A woman's wardrobe is incredibly diverse, and this also applies to outerwear. A girl may have a whole closet full of different types, differing in color, style and, of course, the degree of protection from the cold. And of course, the more options there are, the better.
However, the transitions between seasons are not so easy to grasp, making it easy to catch a cold. And even the weather forecast is not always able to help, because many simply do not know at what temperature they can wear a lighter or warmer jacket. And if you are one of them, you are lucky to get to this article!
What can you wear at 21 degrees?
Any summer clothes will do, but wear them so that your arms and legs are covered, then you will definitely not freeze in this weather and you will not be hot. Suitable jeans, trousers, sweaters made of thin fabric with long sleeves, blouses with long sleeves, long skirts, knee-length skirts, dresses with long sleeves.
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When can you start wearing a women's winter jacket?
Often the moment when you can start wearing a women's winter jacket comes suddenly. The most common opinion is when the temperature drops to zero. At this moment, the air itself becomes frosty, and if under your jacket you are dressed the same as a week ago, then winter outerwear better resists the cold’s attempts to get inside.
At first, there is no need to take out all the winter paraphernalia from the depths of the closet, like a scarf and mittens. While the weather is hovering between plus and minus, you are unlikely to freeze even without a hat.
It is worth making an exception to this, such as an icy wind. Squally and gusty, it knocks down the feeling of air temperature by several points. So watch out the window to see how windy it is outside before deciding how to dress.
A jacket is simply an indispensable element of a woman's wardrobe, since it is not only warm, but also often waterproof. That is, if you prefer a coat, for example, for wet days it is better to get at least one such alternative item.
When should you wear a cardigan?
In the case of a cardigan, you have to think especially carefully. This type of clothing can have a different composition, and therefore provide warmth to its owner in different ways. And yet, there is a guideline for when to wear such clothes. This should be a period of variable humidity and windiness, when it is not yet too cold, but there is a risk of hypothermia. As is already clear, there are regularly times when you should wear a cardigan, so you should definitely think about buying such a thing.
Monitor the weather and your own feelings in order to change your outerwear to something more current in time. Your comfort is very important, so look for several types of jackets for different periods of life. Then no weather will be able to take you by surprise!
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At what temperature can a women's down jacket be worn?
Often girls choose a down jacket for the winter. This is due to its warmth, versatility, color and style variability. And it is preferable to wear this type of outerwear when the frost is especially severe. The advantage of such a thing is that it is elongated, completely closed, it can be buttoned up to the chin, ensuring that the cold is blocked from all sides. It also often has a hood, which is simply irreplaceable during snowfall.
It practically doesn’t matter at what temperature a women’s down jacket can be worn – it is suitable for both warmer and very severe periods of winter. At the same zero degrees, it is quite acceptable to wear it, but, of course, the remaining elements of the image should not be too warm.
As a rule, you just want to put it on as soon as possible, because it looks stylish and attractive. You will look especially cool in it if the design includes lush natural or high-quality faux fur. It chicly decorates the hood and even pockets - this is generally the trend of the season!
At what temperature do you wear a demi-season jacket?
In autumn and spring, it is especially difficult to guess with outerwear, because in three months you can change four types of it! At first, in March, we still wear winter clothes, since the weather does not change at the snap of a finger. Then gradually the time comes when it’s already hot in them, and they are replaced by a demi-season wardrobe. After that, it’s time for windbreakers and cardigans, which don’t provide much warmth, but only protect from the piercing wind. And finally, the warmth comes - and there is no need for outerwear at all.
The approximate range at which temperature a demi-season jacket is worn starts from 5 and ends at 20 degrees Celsius. Taking into account individual characteristics, this indicator may shift by plus or minus five degrees. In addition, again remembering the wind, we can say that even at twenty degrees of heat, a jacket is sometimes necessary when the air is still damp and not at all summery.
However, we have come to the moment when you can wear an autumn jacket without insulation. In a T-shirt, for example, and a windbreaker, you can feel quite comfortable, and on days when the morning coolness gives way to the afternoon heat, you can take off the second one in the afternoon.
