Fashion & Beauty

why do ppl wear wool instead of down jackets?

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  • Dec 4th, 2018 4:34 pm
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Deal Fanatic
Oct 1, 2004
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I go into my heated car, into a heated garage at work.
I'm outside for 30s sweeping the snow off the car.
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Nov 22, 2011
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Salute to Commander Bond looking sharp as ever in a coat that was originally made for military wear.

Here's the thing. These premium down-filled jackets were also inspired by cold-weather military wear (or so the stories say), specifically the snorkel bomber and snorkel parka for pilots flying in extreme conditions.

Both categories of coats had utilitarian military backgrounds so our brave men (and women, if they served back when they were first created for the military) wouldn't die from Mother Nature when working. Both in their original purest form were probably not meant to be "fashionable" and can be considered hardy, durable, reliable, made to handle the rigors of active duty in the field. While both have trickled into wear by commoners for fashion purposes, somehow wool coats have a "dressier" reputation than down coats.

Forgetting about down coats for a minute, which are certainly too inappropriate when dressing nicely, the wool peacoat is apparently too casual to wear when dressing up. Definitely inappropriate when wearing with a suit. Offhand, I forget the type of wool coat that can be worn appropriately over a suit... it's a longer coat. Overcoat perhaps? Not necessarily the one Daniel Craig is wearing above...
Member
Oct 28, 2012
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Calgary
lol at this thread.

Wool is a cheaper then authentic goose down though, there's synthetic stuff but its no where near as good. Goose down also requires much more care then wool as well, as down can be damaged if not treated properly. Those are facts, I'm not sure how anyone can argue with them. Can a wool jacket cost more then a down jacket? Yeah, most of the price of jackets are the brand so it makes more sense to go with the cost of raw material then compare any of that. Most of the coats you'll find in walmart would be synthetic down to reduce cost.
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Nov 22, 2011
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CanadaGooseForumAdmin wrote: Forgetting about down coats for a minute, which are certainly too inappropriate when dressing nicely, the wool peacoat is apparently too casual to wear when dressing up. Definitely inappropriate when wearing with a suit. Offhand, I forget the type of wool coat that can be worn appropriately over a suit... it's a longer coat. Overcoat perhaps? Not necessarily the one Daniel Craig is wearing above...
Alright, I suddenly remembered what it was. It's a 3/4 coat that is longer and can be worn over a suit.

Since a peacoat can't be worn with dressy attire underneath, can the opposite be applied where a 3/4 coat be worn over casual wear? I just want one wool coat that will cover as many bases as possible. Can I wear a scarf with the 3/4 coat?
Deal Addict
Jul 11, 2010
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CanadaGooseForumAdmin wrote: Salute to Commander Bond looking sharp as ever in a coat that was originally made for military wear.

Here's the thing. These premium down-filled jackets were also inspired by cold-weather military wear (or so the stories say), specifically the snorkel bomber and snorkel parka for pilots flying in extreme conditions.

Both categories of coats had utilitarian military backgrounds so our brave men (and women, if they served back when they were first created for the military) wouldn't die from Mother Nature when working. Both in their original purest form were probably not meant to be "fashionable" and can be considered hardy, durable, reliable, made to handle the rigors of active duty in the field. While both have trickled into wear by commoners for fashion purposes, somehow wool coats have a "dressier" reputation than down coats.

Forgetting about down coats for a minute, which are certainly too inappropriate when dressing nicely, the wool peacoat is apparently too casual to wear when dressing up. Definitely inappropriate when wearing with a suit. Offhand, I forget the type of wool coat that can be worn appropriately over a suit... it's a longer coat. Overcoat perhaps? Not necessarily the one Daniel Craig is wearing above...
You're thinking of a topcoat.

The reason why wool works better than down in more formal wear is because it drapes and elongates your body / does not make you look puffy. Plus, fur is reserved for women imo, it simply looks better on them.
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Jul 20, 2004
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CanadaGooseForumAdmin wrote: Funny you mention it not going with business attire. Yesterday I saw a stout guy wearing a brown Canada Goose Ontario in zero degree weather with what could have been a suit on underneath.

CG with business outfit. Strike one!

Brown CG with black business outfit. Strike two!

