WINTER IS COMING

When you live in Canada, winter is always coming! As a matter of fact, us Canadians spend the majority of the year feeling some (low) degree of chill in the air. This is why having the right piece of outerwear in your wardrobe is so important. A winter jacket, or coat, dominates your entire look, so it's best to spend a little extra time and money finding the perfect piece! This month I'm sharing a mix of my coats and jackets in order to give you ideas when you head out to purchase your own. Instead of just saying "I will not be cold!", - make a statement with your style this winter.  

- No. 1 - COLMAR - 

Colmar is a new addition to my winter wardrobe, and I welcomed this jacket with open arms. The Italian label originated in 1923 and was named using the first three letters of the creators last name and first name - Colombo, Mario. Sport, style and innovation all weave together to make up this brand's DNA and also provide it with a unique historical identity. Fun fact: Colmar outfitted the Italian Winter Sport Federation, exclusively, from 1948 to 1992. And since 2009, Colmar Originals has been making a play to become an internationally recognized lifestyle brand. The design team at Colmar has created more stylized jacket blocks for men and women, while still staying true to the brand's sporty roots. 

The Research Men's Down Jacket, pictured here, is extremely functional for a down jacket. When wearing down, you don't want to look like the Michelin man. Nor do you want your upper extremities feeling constricted. This jacket has the perfect combination of neoprene and nylon in it's design to make it both warm and comfortable. The Research jacket also has a double zipper feature, which is great for styling and showing off some of your base layers. It's safe to say that this jacket will make any guy's outfit look as SHARP AF! #addtocart #startthecar

- No. 2 - J.W. ANDERSON -

J.W. Anderson originated in the United Kingdom under the helm of designer Jonathan William Anderson. The Northen-Irish designer began his eponymous label in 2008. In fact, Anderson started as a menswear designer (I found this gem online - SS'08 runway). Anderson is known for creating collections that challenge how we understand masculinity and femininity, which results is some extremely stellar silhouettes. In 2014, Anderson won the British Fashion Award for Menswear Designer of the Year. And directly following, in a historic first, Anderson won both Menswear and Womenswear British Fashion Awards in 2015. While Anderson continues to design and create for his namesake label, he now assumes the role of Creative Director at Loewe.

The oversized shawl coat in black (AW15, #33), pictured above, is an important style and length to have in your wardrobe no matter the current trends. This will be my second Canadian winter with this coat and, while it depends on where you live, it's an added bonus here in Toronto to have a coat that covers your ass and as much of your legs as possible - #amiright. This coat is crafted from pure virgin wool in a felt weave, making it nice and soft. The long shawl collar and turned up cuffs play with the femininity distinct to Anderson's designs. Listen, when you buy J.W. Anderson, you are buying quality and excellence. 

- No. 3 - THE FERAL - 

Last month I featured The Feral, formally known as Sons of Odin, in my Toronto menswear story. Clearly, I'm a bit obsessed. I won't repeat what I had to say about the label, but you should definitely read about it and the designer here.

This grey and black tonal jacket is the new definition of cool this winter. And stylistically, is in a world unto itself. The Feral shearling and wool blend moto-jacket is from the FW '16 collection and is filled with impeccable details. First, the collar and lapels are made with a soft black shearling, which is also used across the shoulder panel on the back of the jacket. Next, the midriff of the jacket has been swapped out for black and aligns with the elbows on the sleeves. Finally, there is amazing zipper details which add the right amount of hardware to the jacket to bring it back to the street. If you haven't already figured it out, I'm a HUGE fan, and this jacket is definitely a #musthave this winter.    

- No. 4 - Public School - 

Public School's design ethos, a simple yet cool vibe, resonates with my idea of perfect style. Co-founders and designers Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osbourne attended New York public schools growing up - go figure - but it was during their days working for Sean John (which still exists) that the two first met. Shortly after, Chow and Osbourne teamed up and branched off to create Public School NYC. When the two first started in 2008, the label was strictly menswear; however, they have since included womenswear. Public School seamlessly fuses styles worn on the streets of New York with the fabrics and craftsmanship seen on the high-fashion runways of New York, London, Paris, and Milan. Chow and Osbourne's collections not only raise streetwear style to higher grounds, but each collection also showcases the immense design skills these two creative talents have. Achieving this balance - a mix high and low - is no easy feat. And is the exact reason why Public School was honoured with CFDA's Menswear Designer of the Year award in 2013. That same year, Chow and Osborne went on to win the extremely coveted CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund - placing them among the ranks of Alexander Wang and Joseph Altuzarra.   

The coat pictured above is from the lablel's AW14 collection (click here for runway image). This will be my third winter with this coat, but because Public School's collections are predominantly black and white in palette, their pieces are timeless. My style tends to be monochromatic in nature, however a word to the wise, when investing in a designer piece, go for neutrals as you'll want to wear them season after season. This coat is not as long as the J.W. Anderson pictured above, but it does cover my rear end. This length is also perfect for more upscale dress but can also be styled with ripped jeans and a hoodie - the crux of Public School!

Thanks for following along this month. I hope you're now equipped with some options and styles when heading out to buy your own jacket or coat this winter.