fuck with your bright yellow puffa come February, only it won’t go with everything and hide the dirt like your black one.

Mine’s Marmot and the great thing about it other than real down, is the slim fit and the non-horizontal seams which is much more flattering. That makes a massive difference. I used to have an Aigle Cuckmere too but they don’t seem to make them any more.