Fodor's Travel Talk Forums

Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (https://www.fodors.com/community/)
-   United States (https://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/)
-   -   NYC: Coat Question (https://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/nyc-coat-question-757618/)

LosAngeles90004 Dec 20th, 2008 03:06 PM

NYC: Coat Question
 
I am planning a trip to NYC in mid-March with my husband and child and have a coat question. I live in Los Angeles where real coats are hardly ever worn so I am not good at judging what I will need for different temperatures and weather conditions. The average in NYC in March is a high of 48, a low of 32 with 4 inches of rain.

I am worried that if I take a rain coat I will freeze and if I take a wool coat I will get soaked and if I take both I will not have room for anything else. I will be buying a new coat for this so if someone knows of something just right, please suggest it. I am early 30s and like to be as stylish as possible.

Suggestions??

gb944 Dec 20th, 2008 03:25 PM

Buy a black raincoat with a zipout lining and you will fit right in.

If it gets too cold, you can always wear an sweater underneath.

janisj Dec 20th, 2008 03:39 PM

Absolutely - a nice looking raincoat or trench w/ a zip or button out liner. Be sure the liner also includes the sleeves. Some are more like vests and your arem can freeze. But a good zip out liner will be as warm as most winter coats. And it really is a 3-season coat you can even use in California.

NewbE Dec 20th, 2008 03:53 PM

I have a quilted down knee length coat that has a water-resistant finish. It isn't truly waterproof, but it's plenty good enough for a rainy day in the city, and I find it to be warmer than a wool-lined raincoat. Garnet Hill has something similar right now; mine is Anne Klein and I bought it at some dept. store several years ago.

nytraveler Dec 20th, 2008 04:15 PM

I would stick with the lines raincoat idea - since it seems like something you would get more use out of long-term. (Why spend hundreds on a good wool coat for just one vacation?)

But - make sure you have several layers to put underneath - since it can be damp and windy as well as chilly.

Also be sure you have well-broken in waterproofed walking shoes and a sturdy folding umbrella. (A couple of months ago we saw an entire family coming out of Grand Central attired in long shorts tees, hoodies and enormous black plastic bags (no jackets or umbrellas). Two young girls were wearing flip flops and their feet/legs were already coated with black muck splashed up from the street.)

LSky Dec 20th, 2008 05:17 PM

I'm from California and I took a raincoat with a zipped in liner for our trip last March. It was warm and comfortable.
We also waterproofed our shoes and wore SmartWool socks. Easy to pack and warm.

You have to wonder about people who muck about in the cold wearing flip flops. What, they don't read a paper?

Monday we had a massive rainstorm and it was cold (by San Diego standards) this woman is wearing shorts and flip flops complaining about the weather. Where was beamed in from?

J62 Dec 20th, 2008 05:29 PM

Weather in March can vary greatly, so the averages don't really mean a lot.

If you are lucky you'll get some days with highs in the 60s and sunny. If you are not you could have freezing temps & snow.

If you are there long enough - more than just 1-2 days you could even get both extremes.


Anonymous Dec 20th, 2008 06:03 PM

Bring layers and you'll be fine. The layers don't even have to officially zIp together.

Wool coats are obsolete. Modern high-tech fabrics are so superior! With modern fibers, fillers, insulators, fleece, waterproof breathable stuff like GoreTex, there's no reason to dress like your great-grandma. I hung onto a black wool coat for funerals, but got rid of it a couple of years ago.

djkbooks Dec 20th, 2008 08:28 PM

I would never visit NYC in winter without my waterproof down coat. I strongly doubt you'd find a raincoat with zip lining sufficient. The lining doesn't add much warmth, only useless weight.

Sign up for e-mails at Lands End. They offer a huge array of warm and waterproof outerwear and there should be significant sales right after Christmas, along with daily specials and free shipping offers.

If you want to be comfortable out and about, the appropriate outerwear is essential, and warmth that is wind/rainproof is far preferable to "stylish"

If you're not used to winter temps/weather, those temps are even worse to endure when it's windy and/or not sunny.


janisj Dec 20th, 2008 10:35 PM

&quot;<i> I strongly doubt you'd find a raincoat with zip lining sufficient. The lining doesn't add much warmth, only useless weight.</i>&quot;

I really disagree w/ that. I've worn raincoats w/ either a wool blend or quilted liner to places like St Petersburg in Feb ((Russia - not FL :) ) and London and Paris in the dead of winter. In St Petersburg it never got above -22º F while I was there. As long as the sleeves are also lined it is very warm. I do always take silk long underwear for very wintry conditions and plan layers.

a down coat is great, but it would be totally useless for the OP in SoCal. A raincoat w/o the liner could be used in LA during the winter.

nytraveler Dec 21st, 2008 05:39 AM

LSky -

There are certain groups of travelers who just assume that the weather where they're going will be the same as the weather where they live. It never evens occurs to them to check it out.

