New Ski Jacket

God, I'm so happy with this find! As I wrote previously a few blogs ago, I needed a new ski jacket or a parka. Because I have a feeling that Manhattan this Winter will be very cold. We've been spared the harsh harsh Winter for the past 2-3 yrs. here and I feel that we're due for a big one. Stretches of sub-zero, artic conditions. So, whether or not I go skiing this season, a new ski jacket is a must have. My cashemere overcoat and my YSL Winter jacket will not suffice. Eventhough, the former is cashemere and it keeps me warm most of the time, under really cold weather and winds, it's not warm enough. And my YSL, it keeps me warm even in cold days and nights, it's just too formal. It's a 'going out' downtown type jacket. Too formal and stylish. So, I needed a more casual everyday jacket that I can do errands or go out in; a versatile, all purpose, Winter jacket.

I wanted a longer jacket that came down to my thighs and that reduced me to parkas. I scoured the web for parkas on: Saks, Barneys, Bergdorf, Bloomies, and even, Macy's. But all of the parkas looked exactly the same. Exactly. Except for one, Ralph Lauren Matterhorn reversible parka. That was the only one that looked elegant and not boxy or blue-collar, ride on the subway and go to work look. But the damn thing just won't go on sale. It's been flat priced at $695 for the past two weeks on all of the aforementioned sites. Not even Black Friday sales nudged the price down.

Well, per chance, I remembered Eddie Bauer. I remembered that they are known for their outdoors wear, especially for their warm sweaters and jackets. So, I checked it out. To my amazement, there was one parka that looked decent and it was only $250. It looked similar to other parkas but slightly more elegant although it was not as good looking as the Ralph Lauren Matterhorn parka. What really impressed me was that Eddie Bauer, it turns out, invented the parka and their marquee product is the parka. It's parkas are known for it's high quality-- down filled with Northern Europen Geese, which apparently is the highest quality down that's on the market today. Most other parkas are filled with duck down or man-made fabrics. None of the jackets or parkas that I saw had real goose down, never mind, Northern European goose.

So, I thought about it and decided to sleep on it for few days. Warmth warmth warmth. That's criteria #1 followed closely by looks looks looks this Winter.

But after some deep thinking, I encountered one critical problem with this parka. Too warm! The thing was rated to be warm even at the 20 below-to zero range and since it would fall to my mid thigh, I could see myself sweating inside of it for more than half of the Winter unless I just wear a shirt underneathe it. But when I go out (anywhere), I always wear a jacket underneathe. That's just my style and habit. So, no go. Can't do.

Then I found the above treasure on their website. 800 fill. [FYI-- The highest fill is usually 700, normal fill usually range from 500-600. So, 800 is almost never heard of even in the highest quality comforters.] The parka is 700 fill. So the 800 fill is actually supposed to be warmer. But the jacket is shorter than the parka, giving it more breathing room (i.e. ventilation) below the waist. Plus it's really light, and like a sleeping bag, it can be crunched into a small sack (an added benefit to my closet as it's squeezed in between my fully pregnant wardrobe).

The story gets better. The jacket was priced at a fantastic price of $149 plus tax and shipping which came out to $179 all in. Not great. Not a steal. But not bad either. Just for kicks though, before I bought it online, I decided to google 'coupon promo code Eddie Bauer' Since, I saw on some TV programs, the morning shows specifically, that online promos and coupons were all the rage this year given the economy. So I typed it into google and bam! Eddie Bauer promo code for 30% off and free shipping that expires on 12/24. It was on a site called 'Coupondork.' I could not believe it. This promo was nowhere to be found on Eddie Bauer's website. So, I wanted to see if this was for real.

I went back to Eddie Bauer site, picked the jacket, color, and size and proceeded to the checkout. On the second page of the check out before I entered my credit card #, there was a section for promo codes. So, I put it in. The screen refreshed and the box on the right that had the former $179 total became $114! and that's after I added an additional $6 shipping for 3 day express shipping. So, I instantly saved $65on the spot and because the product price was decreased, so did the tax. So, my new Winter ski jacket is arriving in 3 days for $114!!! That's a far cry from the $695 Ralph Lauren parka and the $1,200 Bogner jacket that I've been pining after for the past 2-3 weeks. Btw, $114, that's one night out in Manhattan... and I didn't go out last night. So, in my mind and in effect, I kindda got my new jacket for free! An expense neutral move. Suave ;).

I'm gonna be so happy with this jacket, I can't wait! The other color choices were royal blue and black. The royal blue looked alittle too 70s, Three's Company. So, no. The black... I have so much black in my closet, I need some eye candy when I look in the closet. The 'deep red' was the best color. Not an ordinary red which can be banal. But this red, it reminds me of Aspen (yeah, maybe alittle retro; but, Aspen still). It's a more aristocratic red. I really like it. [Now, when it arrives. It better not look like sleeping bag red, and if it does, god forbid, I'll just think, Aspen Aspen Aspen. FYI- This is my first clothing purchase on the internet.]

Woo hoo! for Eddie Bauer and CouponDork! $114 for a fantastic looking, high-end 800 fill! goose down, Winter jacket.

On a side note, when I go home for Christmas, my dad should/will no longer ask me if the jacket that I'm wearing is warm enough (which he does on occassion) because this one looks alittle puffy and warm. But if he does, I can proudly tell him about the 800 fill Northern European Goose down and what a bargain it was. I'm soooo excited. Good job Von Kwon.