Coat, down jacket, or jacket: how to choose your outerwear

Season guide · Autumn-winter 2026-2027

Outerwear is where people spend the most and make the poorest choices, because they try it on in a shop at twenty degrees and wear it at five. In the boutique, the first question we ask is not which model you like, but how cold it gets where you live and how much time you spend outside. From there, the choice narrows on its own, and it is almost never the one the customer had in mind.

This guide starts with two things written on the label that almost nobody reads: what's inside and what's outside. These are the two details that distinguish a garment that will genuinely keep you warm from one that only feels warm in the fitting room.

What's inside: down, feathers, wadding and synthetics

On a down jacket's label, you will almost always find two numbers, for example 80% down and 20% feathers. They are not the same thing, and that is where the difference lies. Down is the soft layer beneath the feathers, the part that traps air: it is what keeps you warm. Feathers have a shaft, the rigid central part, which provides volume and structure but insulates far less.

Wadding is classic synthetic insulation, the kind used in mid-season jackets such as Colmar hybrids: it is less warm than down at the same thickness, but it is not affected by water and costs less. It is the right choice for a garment you wear every day and put through its paces.

Technical synthetics are another category altogether. PRIMALOFT, which People of Shibuya uses across almost its entire line, was created to do what down cannot: continue insulating even when wet. Wet down collapses and stops keeping you warm; synthetic insulation does not. If your winter is more damp than freezing, this matters more than the down percentage.

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Down jackets and padded jackets

ColmarColmar Originals Glossy Down Jacket with Detachable HoodPeutereyPeuterey Honova LKS GRS Linear 05 Men's Hooded Down JacketPeople Of ShibuyaKore BNRS75 JacketColmarColmar Originals Men's Down JacketColmarColmar Originals Men's Hooded Hybrid JacketPeople Of ShibuyaArka Jacket in Vitale Barberis Canonico Virgin WoolColmarColmar Originals Men's Lightweight Down JacketColmarColmar Originals Men's Lightweight Natural Down Jacket

What's on the outside: the membrane, and why «GORE-TEX» alone is not enough

This is where the most expensive misunderstanding lies. Seeing GORE-TEX written on a garment does not mean it is waterproof. GORE-TEX INFINIUM — used in the People of Shibuya Kore, Kaika and Hiroki jackets — is windproof and water-repellent, not strictly waterproof: it withstands light rain and wind, not a downpour.

The three-layer technical fabric with membrane used in the same brand's PM981 line is the most protective construction: outer fabric, membrane and lining laminated together, keeping water out while allowing body vapour to escape. That's what you need when walking in real rain.

In between is the waterproof membrane applied to the reverse side, as on Colmar stretch jackets or the Peuterey Bunnari bomber: it offers good protection and weighs little, but it is a city solution, not a mountain one.

When wool makes sense

The wool coat does not compete with a down jacket on warmth: it competes on formality. It's the garment you wear over a jacket without wrinkling it, and the one that works in situations where a down jacket would be out of place.

When it comes to wool, the name that matters is the mill, not just the brand. The Arka jacket by People of Shibuya is made from Vitale Barberis Canonico virgin wool, from one of Biella's historic wool mills: it's the kind of detail that explains a price difference that would otherwise seem arbitrary.

The pea coat is the shorter, more practical version of the overcoat: double-breasted, hip-length, born in the navy and therefore cut for outdoor wear. Those from Emporio Armani are made of virgin tweed wool, one with a corduroy collar. If a long overcoat seems too demanding, the pea coat is the answer.

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Overcoats and pea coats

GI CAPRIGiCapri double-breasted men's overcoat with patch pocketsGallottiSoft nappa jacketAlessandro Dell'AcquaAlessandro Dell'Acqua single-breasted men's overcoatBHARNABADouble-breasted overcoat with peak lapelsGI CAPRIElegant double-breasted overcoatPeutereyMurdo leather jacket with shearling collarPeutereyChecked wool jacket with removable bibPeople Of ShibuyaKaika waterproof jacket

Leather, a different kind of purchase

A leather jacket is not bought for the cold; it is bought to last. Lamb nappa - the kind used by Gallotti - is the softest leather and the most expensive to work with, and it is recognised by touch before sight.

