Winter in Iowa can be harsh, so finding the perfect coat is a necessity. Whether one is looking for something trendy or something to just get the job done, these students share how to stay warm this season while avoiding looking like Randy from “A Christmas Story.”

The Midwest native

Addison Angel, freshman in pre-business, is from Chicago, Illinois, so he said he knew what Iowa winter would be like. Angel is wearing a Tommy Hilfiger coat for Iowa State’s winter.

“I got [my coat] from Macy’s because there was a $200 sale,” Angel said. “Works like a charm. I don’t feel cold because of this thing.”

Angel said Macy’s has a similar sale on his Tommy Hilfiger coat every year.

Besides the deal Angel got on the coat, he said it also caught his eye because of the stylish fur on the hood.

Stylish and functional are two aspects people may take into consideration and can make or break a winter coat. 

The cold weather foreigner

There are plenty of students attending Iowa State who haven’t experienced snowfall before, let alone Iowa’s extreme cold winter weather. This is the case for Karli Fritz, freshman in genetics. 

Fritz is from Winter Park, Florida. While the name of her hometown sounds more like a colder season, its current temperatures say otherwise. 

“[The weather in Winter Park right now is] 80 degrees and sunny,” Fritz said. “Shorts and t-shirt weather.”

The town near Orlando gets around 35 degrees on the coldest days so Fritz said she was in for a treat when the first snowfall occurred on campus and temperatures began to drop below freezing. 

“It’s cold but when I dress correctly, it’s completely comfortable,” Fritz said.

Fritz said she advises others to choose a coat that is thick and long to keep warm throughout winter. Fritz said she searched for quality at a good price.

When choosing a coat, Fritz said she was debating between The North Face, Eddie Bauer and Patagonia. She finally settled on a winter coat from Eddie Bauer because it was on sale. 

The brands Fritz was deciding between are all known for providing quality outdoor gear that’s expensive, but worth it. Most products sold by these brands are built to last, making a one-time purchase an investment.

“It’s been really nice,” Fritz said. “I wear ski layers underneath but the jacket, with it being longer, really helps.”

The Chic Soul

As students walk around campus, they may notice the common trend of long black parkas. While this item of dress is designed to keep one warm and is a classic, it can also be fun to spice things up and stick out in the crowd with a nice dress coat.

Meredith Wood, freshman in event management, said she got her stylish dress coat from a boutique. Wood said she had decided to purchase her coat because of the cute pattern and to have as an addition to nicer outfits. 

While some coats might look stylish, they sometimes don’t do their job of keeping people warm. Wood said her coat keeps her very warm, sometimes even hot, due to the fleece fabric of the coat. 

“I usually wear it with dressier outfits that if you wore a bigger coat with or a puffy coat, it would kind of ruin the outfit,” Wood said. “I always wear it with plain things since it has a pattern on it.”

While the winter season can seem to last forever, finding the perfect winter coat helps. If it’s a stylish dress coat you’re looking for or a toasty warm parka, you’ll be ready to take on winter, however long Mother Nature decides it’ll be this year.