VERY warm overcoat?

Hi. I'm looking to buy a overcoat.

Here's what I need:
- very warm (canadian winter proof?)
- long (dont want my legs to turn into icicles)
- light (as much as it possible, cashmere?)
- durable (must be dryclean friendly and last for 5 years minimum)
- look good (... yeah)

I can spend up to $US 2 000. Preferably in $US 1000 range.

All suggestions are welcome! Thank you.

I got the feeling it's gonna be a cold winter. Maybe a nice thick tweed?

Originally Posted by IndianBoyz

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I got the feeling it's gonna be a cold winter. Maybe a nice thick tweed?

Tweed is nice, but I'm looking for something more formal... how about cashmere?

I say why not, keeps you warm and is light weight.

Canada? Montreal? Toronto? West Coast? Winterpeg?

Outside of the west coast when it's really cold you'll want a serious cold weather coat and you won't give a damn what it looks like. Hooded parka type of coat. Modern man made materials. Big enough you can layer under it.

The other 90+% of the time any overcoat sold in Canada should be good enough.

Unless you're flashing your pants should be protecting your legs. So if you go full length make it a style choice.

I recall a thread a while back with a gentleman from Mongolia seeking advice about a similarly heavy coat that didn't look awful. You might search for that.

I wouldn't look for all my warmth in one garment. Sweaters, suits/sport coats, dress shirts, scarves, hats, socks, shoes, etc. can all be chosen with warmth in mind.

Layering is key IMO. I live in Ottawa so it gets damn cold (-30+ Celcius on average). What I've found is that something with a hood is KEY, a scarf just doesn't always cut it.

Originally Posted by Neb

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Layering is key IMO. I live in Ottawa so it gets damn cold (-30+ Celcius on average). What I've found is that something with a hood is KEY, a scarf just doesn't always cut it.

Whaaa....-30 celcius AVERAGE. motherfuuu..... That is cold. We Dutchies are a bunch of pussies regarding cold. Bit of snow and voila no traintraffic, hundreds of accidents because of bad drivers, ****** government emergency response etc. All this in temperatures you guys would still wear a t shirt outside.

Cashmere: Hickey Freeman should fit the max range of your budget.

A good wool choice is Ralph Lauren in the blue Polo label. I bought a single-breasted model earlier this year during the sale (40% off, then another 15% discount), which I think the net was under $700 on a $1495 retail.

Layering is great, but all my suits are slim and I can't imagine layering under or on top of my suits.

My pants are thin (120s+ 100% wool) and very light. So yes, I do need to wear a full length overcoat.

Most anyone living in Canada will have 2 winter coats; one topcoat and one parka.
I have a BOSS (black label) cashmere overcoat in a dark blue that completely satisfies my needs,
which, in length, comes just below the knee. I'll add a scarf and hat if needed.
I also have a black twill topcoat by Grafton for a more casual look.
The Boss coat I bought at Harry Rosen. The Grafton I bought in the Eaton Centre.
I am in Toronto and use TTC but still have about 15-20 min of walking to/from work.
For moderately cold days (-10º to -20º) the topcoat does just fine.
For days with -30º to -35º I'll wear my parka, and to heck with pretention.
Keep a dark jacket and 1-2 pair of dres shoes at the office for the really bad weather days
when you need to wear a parka and boots.
As for keeping your legs warm, heavier wool pants or wear long underwear will do.
One last thought; Go with grey, tope or dark blue.
Black is a 'tell all' colour that can very quickly look shabby (lint, etc).
If you prefer black then twill looks very nice. Invest in a good lint brush as well.

Originally Posted by SirSuitTheGreat

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Layering is great, but all my suits are slim and I can't imagine layering under or on top of my suits.

My pants are thin (120s+ 100% wool) and very light. So yes, I do need to wear a full length overcoat.

Why do you have such light pants for the winter? Anyway, I agree with the people who counsel against black. Get something in a mottled charcoal"”it'll show salt less.

As for the person who suggested tweed, it would be hard to find tweed heavy enough these days. My father has a very substantial old Scottish overcoat he bought at Bayview Village in the 80s. It feels like you're wearing a backpack. I've not seen anything comparable since.

I have an O'Connell's camel hair polo coat. Very warm and quite sturdy. Versatile. Not light though. Price should be somewhere north of $1000 USD, but nowhere near 2000, as I recall.

@Wrenkin
I usually drive to/from work. And I don't like heavy suits.

@Man Of Lint
I couldn't find any winter overcoats on HB's web site. Parka... I'm not that desperate. Do you have any experience with extra insulation layers for your overcoat?