Coat Recommendations For NYC in December

[PinkCupcakes]

Hi there! Hopefully going to NYC in December this year and wondering about coats for the family.

I have started looking online at places like Uniqlo, Kathmandu and Anaconda and I'm really confused .

I'm from Victoria so we are used to cold winters but definitely not snow or snow like temperatures!

Would a warm jacket from say, Portmans with thermals and other layers underneath suffice or do I need to go the duck down feather route?

Any suggestions?

 

[bswift]

How long are you going for? I would just take your warmest coat over there and then buy new ones on your first day. It will work out cheaper to buy there and they will be better quality/better suited to the temperatures.

I wouldn't recommend wearing thermals underneath your clothes, as you'll be going in and out of buildings and then it will be too hot when you're inside. It's better to dress in layers ie. long sleeve top, lightweight jumper and then coat + scarf + gloves.

 

[PinkCupcakes]

Thanks bswift! We are only going for a week at the most. I forgot about the heated stores - so no thermals ! I'm just worried about room in our suitcases as there are five of us so if we take our coats over there plus buy new ones then that's a bit of shopping room taken up by coats. Hmmm...

 

[AussieNSW]

We actually brought some coats from Amazon who shipped them to us in Sydney. We chose some from Steve Madden I had heard of his shoes but the coats were great. We brought puffy styled ones that allows us to bundle them up on the plane and use them as great pillows or wear them onto the plane and bundle them up into overhead bins.

 

[aussie shaz]

A suggestion, which you may or may not be in for, is to go to a 'thrift store' like The Salvos, and buy used coats. Then if you're never likely to use them again and don't want to lug them with you, you can re-donate them back. I think that's what I'd do if I were going somewhere much colder than I'd need a coat for normally.

 

[Tattylou]

I live in Boston. It has basically the same weather has NYC. Pretty much every person I see, including myself, has North Face brand coats and jackets. Mine is down. @aussie shaz has a good point about getting a gently used one. A North Face at full cost is going to be minimum $200-300 for a nice down one unless you catch an amazing sale. Personally, I wouldn't pay that just for a coat to wear only on a vacation that you may not use again.

 

[PinkCupcakes]

Thanks everyone! Great suggestions!

AussieNSW - I forgot about amazon and I didn't know Steve Madden made coats either! I'd definitely want something that we could easily stuff into a suitcase.

AussieShaz - great idea about the op shop and then donating back. It's more just a matter of time it would take up trying to find five coats! I think I will try to google map some op shops in the area we are staying once I book a hotel

Tattylou - thanks for your input from a "local" perspective. Yeh I agree Northface are pretty expensive for one weeks use.

 

[PinkCupcakes]

Thanks everyone! Great suggestions!

AussieNSW - I forgot about amazon and I didn't know Steve Madden made coats either! I'd definitely want something that we could easily stuff into a suitcase.

AussieShaz - great idea about the op shop and then donating back. It's more just a matter of time it would take up trying to find five coats! I think I will try to google map some op shops in the area we are staying once I book a hotel

Tattylou - thanks for your input from a "local" perspective. Yeh I agree Northface are pretty expensive for one weeks use.

 

[Travel Mum]

We were in NYC in early January this year and my girls and I were all in either MacPac or Kathmandu jackets. We were all fine. The girls were in jackets but I was in my Kathmandu down coat. I find it perfect for the colder weather of East Coast U.S. or European winter. Admittedly I do have a few merino layers on underneath

 

[shushh]

I would suggest a good quality down coat with light layers underneath. As someone has already mentioned, the heating indoors is very warm. Handy to only have to remove a coat and jumper/cardigan.

We buy all our down coats from Land's End, an American company. Quality as good as, or even better than Kathmandu. When on sale, basic down coat at 1/3 the price of Kathmandu even when you add shipping of $28 to the cost...
http://www.landsend.com/shop/sale/w...e=lec-_-global-_-glbnv-sale-_-20160316-_-txt#

Our coats have all been warm enough for NYC, European winters, winter in Hokkaido, snow resorts, etc
You can ship it to Australia pre-trip or get it delivered to your hotel in the US.