Tips for choosing and purchasing a down jacket
1. Down, the most important thing in a down jacket. The principle of thermal protection of down is simple - it creates an air layer between the body and the external environment. Air is a poor conductor of heat and the air layer itself created by down is the main heat insulator. And how well the material holds this very layer is an indicator of the quality of this insulation. It is well known that the down of waterfowl (primarily goose down) is an unsurpassed material as thermal insulation: it is light, airy and perfectly retains a large amount of air inside. But all the same. It can be large, small, caked, airy, rotten, etc. and so on. and the properties of a particular batch of fluff depend on these parameters. There are many parameters, but when it comes to thermal insulation properties, to evaluate them, an elasticity indicator such as Fill Power is used all over the world, which reflects the ability of fluff to recover after compression - this is the main indicator of the quality of fluff. The elasticity is determined as follows: take 1 ounce of fluff, compress it, remove the weight and determine to what size the fluff has recovered. In a good down jacket, the Fill Power value should be at least 550; its best indicators reach up to 950 units.
- up to 400 – poor quality fluff.
- 400 – 450 – medium quality down.
- 500-750 – excellent quality down.
- 750 and above - exclusive quality down.
The point of using goose down with a high Fill Power rating is this: the thermal insulation in clothing is essentially an insulating air layer of the same thickness, called loft . Down with different Fill Power can create the same loft at different weights. So, for example, using 550 insulation requires 40%-50% more weight than using 800 down to create the same amount of insulation. The Fill Power indicator is a generally accepted indicator of the quality of down filling and for any high-quality down jacket this indicator is indicated on the tag or label, so when choosing a down jacket, pay first attention to this indicator.
Down jackets use down mixed with feathers; the “golden ratio” is considered to be 80% down and 20% feathers; in down jackets for extreme conditions, this ratio can be 90% down and 10% feathers. In the description it is indicated through a fraction, for example - 80/20. A larger percentage of feathers indicates the low quality of the down jacket and such a down jacket will not warm you in cold weather, and the hard feather rods will come out, piercing the fabric.
2. The weight of the down jacket speaks about the quality of the filler and the product as a whole. After all, another clear advantage of down as insulation for winter clothing is its lightness. For example, a regular men's down jacket 550 Fill Power weighs less than 1 kg, and an extreme jacket from The North Face, a model called Supernatural, with a Fill Power rating of 950 weighs only 370 g (!) and is designed for high-altitude climbing. In addition, natural down is so soft that it allows you to move freely without restricting your movements. The use of membrane fabrics and various elements can significantly increase the weight of a down jacket.
3. The outer material and lining must be waterproof, because down is highly hygroscopic and it easily accumulates moisture and requires quick drying. If this is not done, it may simply deteriorate. Also, the material must be durable and downproof. At the same time, it must have breathable properties, i.e. provide air exchange without heat loss. Modern membrane materials have all these properties; this is a type of fabric that, due to its special structure, has water-repellent or windproof properties and at the same time allows water vapor to pass through it. Manufacturers of such fabrics call them differently, but they have the same principle; the most famous membrane is Gore-Tex .
Synthetic materials with special impregnations are also used, which provide all the qualities necessary for down jackets. In the description, fabrics with water-repellent impregnations are designated as DWR ( Durable Water Repellent ).
Ripstop with a special strengthening structure due to the weaving of nylon threads into the thickness of the main fabric are very popular among manufacturers While remaining light, the strength of such fabric is comparable to the strength of parachute fabric.
4. The design of a down jacket is a very important condition when choosing a real, high-quality product. It is the design that allows the down to be distributed as efficiently as possible and ensures an optimal warmth/weight ratio. In most down jackets, the inner and outer fabric of the down jacket are simply sewn together to form sections, and each section is filled with down. A huge disadvantage of such down jackets is the cold seams between the sections, through which a huge amount of heat is lost. Such down jackets are called single-layer and they will warm you only in frosts down to -10 -15 C°. The size of the down sections (packages) plays a big role; their size should not exceed 20 cm, otherwise the down will simply pile up at the bottom of the package and all the qualities of the down jacket will be reduced to zero. If you want to buy a down jacket for severe frosts, then you should take into account some of the features of their tailoring. Such down jackets are called two-layer , due to the fact that the upper part of the down jacket is practically separated from the down lining, and at the junctions it is sewn through an intermediate tape - a “warm” seam. A design is also used when the down bags themselves have two layers - outer and inner, and they are offset relative to each other and overlap the outer seams. Such down jackets are capable of retaining heat in extreme frosts down to -30 to -70°C.
