• Home
  • ABOUT
    • About the Authors
    • Top Posts for Working Moms
    • CONTACT
  • ADVERTISE
    • Product Reviews
  • Shop
    • Maternity Basics for Work
      • Maternity Stores
    • Registry
    • Sales
    • Recent Recs
      • Everyone
      • Machine-Washable Work Clothes
      • Maternity
      • Nursing
      • Pump-friendly
    • Kids’ Shopping
  • Lifestyle
    • Pregnant
    • Postpartum
    • Money
    • Parenting
    • Gear
    • Household
  • Career
    • Childcare
    • Family Planning
    • Work-Life Balance
    • Maternity Leave
    • Working Mom
  • New Working Mom? Start Here
  • Corporette

CorporetteMoms

13 Comments · by Kat

The Hunt: Washable Winter Coats

Machine-Washable Work Clothes· Recent Recs· The Hunt | machine washable roundup· posts· winter

collage of 5 women wearing trendy washable winter coats in 2022

This post was last updated in October 2022.

Is your winter coat washable? Have you otherwise changed your coat preferences after kids? We’ve talked about how to buy a great winter coat on Corporette, but we haven’t discussed how that changes once you’ve had kids. Reader L wrote in, wondering where to find washable winter coats:

I love the Washable Wednesday feature! These days, machine washable is the number one feature I look for in clothing. Could you do a round up of professional, machine washable winter coats (i.e., warm enough to wear in the Northeast)?

Interesting question, Reader L — we’ll round up some of our favorite, classic washable winter coats, share a story about why washable winter coats can be handy, and look at a few other good resources for finding washable winter coats.

Pictured at top: moss / purple / dark gray (also) / moss / hot pink

This post contains affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

(Hunting for more machine washable clothing? We feature some trendy washable workwear every Wednesday, have listed the best brands for washable workwear, and occasionally do roundups of just washable basics for work outfits!)

Classic Washable Winter Coats We Love

Collage of 5 coats: 1) gray Bernardo fitted puffer 2) purple plus-size Eddie Bauer 3) gray North Face 4) black Lands End, 5) green Patagonia 3-in-1

Pictured above: favorite washable winter coats as of 2022! Note that any faux fur hoods should be removed before washing. gray* / purple* / gray* / black* / green (* = available in plus sizes) (also, of course, the viral Amazon coat)

Trendy Washable Winter Coats We Love

Some of the newer styles worth noting are below – also, I think it’s new that NorthFace makes plus sizes.

collage of 5 women wearing trendy washable winter coats in 2022

moss / purple / dark gray (also) / moss / hot pink

Admin Note: This post was originally written on 2014 but completely revised and updated on Oct. 2022 — we’re keeping the older comments on the post but are open to your thoughts on it! (There are SEO benefits to keeping the same URL and not publishing duplicate content.)

Why Moms May Want Washable Winter Coats

Innnnteresting. Here’s a fun story about me: After my first was born, as mentioned, I was way bigger than I’d been at any point in my life before — joy. I tried to muster up some groove and figured, “I can have an AMAZING winter coat, no matter what size I am — I want to love it every time I walk out the door. It’ll make sense even though I work from home, and I’ll still be able to be fashionable and feel beautiful.”

So I spent some money on a nice Cinzia Rocca wool/cashmere coat in a lovely dark green color. It looked nice with jeans; it looked nice with dresses. I could have fun with colors and wear my purple Loro Piana scarf with it, or I could go darker and wear black with it. It was perfect.

Fast forward to a few weeks after getting the coat, and it was my turn to pick my son up from daycare. I arrived, happily wearing my coat, and went about the usual routine of collecting his stuff. As per usual, I gave him a healthy snack to help his mood before dinner. The healthy snack was one of those yogurt mashes… and it did not help his mood. At some point on the 15-minute walk home, it turned into a Major Toddler Meltdown, and the yogurt, somehow, was everywhere — covering him, his little face, his coat, his stroller.

It was pretty cold outside so I focused on getting him home, gritting my teeth the whole way. When we got to the vestibule of our building, he leapt out of the stroller and turned to me, arms outstretched, still shuddering/sighing/sobbing.

Without thinking about it, I scooped him up into one of those mama hugs — the ones where you’re part sorry for him that he was in such a miserable Meltdown place, and part so, so relieved that it seemed to have finally run its course. And THEN I remembered: I was still wearing my new beloved wool coat — and he was still totally covered in yogurt.

