Believe me when I tell you that my outerwear decisions are as researched and thoughtful as my underwear decisions. I’ve blogged about each of my coat or jacket choices over the years and this year I'm commuting and, as the weather got colder, I ran into a problem.  Equipped with a Patagonia jacket, a black A-line coat (unlined – perhaps you see where this is going), and a very dressy and warm coat from Anthropologie, I realized that none of them suited my new life.

The unlined A-line isn't warm (and I had to sew up five or six slits in the lining – it’s old!), the Patagonia jacket is just that – a jacket, and the dressy coat has enormous (and beautiful) bell sleeves which make it impossible to search through my handbag, do the crossword on the train, or safely carry my coffee up to the office.

What to do?

As the temperatures dipped and I walked to pick up lunch, shivering, I looked around at what women were wearing. Puffy coats.

You know what I’m talking about: quilted down coats in various lengths with hoods with fur, fake or otherwise, and pockets and sometimes, heaven help me, belts. Those coats that make people look like they are wearing duvets to work. Did these women know something I didn’t? I have long avoided the puffy coat! They are unattractive! But everywhere I looked, with my tearing eyes, in the biting wind, all I saw was people in puffy coats.

And so, my quest began.

J. Crew had a decent looking puffy coat in their catalog. It wasn’t quite as long as I was hoping (below the knee might be the warmest) and it featured a belt (for accentuating one’s behind) but I went to see it anyway. SOLD OUT.

At Kenneth Cole there were two options: one had some nice trench coat features making it slightly more stylish than wrapping oneself in a black Ikea duvet. Sadly, the fabric was very shiny. Imagine a patent leather duvet.

The Gap’s puffy coats were on sale for $54 – and, after I tried one on, I saw why: HIDEOUS…on me, anyway.

I could have gone back to my office and checked online at LL Bean (incredibly durable goods, though not especially fashion forward), Land’s End (incredibly durable goods, somewhat more fashion forward, less expensive), or Patagonia (incredibly durable eco-conscious goods, granola-style fashion forward, very expensive), but I really wanted to go home with a puffy coat THAT DAY.

By that time I was two blocks from my office walking alongside a woman in what I suddenly realized might be the Perfect Puffy Coat. It had subtle detailing, no visible logo, no patch pockets and had two tiny belts at the waist to draw it in.

I spoke to her, as I have a habit of talking to strangers, and asked where she got it.

I was completely crestfallen when she told me. Searle.

Searle, you see, does an exquisite line of outerwear, in sumptuous fabrics at stratospheric prices. It is not unheard of to see a puffy coat on the Searle website for $1400 which was roughly $1300 over my intended budget.

I made a last ditch effort and ducked into Filenes. I’ve never been in Filenes but someone had told me it was worth a visit.

Filene's was a veritable sea of puffy coats! Puffy coats as far as the eye could see. Puffy coats by impressive designers at greatly reduced prices. I tried on many many puffy coats and just as I was giving up hope I saw it. The very same puffy coat I had admired on the woman outside for a fraction of its original price.
The rest, dear readers, is history.

It is warm, as attractive as such a thing can be and, though it does look like I’m wearing a duvet, it turns out to be pretty comfy to snuggle up in while on the train.

I am a puffy coat convert. And I plan on stopping by Filene's again too.