Living in the microtrend era of fashion, phases and trendy pieces come and go quicker than ever. What you found cool at the start of the season may lose its appeal by the end of it. It's become hard to sift through what we actually like and will like by next year, vs what we can't live without. I’m not the first to feel this way, as there’s been an entire movement in recent years around building a “capsule wardrobe,” a timeless, adaptable collection of clothes that will never go out of style. I believe one of the most essential pieces in a capsule wardrobe is the black puffer jacket. Puffer jackets had their moment in the limelight with The North Face’s take on the classic, but its role in a wardrobe goes much further than the 15 minutes of fame it had.
What makes the humble black puffer so powerful is its ability to be dressed up as well as dressed down. I’ve written before about outfits that can be transitioned from a daytime classroom look to one for a night in the city with friends, and this jacket is a perfect example of such a piece. It has just enough pizazz to accentuate an outfit without being gaudy or making an outfit look like too much is going on. Quite literally anything can be layered under a black puffer, and the look will still carry the same vibe as it did without.
With this in mind, I have a few recommendations as to which puffer you should buy. My first suggestion is UNIQLO’s Ultra Light Down Jacket. It’s on the affordable side but comes with a sleek, slimmer design that’ll still keep you warm when you’re walking through Temple's windy campus. The second suggestion comes from Hollister, who has recently gone through a heavy rebranding with current-year fashion in mind. Originally pricier than UNIQLO, at least at the time of writing this article, this comes in at just around $50, so it's a fantastic option for the bargain hunters out there. The Hollister one is more on-trend, having a boxier appearance than the alternative offered by The North Face. The North Face, of course, is an option, but at $330 MSRP, it’s a little above the price point I’d recommend while we’re all still stuck with a college budget. My final suggestion is the Aritzia Cloud Puff, a jacket that’s currently having its moment on social media, with a slightly higher price point. It’s more expensive, but I believe with a staple like this, it’s worth spending the money on something you know you’ll still love in a few years.
Check out the Black Puffers mentioned:
UNIQLO Ultra Light Down Puffer Jacket
Hollister faux fur lined Puffer Jacket
Aritzia Cloud Puff
Images sourced from Pinterest.
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