The Best Winter Coat for a Chicago Winter: From Someone Who Makes Them Here
Chicago winters are infamous for their bone-chilling temperatures, fierce winds, and heavy snowfall. If you're planning venturing outside during the Windy City's winter months, investing in the right winter coat is essential. Whether you're a resident bracing for the cold season or a visitor experiencing the city's winter for the first time here are a few suggestions that will cover all of the bases.
1.) A Long Wool Overcoat: The Best Coat for Chicago City Life - The Dearborn Overcoat from The Checkroom
For those who prefer a more classic and sophisticated look, a 100% wool coat is an excellent option. Wool is a natural insulator that provides warmth even in cold and damp conditions. Wool regulates naturally, which is why it has been outerwear for centuries and why technical fabrics have not replaced it for people who care about comfort over the full day. A wool coat is also the one coat that goes everywhere. The office, a dinner, a cab to the airport.
Opt for a long wool coat for a timeless appearance with more coverage. What's great about a classic wool coat (especially for travelers) to the Windy City is that it looks chic and pulled together for fine dining, shopping along the Mag Mile, and trips to our numerous world-class museums. Our Southport is knee-length and rated to 5°F. The Dearborn goes to the calf and is warmer. Both are grown on regenerative American farms and woven at American Woolen in Connecticut.
2. A Technical Parka: The Right Call for Extreme Conditions
If you are regularly outdoors for extended stretches (waiting for the bus in a blizzard, shoveling, commuting on foot through a polar vortex), a technical parka earns its place. Down insulation and a weather-resistant shell handle sustained exposure in a way that wool cannot. The tradeoff is that a technical parka is typically less versatile. It is the right tool for a specific problem. Most Chicago women own both and reach for the parka when the forecast says wind chills below -10°F, and the wool coat the other 80% of the winter.
3. A Puffer Jacket: Warm and Practical, with Limits
Puffer jackets have made a stylish comeback in recent years, and they're a fantastic choice for Chicago winters. They are lightweight, making them easy to move in, and they provide excellent insulation with their quilted design. Down Coats are known for their exceptional warmth-to-weight ratio. Great for travelers and locals alike, they're incredibly warm without being bulky. The limitation for Chicago specifically is coverage (most puffers end at the hip, which is exactly where the wind finds you on a city street). If you go this route, look for longer cuts.
What to Look for in a Chicago Winter Coat
Length. Knee-length minimum. Calf-length if you commute on foot or spend real time outside.
Closure. The coat needs to stay closed in wind. Buttons alone tend to gap. Our coats use a magnetic horn-snap closure reinforced with magnets for this exact reason. Warmth rating. Know what temperatures you are dressing for. Our coats are rated to 5°F, which covers most Chicago winters including the bad ones.
Versatility. Chicago winters last five months. The coat you reach for in October when it is 40°F should still be working in February when it is 5°F with wind chill. A coat with a real temperature range earns its cost.
Our Chicago Winter Picks
The Southport in Camel — knee-length, rated to 5°F, 34 reviews from women who have worn it through Chicago winters
The Dearborn Trench — calf-length, the warmest coat we make, built for the worst days
The Mag Mile — calf-length mac silhouette, optional belt, generous collar for wind protection
All made on demand in Chicago from 100% American made wool.
If you have questions about which coat is right for your winter, I answer every sizing email personally. Not sure which length is right for your frame? The fit guide compares our silhouettes side by side. Or take the style quiz for a recommendation.
