Here's my recurring winter coat dilemma: I live in a place where the winters are fairly mild, except for about three weeks in February when it's so cold and windy that going to the grocery starts to feel like an Arctic expedition.  When my kids were little, I could put off the grocery run for days and just hunker down in the nice warm house, but now that they're in school I am compelled to go outside every single day (because homeschooling is NOT an option around here).  And so I need a winter coat that is casual but not schleppy, warm but not bulky, well made but not expensive. 

Such a simple thing to ask for!  Okay no, not really.  I looked and looked and looked but couldn't find anything that really did what I wanted; everything was too bulky or too frumpy or too cheap or too expensive.  And don't even get me started about the whole metallic puffer coat trend.  Ugh.

This fall, the nice people at Lands' End contacted me to ask if I would take one of their Weatherly jackets for a spin, and while it hasn't really gotten cold here yet, I can tell you already that I love this coat.   It's the perfect weekend casual layering piece, lightweight and warm without being bulky or boxy.  The color is stunning (I opted for the Admiral Blue) and the snap tabs at the waist give just enough definition to keep me from looking like I swiped this from my husband's closet.

The Weatherly jacket is lined with PolarThin™; according to the Lands' End web site, this means that "Over layering pieces, this Weatherly Jacket will keep you warm in -10° weather; over a light layer, in -5°."   I can easily get my jacket on over a substantial fleece pullover, and while I nearly passed out from heat exhaustion testing that look because it's still so warm here, it will clearly work once the weather turns.

The product description at Lands' End suggests ordering one size larger than ususal for best fit, but I disagree; I ordered what seemed like the appropriate size and my jacket is big enough to wear over a fairly bulky sweater (again, nearly sweated to death trying this, but I can tell you that it works).  I would suggest that you order the size you THINK you need and one size up; you don't want the jacket to run small, because the whole idea is that you can layer it, but you don't want to be swimming in it.

The Weatherly jacket is available in regular, petite, and plus sizes, in  13 colors; it is currently on sale for $49.50, which is a STEAL. 

What do you wear with the Weatherly jacket?  lalaston will probably pair them with her beloved Lulumon pants,  while Heather B will choose some comfortable shoes.  And of course, a turtleneck is always a good choice for cold weather.

Photo courtesy of Lands' End.