CG Ontario, one of their more serious parkas, in zero degree warm weather when I still saw a few [crazy] people in short sleeves. Strike three! Yer outta there!
THANK YOU! It's pretty telling that someone who seems to have an interest in promoting CG coats agrees that wearing them with business attire is a total fail. They're great coats but they simply aren't business attire.
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Oct 8, 2005
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CanadaGooseForumAdmin wrote:
Since a peacoat can't be worn with dressy attire underneath,
If you wear a peacoat with dress pants and nice pair of leather shoes in Canada, you're already better dressed than 90% of the people with CG/Nobis/PJ/etc. lol.
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Aug 10, 2006
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Toronto
So why do people wear down filled coats instead of fur coats. Don't they know that fur coats are warmer?
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May 17, 2006
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So you're saying I should get my dog a wool coat instead of a Canada Pooch jacket? :lol:

[IMG]http://canadapooch.com/wp-content/uploa ... 8-copy.jpg[/IMG]

My wool coat is warmer than any jacket I've ever owned. I own some down jackets too, but they're often too bulky for my liking. And as people have pointed out, down jackets really cheapen the look of suits / business attire / dressier outfits. It comes down to personal preference. The end.
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Sep 30, 2003
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I guess if you own a CG, you don't get to go into a nice car, into underground parking and into a warm office.

Seriously though, unless you're outside for a long time, there's really no need for heavy winter wear. Keep it in the back-seat or trunk for emergencies but drive comfortably.
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Deal Fanatic
May 31, 2006
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Sylvestre wrote: I guess if you own a CG, you don't get to go into a nice car, into underground parking and into a warm office.

Seriously though, unless you're outside for a long time, there's really no need for heavy winter wear. Keep it in the back-seat or trunk for emergencies but drive comfortably.
lolz some people park outside tho... still gotta brush snow off and warm up your car. I agree that half of the jackets out there are overkill... that's why I only buy bombers
Newbie
Oct 17, 2018
1 posts
I can't wear my down coat in -20 degree weather with just a t-shirt on, and likely can't wear my alpaca coat with just a tshirt on either. I can wear both with appropriate layers however.
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Oct 19, 2003
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Wow, first post to bring back a 6 year old thread!
This space for rent.
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Jun 4, 2013
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Vancouver BC weather is better to get a down/sports jacket because it rains a lot here. Having waterproof outlayer is really important especially when you take transit. Wool might looks good but doesn't do well or keep you warm when it is wet.

I would even say don't wear down jacket in Vancouver even though the outlayer is most likely waterproof or water resistant but you have to do your upkeep on them otherwise they won't be waterproof.

I current use a MEN'S THERMOBALL SNOW TRICLIMATE JACKET from North Face. Before that I have a MEN'S THERMOBALL SNOW TRICLIMATE. Nothing wrong with the old jacket, I have it for a good 6 years or more. Is water/wind prof and every year I just apply the DRW spray on it. It keep me warm in Vancouver weather without a sweater/fleece as mid layer.
Banned
Nov 15, 2018
7 posts
The most popular winter coats are down and wool, and while both materials are quality, down is generally more expensive, which makes it a little less enticing to purchase. But it turns out, there's a reason for that.

According to the New York Daily News, down is the best material to keep you warm in the cold. Down is natural insulation (from duck or goose feathers), it holds heat better than most other organic materials, it's lightweight, and it's breathable. But even though down is warmer than wool, that doesn't mean you should skip a wool coat and go right for down.

Wool has one big advantage over down — it can get wet. Wool is water-resistant, so it's going to hold up in wet weather, whereas down isn't as effective when it's wet, and it takes a long time to dry out.
Deal Fanatic
May 22, 2003
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sponge5307 wrote: Vancouver BC weather is better to get a down/sports jacket because it rains a lot here. Having waterproof outlayer is really important especially when you take transit. Wool might looks good but doesn't do well or keep you warm when it is wet.
I have a wool topcoat made of Loro Piana storm system wool
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Oct 23, 2003
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Wool/Cashmere coats are cheaper than down parkas?

Thats news to me. Better tell Burberry to remove a zero from their $2000-$6000 coats then. lol

https://ca.burberry.com/mens-coats/

Down coats are the cheaper alternative, followed by the lower end cotton/polyester/synthetic fill stuff.

Usually, the wool coats are more formal looking, not always, but tend to cater to an older more affluent crowd. Down parkas are for younger people, or casual wear around town, or those crazy polar expeditions (which 0.1% of the parka buyers actually do)

I have an assortment of all those types of coats, from cheap to expensive, and they're all good to wear at particular times and/or places. Nothing wrong with $100 coats, nor with $5000 ones, but you can guess which one I'd be shoveling snow in. lol

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