Be kind to your coat – it has a tough job

If you have to cover up the outfit you just spent hours putting together with a coat, it had better be a good one. For us fashion lovers in Toronto, a stylish and practical coat is a must. We can’t tough it out when the temperature drops below freezing, so we might as well embrace the idea and find ourselves some head-turning coats to wear.

Vogue recently did a feature on winter coats and what they had to say about this underrated garment was great. Katherine Bernard wrote, “A coat is about as close to love as you can get with clothing. A coat hugs you and shields you—it’s both a blanket and a wall, the two things most of us cling to when we’re needing comfort. They also speak. Coats are probably the largest garments we own, if you’re measuring fabric-yardage per garment, and thus, they can make a strong statement. When it’s cold, a coat is worn every day, and when something comes with you everywhere, it becomes a part of you.”

Because we’re dry cleaners, we wouldn’t feel right talking about coats without mentioning proper care. Most often, you’ll find that your clothing care tag tells you to dry clean your coat and we’re here to tell you that it’s being serious. Proper care will truly extend the life of your coat and when you’re wearing it more often than any other item in your closet, you’ll want to maintain the fabric properly. It’s tiring work protecting you from the elements!

Of course, we can’t let you go without showing you some of our favourite winter coats.

This casual fur hooded swing coat from TopShop is easy-to-wear, but is versatile enough to pop on over something a little more formal if you need to.

This one might be a bit of a stretch in terms of warmth, but Preen’s Robyn dress coat is better than not wearing a coat at all, right? I think we’re trying to convince ourselves that this is a good idea because it’s so beautiful.

We’re really into cream this year, but can you blame us? The Anthropologie Montaigne Coat is stunning.

This classic Burberry wool peacoat has an extra lining to keep you nice and toasty. It’s no surprise that it has become a staple in many wardrobes.

But when it really comes down to it, sometimes you just need a jacket that will keep you warm. That’s why on a quick stroll down any Toronto streets in the winter, you’ll spot loads of Canada Goose jackets.

We already mentioned in the subtlest way we could that coats generally need to be dry cleaned. At Parkers, we do that! We’ll even pickup and drop off your coat at no extra cost to you. After all, how are you supposed to brave the cold when we have your jacket?