The main zipper on the down jacket should have double-sided fabric protection to prevent heat loss. At chin level, the zipper should be protected with a fleece insert. Pocket zippers should also have external protection. To keep your neck warm and your wrists from freezing, a real down jacket should have warm collars and cuffs made of materials such as Polartec or knitted fabric.
5. Temperature rating . When choosing a down jacket for yourself, ask yourself: at what lowest temperature will I wear it, how much time will I spend outside, how will I get to work or school? After all, for residents of central Russia and residents of Siberia, Mother Nature has prepared completely different conditions for the winter period of the year. To make it easier to choose down jackets based on the outside temperature, some manufacturers of down jackets (and other winter clothing and footwear) use a so-called temperature rating. This value is usually indicated in the description of the down jacket on the labels, and shows that the manufacturer guarantees comfortable conditions at a given temperature below zero.
But not all manufacturers provide such data. To roughly determine this indicator, you can use the link to the Fill Power value. Clothes using Fill Down 550 or Fill Down 600 are intended primarily for daily use at temperatures down to -25 C°; this down is already of excellent quality and creates a good degree of insulation. jackets Fill Down 700 have a lighter product weight and are comfortable down to -25 -30 C°. Exclusive down Fill Down 800 - allows you to achieve a very high heat/weight ratio and is used to lighten clothes and achieve the highest degree of comfort in frosts down to -35 C° and below.
6. The style of down products does not differ in variety. For men, it is preferable to choose classic parkas (parka) and voluminous bomber jackets (puffer, bulk); for women, along with unisex parkas and women's jackets, elongated down coats (coat) are very popular. For people living and working in extremely low temperatures, as well as for travelers and hunter-fishermen, down suits are sewn, consisting of a jacket and pants sewn together. The choice of down jacket style must be approached with all responsibility, since, first of all, a down jacket is intended for protection from the cold, and not for walking on the catwalk. Remember that a down jacket for frosts of -15 C° and below must cover your lower back and have a hood, so the best option is a classic down parka with a hood. Otherwise, diseases of the genitourinary system and kidneys are guaranteed. When choosing a down jacket for children, also take into account the degree of protection of the child’s body; only you are responsible for the child’s health.
If in winter you prefer to travel by car, then you must take into account that down jackets are quite bulky, and driving in long women's down coats is problematic.
A distinctive feature of the parka jacket is the fur trim of the hood. Some manufacturers use only natural fur - coyote, red and silver fox, raccoon, while others are content with artificial analogues due to the rhetoric of animal welfare societies. The fur trim has not so much a decorative function as a purely practical one - protecting the face from the frosty wind. Pay attention to the parkas of the Eskimos and their fur hoods - these tough guys know a lot about winter clothes.
Before purchasing, carefully measure your dimensions and compare with the size chart of a specific brand. Also pay attention in the product description to the fit of the items - regular (fits true to size), slim (tight), relaxed (loose fit, runs a size larger or more).
7. Choosing a company that produces quality down clothing is of paramount importance. We advise you to give preference only to well-known and trusted clothing manufacturers with a rich history in the production of down jackets, focusing on the development and production of down jackets for low temperature conditions, with good reviews of product quality. Companies that are committed to the use of natural and safe materials, but who do not lag behind the development and application of innovative approaches in production, with a wide range and reasonable prices.
Of course, today almost every more or less famous brand has down products in its collection, but these clothes are not very suitable for use in our conditions and have a more decorative, design role. From hundreds of manufacturers, we invite you to choose from time-tested and harsh winter conditions: Canada Goose, Pajar, Bask, Bogner, Joutsen, Hally Hansen, Peak Performance, Fjällräven, The North Face, Marmot, Mountain Hardwear, Patagonia, Columbia, Jack Wolfskin, Lands'End, LLBean, Eddie Bauer, Cabelas, Woolrich, Parajumpers, Moncler, Haglöfs, Halti, Rossignol. As can be seen from this list, most of the companies represented are from northern and Scandinavian countries, where they know what real frost is.