A couple of years ago there were some people from FL going to Venice and there was controversy as they felt if shorts were OK in churches in FL they should be OK in cathedrals in europe. The kicker was when they revealed they were going to Venice in JANUARY - when it's typically rainy and in the 40's. It never occurred to them the weather would be any differnt from FL.

Just amazing how self-centered some people are!

GoTravel Dec 21st, 2008 06:08 AM

&quot;&quot;I am early 30s and like to be as stylish as possible.&quot;&quot;

Down quilted coat screams unstylish.

I agree with the trench coat idea with a liner.

LSky Dec 21st, 2008 06:58 AM

The raincoat with liner will be warm enough. If in doubt bring along some silk underwear.

nytraveler, ya just gotta love people, eh? LOL.


(I have a well loved long wool coat that I got on sale a few years ago. I love it and will probably continue to wear it every chance I get even if it's out of style. It's soft and incredibly comfortable.)

persimmondeb Dec 21st, 2008 07:20 AM

And don't forget hat, acarf, and gloves. You will almost certainly want them at some point on your trip. I will repeat the assertion that the averages don't mean much. It can, and probably will, do almost ANYTHING in NYC in March. There is probably an eighty or eighty-five degree spread between the record high and the record low. A down &quot;bubble&quot; jacket would probably be my choice as a good compromise, but I don't know how much use you'll get out of it in the future.

nytraveler Dec 21st, 2008 09:57 AM

A classic good quality long wool coat will never go out of style. (Unlike the long puffs coats, which IMHO look just ridiculous. Those are supposed to be jackets of r outdoor activities - not city wear.)

BUT - for someone coming from CA it doesn;t pay to spend $400-$500 for a decent wool coat just for one vacation.

mclaurie Dec 21st, 2008 10:36 AM

Actually, down and quilted coats/jackets are what all the young 20-30 somethings wear for warmth. There are plenty of less puffy options that are quilted with some warmth but not so bulky. While I agree the raincoat with zip out liner may be more practical, not sure how easy it will be to find, how affordable or how stylish. They tend to be made by manufacturers like London Fog and look matronly to me. I don't think Burberry makes them any more for women.

I've looked on the Lord &amp; Taylor, Saks, Nordstrom and Macys websites and saw very few options with zip out liners and the ones I found don't nec. look very warm.

http://www1.macys.com/catalog/produc...tegoryID=12109

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2992043?...=searchresults

I wouldn't worry so much about getting soaked in wool as you'll need an umbrella in heavy rain anyway. Where do you plan on buying this coat in LA?

yk Dec 21st, 2008 10:55 AM

I agree with mclaurie. I like the quilted down jacket - very lightweight (compared to raincoat w/zipped liner), waterproof, and extremely warm. I just bought a black one with a faux fur collar recently, with princess cut, from Eddie Bauer. I'm in my mid-30s and I think it's way more stylish than a raincoat.

sandi Dec 21st, 2008 01:09 PM

From the day after Christmas and thru January, winter coats are on sale. Whether you decide on a lined waterproof rain or wool coat, you should be able to get a good deal. These can be full-length or 3/4 (car coats).

My 20+/yr old zip-out lining Burberry, my regular cashmere and/or wool coats/jackets have held up well over the years just for such weather.

In NYC in March, it's been known to snow (as much as 15&quot;), though when it snows it's rarely very very cold... maybe 30-degrees. Otherwise, temps generally hover in the 30-40s, but can also reach into the 50s-60s.

You should have some coverup and if not any of the above, something roomy enough to layer sweaters or blazer-type jackets underneath. Along with scarf and gloves; a hat if you wear. Pack an umbrella and absolutely comfy shoes for daytime wear.

And, if all else fail... you're in NY, go shopping!

Cries_Van_Notebook Dec 21st, 2008 01:56 PM

Nobody cares what you wear in Manhattan. You can wear a Glad trashbag and nobody will even look at you.

Wear what makes you comfortable and something you will wear in the future. I never understand why people get so worked up over their wardrobe when travelling.

Thin

Cries_Van_Notebook Dec 21st, 2008 02:16 PM

http://tinyurl.com/9j8xhb

I think you would look good in this.

Thin


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 01:27 AM.