My Favorite Winter Coat For Less

As a born and raised Chicago girl, this crazy polar vortex is not new to me. I actually had several “cold days” in high school when temps got too low for anyone to be outside. As we’re experiencing another polar vortex in the midwest today, I figured it would be a good day for me to share one of my favorite winter coats and some great dupes that are much less expensive. I’m always absolutely freezing regardless of the temperature so needless to say winter is not my favorite time of year to be outdoors. However, it has given me an excuse to invest in some really great coats. I’ve actually become a bit of a coat addict if I’m being honest.

The coat I’m wearing in today’s post is one of my favorites for a few reasons. Aside from the fact that the style couldn’t be more “me”, it is incredibly warm yet super lightweight and comfortable. It’s great for my commute to work, my designated coat for running errands and I even wear it out to dinner. I love that it keeps warm when I’m outside but I never over heat when I have it on inside – thats the beauty of a down coat! If you live in the Midwest and don’t own a down coat yet I strongly suggest investing in one. While mine is a little pricey (Ryan spoiled me with it as a Christmas gift a few years ago) there are so many very similar styles for much less and they still do the job just as well as mine. I’ve linked up several several options below.

If you already have a down coat and want to upgrade, you can shop this year’s version of my exact coat in the quick links section. This is a great time of year to buy a coat (especially if you live somewhere close to Chicago) because so many are on sale this time of year and we sadly probably still have quite a few more weeks of winter to get through.

I also want to remind you that if you do invest in some new coats you should also seriously consider donating your old coats. It breaks my heart to think about all the people who don’t have a home or heat during these incredibly frigid temperatures so instead of struggling to smash a million coats in your closet, think about which ones you might be willing to give up. I’m planning to do that this week. Here are a few different ways that you can help the homeless and those in need during these next few brutal winter months.

One Warm Coat : Donate a coat or monetary donation to give free coats to those in need

Call 311 (if you live in Chicago): If you see someone sleeping outdoors in the freezing cold, call 311 (not 911) let them know where you saw the person and they will help them find a warm shelter.

Donate to a local warming shelter: Churches and community gathering spots have opened their doors to the homeless this time of year. This is a great way to make sure your donations go directly to those in your community

Donate directly to a shelter: You can find a list of all the homeless shelters in your area here. Again, this is another way for you to know you are donating directly to those in your community.

No matter where you are, I hope you’re staying warm!