PLUS SIZE WINTER COATS/ fashion & function

Winter where I'm from chills to the bone; it's not uncommon for my hometown to get temperatures down to -30 degrees celsius. Canadian winters can feel absolutely unbearable at times and they seem to drag on and on and on.

I have exactly four winter coats in my collection and I've had them for years - only one of them is suitable for extremely cold days and only half of my collection have hoods. Finding outwear pieces suitable for horrible Ottawa winters, especially when you're plus size, is beyond difficult.

When I'm shopping for a new winter coat I look for a couple of things:

1) a cold rating - a lot of manufacturers will add a cold rating showing that a piece is suitable down to a certain degree
2) if it has a hood - very important for when you forget your toque
3) if it's waterproof - things like freezing rain and snow storms happen, unfortunately
4) the length of it - I feel more comfortable if more of my body is covered but not too long where it would make it difficult to walk
and last but not least...
5) if it's something stylish enough that I can bare to wear for the next 4+ months

My last couple of heavy duty winter coats have all looked the exact same - they've been army green parkas. The army green colour isn't as boring as a black or a grey but it still goes with everything, and I love how parkas aren't as bulky as a puffer but they're still warm. My current one (I blogged about it here) is from Eddie Bauer and I've worn it for the last two winters. It's definitely my favourite and it keeps me warm on those bone chilling winter days.

I'm lucky to now live in a city where winter doesn't hit as hard as it does in my hometown, but I still live in Canada so winter is something I still have to prepare for. Here are some stylish winter coat options available in plus sizes - I have them in two different categories, fashion (lighter weight) and function (for Ottawa-like winters), to help you find what you're looking for with ease.

These are all styles that I would personally rock but it's also worth taking a look at outdoor brands and department stores to see what they have available as well. If you're looking for something super warm - down filled is always a great option but parkas, like I said, are my personal favourite.

* the images below are linked to affiliate links 

FASHION

FUNCTION