Written by The Strategy

Fashion Vs. Function

Coat A is gorgeous. You want it in your life. 

Coat B will keep you warm. It’s not as nice as coat A, but it will be your hug on a cold December day. 

 But did you see coat A? The gold zipper details? the long feminine silhouette? You will be a living case of permafrost for the next 4 months, but NBD, because this coat is the exact colour you’ve been eyeing all season. 

 Alright, so you really want coat A, but you need coat B. Final decision: coat B

Oh, but coat A…

                                           – Every girl, every winter. 

 Sound familiar? It’s the one daunting conversation that every girl has with herself when shopping for a new winter coat. And it all starts with, “do I buy a winter jacket that’s fashionable or functional? 

The term “winter jacket” is unfashionable enough in itself.  Let’s be honest: a major reason why winter jacket labels like Canada Goose are as successful as they are isn’t because they are the most eye-catching; it’s because they have major celebrities and personalities behind their brands. Nonetheless, designers are getting better and better at producing jackets that are both aesthetically pleasing and practical for winter. Whether or not these designers will actually quiet our winter coat dilemmas is another story. 

When shopping for a winter jacket, the questions we ask ourselves are endless; questions like: How often will I be wearing this? How will this particular coat go with everything else I own? Can I wear my thickest sweater with it? Can I dress it up? Dress it down? Should I splurge or should I save? How cold is this winter really going to be, anyway?  Perhaps the biggest question of all is: how can I find a winter jacket that is fashionable, not too trendy, and that will simultaneously keep me warm and snug on the coldest of days? 

 And yet, despite all of the headaches from these back-and-forth fashion vs function debates, I don’t necessarily think anyone one of us is looking for a solution to the problem. I think we all know the answer here. And for those of you who don’t – it’s fashion. Fashion always wins. Similar to wearing uncomfortable shoes, women will always wear impractical clothes in the name of fashion; they will always choose the option that looks better- not necessarily the one that feels better, but the one that makes them feel better about themselves.

Women will always choose Coat A. 

 

Written by Shannon Sauder