Men’s winter jackets have some variety

BY BRANDON HOMMEL

 

So many teeth chattering days ahead, so many chances to freeze to death. But being cold doesn’t mean you have to pull out the long underwear just yet. Thanks to various jacket styles for men such as pea coats, topcoats, parkas, bombers, trench coats, duffels and aviators, a man can stay warm and be stylish at the same time.

For the longest time, a man’s outerwear options have been limited to the same styles, in the same hues with little to no design whatsoever. But in the past few years it has really picked up, resulting in fresh styles and more choices.

Regular topcoats, with the same drab colour schemes and design, have been revamped and shown in a new light. Showcasing fur collars, for the more daring man, with a slim-fit body cut, these are the must-have jackets this winter.

It doesn’t stop there, the topcoat’s second cousin, the pea coat, isn’t too far behind in the facelift department. Bringing back double-breasted buttons, dual-slanted pockets, higher collars for windy days and working shoulder epaulettes, these coats are very attractive.

Parkas, as well, are making a comeback this season. A slimmer comeback that is. Sticking to original roots with a furry hood and down filling, parkas have just trimmed the fat, bringing to life what was once everyman’s typical winter jacket. Parkas are now being worn over suits, still making the suit look classy and sharp, thanks to the new form-fitting look and the dynamic colours they are being offered in.

Fairview mall’s Stars Men’s Shop’s manager, Chris Gaudette, is wearing a mint green topcoat this season, featuring leather accents. The jacket hangs just past his knees, showing off the pointy, narrow angled cut. “Picking a coat is hard. You have to love it or you really won’t want to wear it again, even if it’s freezing, I feel. My philosophy is this, if you don’t love it in store, you won’t love it at home. Buy what feels comfortable and don’t worry so much about the brand,” Gaudette said.

Buying the jacket is the easy part. Finding the jacket is a whole other story if you don’t know where to look. To be trendy you have to think trendy. As Ryan Gosling said in Crazy, Stupid, Love, “Be better than the Gap,” and that’s what you have to do. Stores such as Zara and Topman, both located in the GTA, carry a variety of trendy jackets as well as many of the ones listed above. Topcoats and pea coats range from $100 to $300 at Zara, while at Topman they are less expensive, ranging from $100 to $200.

Danier Leather sales associate in Fairview mall, Dan Fernandes, is wearing a chocolate brown lamb leather bomber jacket this season. This jacket features a slim fit look, as well as two chest pockets with fully functioning zippers. “It’s all about your style and what you’re trying to let people know about you when you walk by them. I wear the bomber jacket because it gives off a tough look. You’ll be stuck in the same jacket all winter, so if you’re preppy, let everyone know and feel confident,” said Fernandes when asked for tips on choosing a winter jacket this year.

Let’s not forget about shopping online. It may sound foolish to shop online for an item that definitely needs to be tried on, but online shopping sites now offer a thorough size chart, listing approximate lengths in inches of each desired jacket size. Companies also allow any items bought online to be fully refundable in store, as long as the garment being returned comes with all tags, stickers and a proper receipt. With that being said, jackets online typically cost less because of online promotions and discount codes given out by the retailers.

Thanks to the new takes on the time-tested styles of winter jackets like the topcoat and pea coat, winter is becoming less about the cold and snow and more about what you can wear to really bring out your own look this year. So, go find an old-style jacket that has been given a new life and make it into your own. Embrace the frigid weather with a daring new approach.

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