Happy Thursday and welcome to the last post in the #tryingtrends series of 2018! After sharing the must-have winter coats of the season, I also highlighted my personal 3 favorite coats in short try-on style video. If you missed it, the puffer coat made the list! Naturally, it felt appropriate to end the year with a wintery trend, so let’s talk about the popular puffer jacket.

Trend Report | The Puffer Jacket

You may have noticed the puffer coat making its way in stores over the past few months. Suddenly, it’s everywhere! I was a bit reluctant to try out this trend at first, mainly because it feels very nostalgic. Puffer coats immediately take me back to my childhood, when every kid was bundled up Ralphie-style in the wee hours of the morning as our parents overdressed us for the Texas (aka hardly existent) winter.

Part of the joy with this trying trends series has been including some trends I’m not fully sold on upon purchase. The puffer jacket falls in that camp because I didn’t want it to feel too “youthful”, but it actually made it to my favorite winter coat selection!

Vici Dolls coat | Re/Done t-shirt | Zara jeans | Steve Madden boots | Prive Revaux sunglasses

Finding the Best Puffer Jacket

If you want to switch up the tailored, longline coats this season and add some volume, a puffer jacket will meet your needs. There are several different options out there, so how can you find the best puffer jacket for you? After browsing the shops, I’ve noticed there are 3 main styles on trend:

1. The traditional puffer jacket
2. The long puffer coat
3. The puffer coat with a fur-lined hood

As you can see from the outfit featured, I opted for the traditional puffer jacket. Nothing too long or too short, and no added fur. Why? Well, I live where the climate doesn’t really call for a heavy duty coat. I don’t need anything lined with fur or overly insulated because it doesn’t drop below 30ºF for the most part, so a traditional style keeps me as warm as I’ll need to be.

The length choice is both a personal style preference as well as a climate-based decision. While I love long coats, I prefer to stick with a wool or wool-like blend when I’m looking for a jacket with length. If you live somewhere with intense winter weather, I don’t doubt you’ll want all the fabric you can get! For those of you living in a colder climate, the long puffer coat with fur lining may be your best option. When shopping for the best puffer jacket, asking yourself these questions can help you land on a style and color:

• Do I need a coat that can withstand freezing temperatures, strong winds, and/or snow?
• Am I looking for a cropped, full-length, or extra long coat?
• How often do I plan to reach for this coat? (Tip: The more you wear something, the better the ROI. If you plan on wearing the coat a few times, keep the price range low.)
• What colors do I have in my wardrobe?

As mentioned earlier, I ended up choosing a traditional fit from Vici Dolls. The puffer jacket itself can appear bulky even though it feels lightweight, so I purchased an off-white shade to enhance the lightness of the coat.

Shop the puffer jacket selection below:

Tips for Styling the Puffer Jacket

Once you have your puffer coat, how can you style it as an adult? Here are a few tips I have to help you wear the puffer jacket trend with style:

• Treat the puffer jacket as a piece of your outfit rather than an add-on. Throwing a puffer jacket on without paying attention to whether or not it actually goes with the outfit can give off the undone, youthful look. (Style hack: In the winter, choose your outerwear first and then build your outfit around it.)
• For a simple and clean look, opt for a monochromatic look with winter white or all black. Mixing shades along the greyscale is an easy way to keep the maturity level up in a traditionally young style.
• Restore balance to your outfit by pairing the voluminous coat with a fitted bottom. Volume on top with even more volume on the bottom can swallow your figure, so save the flowy skirts and wide-leg trousers for another day.
• Style the puffer jacket for weekend looks. Though comfy and warm, puffer jackets don’t necessarily fit the vibe of an office, so I’d save the trend for non-working days.

Anytime I reach for the puffer jacket, my outfit is within the greyscale. Black, white, and gray pair beautifully with the winter white coat and takes the guesswork out of matching.

This time around, I wore a black cotton tee from Re/Done with black jeans from Zara. To keep the all black outfit going, I opted for the black colorway in my Steve Madden ‘Humble’ booties, though the snake print style also pairs well with the bone shade of the coat.

Shop the look:

Overall Thoughts

I have to say, I totally love the puffer jacket trend! I actually hope we have more cold days in January so I can reach for the puffer coat more often. It’s so plush and cozy, I feel like I’m walking around with a soft comforter draped around me. After sticking to long coats with minimal volume for the past few winters, it’s been a pleasant surprise switching it up to something so nostalgic.

What do you think of the puffer jacket trend?

P.S. If you missed the other posts from the #TryingTrends2018 series, check them out below!

• Matching Coordinates
• Bold and Colorful Stripes
• Belt Bags
• Leopard Print
• The Checked Blazer
• Snake Print

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