 

[shushh]

Forgot to add that I usually wait until they have a 30-40% off sale which make the coats even more of a bargain. Delivery usually takes a week and they have a returns address in Australia

 

[PinkCupcakes]

Thank you shushh and Travel Mum. I shall check out Landsend too. Looks like down is the way to go.

 

[viaggiamo]

When we went to the USA one Winter I had the coats shipped to our hotel. I contacted the hotel prior and address it to us, at the hotel, and for them to hold until our arrival date.

It worked great. Also check out Hannah Andersson for children's stuff. Such amazing quality. GAP was great also.

If you live in Melbourne you would use it again, for sure. We are in QLD and we use ours in the Winter here. I am a cold frog though!!!

If you have kids, I also did this for Christmas presents, it was awesome, I signed up for the Amazon Prime deal for a 30 day free trial and ordered everything on black friday/ thanksgiving sales, then canceled my trial. I had soooooo much fun shopping at all the US shops and amazon...

 

[wilkeliza]

I get all my coats from the company Uniqlo. They have shops here in NYC so you can buy when you arrive or ship to your hotel. THEy have several warm option that are designed to easily roll up and pack if you want to hold onto them. If you don't want to buy something new layering is fine. I often wear a lighter coat with a hoodie under it as long as it isn't snowing.

 

[elaine amj]

I'd recommend lightweight packable down (Uniqlo sells them but I got mine much cheaper from Costco). I was very hesitant to bring mine when I went to NYC in mid November because I thought they would be too "winter-y" in the Fall weather (no one locally had taken out winter coats yet). So so so many ppl in NYC were all in similar puffy coats (probably all tourists haha)

I find the packable down are perfect for traveling. They roll up tiny, don't overheat u if u have to be indoors, and yet keep u reasonably warm. I added base layers, scarves (good quality cashmere or silk are really warm!) and hats and it worked out great. With another layer of thermal leggings, a 2nd base layer (I was really impressed with the difference a 2nd base layer made) and a good (preferably wool) sweater, I can manage even up to -20 weather with the packable down.

 

[PinkCupcakes]

That's a good idea Viaggiamo about shipping the coats to our NYC hotel. Then we don't need to lug them around while we are in Cali. Someone else recommended GAP to me also. They have some kids coats online marked down but I haven't checked shipping to Australia yet!! . Have to also check with my 10 year old if she would be happy with a hot pink coat . she's fussy. I didn't know about amazon Prime. Did you stay in the U.S over Christmas?

Thanks wilkeliza and Elaine amj. I have been looking at the uniqlo site too. Good to know about the layering and the packable down. Great information and ideas everyone!
And yes, viaggiamo, the coats will definitely get used in Victoria over winter

 

[viaggiamo]

We did the shipping to more than one hotel. It was easy and worked amazingly.
The hotel we were at for Christmas were awesome, I asked them for help to be my elf helpers and the concierge team held all the packages and helped me take them to the room secretly while I wrapped them (DH took kids somewhere). It was so much fun! They loved it too I think.

Have fun x

 

[bswift]

We have Gap in Australia... They have stores at Melbourne Central and Chadstone. They wouldn't have winter coats now but you will no doubt be able to buy them on sale here after our winter.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

I would suggest a good quality down coat with light layers underneath. As someone has already mentioned, the heating indoors is very warm. Handy to only have to remove a coat and jumper/cardigan.

We buy all our down coats from Land's End, an American company. Quality as good as, or even better than Kathmandu. When on sale, basic down coat at 1/3 the price of Kathmandu even when you add shipping of $28 to the cost...
http://www.landsend.com/shop/sale/w...e=lec-_-global-_-glbnv-sale-_-20160316-_-txt#

Our coats have all been warm enough for NYC, European winters, winter in Hokkaido, snow resorts, etc
You can ship it to Australia pre-trip or get it delivered to your hotel in the US.

Book marking it too as think my coat might be nearing the end of its 30 year life - lol!

 

[FrenchGirl]

Funny! We often go to Uniqlo when we visit NYC just to buy their coats! They're so light yet warm in cold temps.