8. The price of a down jacket ranges from $120 for a simple down jacket, to $1000 and above for down jackets from luxury brands. An adequate price for a good down jacket from a famous foreign brand will be $200-600 , depending on the materials used and subject to purchase on well-known Internet sites in the USA and Europe. Of course, the same down jackets can be found in Russian retail, but then the prices will have to be increased by 2-3 times. And at all kinds of sales and seasonal discounts, an excellent down jacket can be purchased at huge discounts for only $100-250, not to mention eBay.com and Amazon.com with their truly amazing opportunities to snag wonderful things at ridiculous prices.
Well, buying down jackets for $1000 or more from fashion couturiers, for whom appearance is of paramount importance over the main property of a down jacket, is a purely individual matter. The main part of the price tag here is the fee for a high-profile brand. Often, such down jackets are simply categorically not suitable for use in harsh climates, since they are created by designers from France and Italy, where the climate is much milder.
Here we will not consider Chinese-Turkish consumer goods priced at $50-100 with a Moncler and Canada Goose look, offered in droves on the Chinese sites Aliexpress.com and Taobao. It is foolish to imagine getting real goose down for such a price; at best it will be chicken, at worst it will be cotton wool. After all, down raw materials undergo special processing: they are cleaned of fat and dust, undergo veterinary and radiation control, are treated with special antibacterial and water-repellent agents, and only after this are they allowed to be produced into down clothing, and it is simply impossible to imagine that for all those millions of down jackets that are littered with our markets and shops, there was so much goose down!
9. Where to buy a real down jacket? There are 2 answers to this question: in the nearest shopping center or in a foreign online store. We advise you to direct your gaze towards the second option, because there are at least 6 huge positive aspects when buying a down jacket abroad:
- Adequate prices due to very strong competition (similar down jackets in our stores are offered at a price one and a half to two times higher, and the price for the luxury segment reaches simply cosmic values, there is no need to pay our sellers rent and staff salaries, there are no fees for customs registration and fees, no VAT). Plus honest discounts up to 30-70%!
- It is not always possible to buy a product in a company store or from an official dealer of a particular brand. We don’t have many of them yet, and those that exist are mainly located in large cities. It's much easier to do this online. On the website of each brand you will find a list of brand stores and official dealers, incl. and on the Internet.
- Confidence in the authenticity of the product (the ability to purchase goods directly from the manufacturer, and large foreign online stores value their reputation very much and will never sell you a fake, which cannot be said about our businessmen, who even in a respectable shopping center can easily sell Chinese Woolrich, Moncler or even Canada Goose for $1000.
- A huge selection of manufacturers, models and sizes is available to you to choose from without having to leave your home.
- There is always the opportunity to find reviews and feedback about the product from ordinary buyers.
- The product can be returned or exchanged without any problems (without going through the 7 circles of hell)
Perhaps the only sensible manufacturer of down jackets in Russia is the Bask company, whose down jackets can be purchased in the Bask.ru online store. In any case, Russian Bask down jackets are worth paying attention to.
Important note: If a large foreign online store offers you to choose a regional site, for example in Russia, then be sure to compare prices before choosing. Many foreign stores believe that only millionaires live in the Russian Federation and significantly increase the price tag. The images show two women's down jackets for the winter 13/14 season from the official Moncler online store, offers for Russia and Germany (the price tag is the same for the rest of Europe). No comments needed.
Screenshot from Moncler.com
Where to buy down jackets online
In the official online stores of manufacturers. But here a “surprise” may await you, because... Not all such stores accept payments from residents of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and offer international delivery, and at an affordable price.
- Marmot (USA)
- Bogner (Germany)
- Eddie Bauer (USA)
- Cabela's (USA)
- Columbia Sportswear (USA)
- Fjällräven (Sweden)
- Hally Hansen (Norway)
- Haglöfs (Finland)
- Halti (Finland)
- Jack Wolfskin (Germany)
- Lands'End (USA)
- LLBean (USA)
- Mountain Hardwear (USA)
- Moncler (France)
- Peak Performance (Sweden)
- Patagonia (USA)
- Paragampers.com (Italy)
- The North Face (USA)
- Woolrich (USA)
In large multi-brand stores, outlets and auctions:
- Amazon.com
- 6PM.com
- eBay.com
- Sierratradingpost.com
- Rei.com
- Backcountry.com
- mountaingear.com
- Scandinavianoutdoorstore.com
- Sportscheck.com
- "closed sale" sites