On Peuterey's Fionia bombers, the colour is sprayed directly onto the nappa and finished by hand: this means that each garment has slightly different shades and that, over the years, those irregularities become more pronounced instead of fading. It is the opposite of a printed garment, and it should be chosen with that in mind.

The Murdo model has a removable shearling collar, the category's most sensible detail: shearling from December to February, remove the collar from March, and the garment covers two seasons instead of one.

The types, one line each

Overcoat: formal, made of wool, worn over a jacket. Down jacket: the warmest for its weight, but vulnerable to water. Parka: long and hooded, the balance between warmth and protection. Bomber: short, waist-length, the most casual and easiest to wear. Pea coat: short, double-breasted overcoat, formal yet practical. Hybrid jacket: padded at the front and knitted at the back or on the sleeves, designed for those who are constantly going in and out.

The full selection is in men's coats, men's down jackets and jackets and outerwear.

The size, and the mistake we see most often

Try on the outerwear with what you will wear underneath. It seems obvious and almost no one does it: you try it on in a shirt in September and in January, with a sweater of some weight, the shoulders pull and you cannot raise your arms.

The point to check is the shoulder seam: it should sit on the bone, not beyond it. On a deliberately oversized garment, it drops lower by design, and this is stated in the product details; if it isn't stated and still drops lower, it is simply too large. The sleeve should cover the wrist when the arm hangs straight at the side, no further.

How they should fit

A down jacket can be washed, and it should be. Delicate cycle, cold water, specific detergent and — this is the step almost everyone skips — two or three tennis balls in the dryer on low heat: they break up the clumps of down that would otherwise remain compacted and leave cold spots. A down jacket dried without being fluffed never returns to its original condition.

Wool should be brushed, not washed, except at the end of the season. A stiff brush after each use removes dust and lint and extends the life of the fabric more than any dry cleaning.

Leather only asks to be left alone: no radiator, no plastic bag, and nourishing cream once a year. If it gets wet, let it air-dry away from heat sources — direct heat makes it stiffen and crack.

For the rest of the men's winter wardrobe — the three pairs of jeans that really are enough and the return of pleated trousers — there's a separate guide: autumn-winter trousers and jeans.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between down and feather on the label?

Down is the soft fluff beneath the feathers that traps air: it is the part that provides warmth. Feather has a stiff quill at its center, giving volume but providing much less insulation. This is why insulation made of 80% down and 20% feather provides much more warmth than a 50/50 blend, with the same thickness and weight. It is the first figure to check when comparing two down jackets at different price points.

Is a GORE-TEX garment waterproof?

Not necessarily, and the confusion is common. GORE-TEX INFINIUM is windproof and water-repellent: it can withstand light rain, not a downpour. True waterproofing requires a three-layer construction with a laminated membrane. If the garment must protect you from heavy rain, check which of the two it is, because the brand name alone does not tell you.

Is down or synthetic insulation better?

Down provides more warmth for the same weight, but if it gets wet, it collapses and stops insulating. Technical synthetics such as Primaloft provide slightly less warmth but continue to perform when wet. In a dry, cold winter, down wins; in a damp, rainy one, synthetic insulation wins.

How do you wash a down jacket?

In the washing machine, use a delicate cycle, cold water, and detergent specifically for down garments. The decisive step is drying: use a tumble dryer on a low-temperature setting with two or three tennis balls to break up the down clumps. Without this step, the insulation remains compressed and the garment loses much of its insulating power.

What size should you choose for a coat?

Your usual size, tried on over what you will wear underneath: a substantial sweater changes the perceived fit by one size. The reference point is the shoulder seam, which should sit on the shoulder bone. If the product details state an oversize fit, the shoulder is intentionally dropped; if they do not and it still drops, the garment is simply too large.

What is the most versatile outerwear garment if you are buying just one?

It depends on the journey, not the wardrobe. For short trips in dry cold, a down jacket is more comfortable. For spending long periods outside in the rain, you need a membrane and synthetic insulation. If you wear a jacket underneath, you need a wool coat or a peacoat. These are three different garments, and none does the others' job well.

Editorial team at Vittorio Citro Boutique, Roccapiemonte. We have been selling fashion since 1917.