Sigh. SO, I can see why washable coats might be a thing mamas would want. So let’s round ’em up. Before we get to them, though, I do have a few other ideas:

  • Rethink when you wear your winter coat around your kids. If you live in a car culture, do you really need to wear it walking from the parking lot to the building? Would something lighter (like an insulated vest, machine-washable puffy jacket, or even a washable wrap or ruana) work for that walk?
  • Patterns hide stains better than solids, particularly dark patterns — and they can be a chic way to inject some fashion and personality into an otherwise boring outfit. Add a swipe of red lipstick and it can be full-on glamorous.
  • Remember that a lot of wool coat instructions say “dry clean,” not “dry clean only“ — that traditionally has meant that you can, in theory, wash it. I’m not sure I’d throw it with abandon into the washing machine, but after a bit of spot-testing in an inconspicuous space, spot-cleaning the coat may be the way to go.
  • Buy an inexpensive coat. I really hate to recommend/encourage disposable fashion — it’s bad for so many reasons! — but I will say that you can often find very, very inexpensive coats — so that if a yogurt meltdown happens, they can be your backup while your other coat is at the cleaners. Thrift stores are also amazing for this purpose.

{related: interview coats: the best coats to wear over a suit in winter}

OK, on to the machine washable options… Readers, do you have washable winter coats? Do you have any tricks to avoiding yogurt-covered meltdowns?

Where to Look for Great Machine Washable Coats

The Mom Stores

a Black woman wearing a purple puffy coat and gray pants

The first, obvious option: Go to the Mom Stores. Lands’ End, Eddie Bauer, L.L.Bean… I’ve gotten way more familiar with these than I ever thought I would. They, predictably, have some insulated puffy coats that are machine washable and super warm — but to my eyes look decidedly like Mom Coats.

Some standout machine washable coats from the Mom Stores:

  • Eddie Bauer’s Sun Valley coat (pictured above in purple) comes in regular, petite, tall, and plus sizes, has 2,800+ excellent reviews, and is $299–$329 full price. Love that outside zipper.
  • Lands’ End’s 600 Down Winter Long Coat has almost 2,000 great reviews at the Lands’ End site. It’s available in a zillion colors (fine, 12) in regular, petite, and tall sizes, as well as plus sizes and petite plus sizes (hard to find!). It’s $215–$235 new.
A Black woman with natural hair wearing a dark blue winter coat

L.L.Bean’s long list of search filters for their coats’ various features — hooded, adjustable waist, insulated, packable, waterproof, etc. — sadly doesn’t include “machine washable.” And “washable winter coat” brings up zero search results… Fortunately, the majority of their winter coats are washable, with some exceptions, such as lambswool coats.

Their “Women’s Winter Warmer Coat” is a bestseller and very highly rated, with 1,500 five-star reviews. It’s not the most stylish coat you’ll ever see (although it does have princess seams to add some shape), but it will definitely keep you warm. It’s water-resistant and has a fleece-lined upper body and hood, along with added insulation in the sleeves.

This coat, which is $139, is available in regular, petite, and plus sizes up to 3X and comes in five colors — black, grays, and blues. It’s temperature-rated for light activity to 15° and for moderate activity to -35°

The Active Stores

A white woman with blond hair wearing a gray winter coat and jeans

The next place to look is the “active” stores — after all, no one’s going hiking in a cashmere statement coat unless they’re a character in a Hallmark movie.

Some standout machine washable coats from the active stores:

  • North Face’s Arctic Parka (pictured above in gray) — This has 3,600+ great reviews at Zappos, and is available in XS–3X — The North Face website has the most color and size options.
  • Patagonia’s 3 in 1 — This has been a reader favorite for years because it’s got a detachable nanopuff interior coat as well as the outside waterproof coat, so you can wear them separately or together. The coat comes in six colors at the moment in sizes XS–XXL for $599; you can find it at Patagonia or sporting good stores like Dick’s or REI. (The brand’s more affordable Nano Puff Parka is only $279 and also a big favorite!)
  • (Note that Amazon does not sell Patagonia — but searching on Amazon for the more $600 Patagonia coat pulls up a ton of more affordable dupes from similar companies and previous seasons.)
A woman with black hair and medium-toned skin wearing a purple winter coat and blue ski pants

REI sells coats from Columbia, Marmot, The North Face, and other familiar names, but REI Co-op is their own brand, and it gets excellent customer reviews. If you aren’t a Puffy-Coat Person but you want a Serious Winter Coat that’s machine washable, here’s a great choice, REI’s Powderbound Insulated Jacket. As you can tell from the name, it’s designed for winter sports like skiing and snowboarding, we won’t tell anyone if you’ve never touched a snowboard in your life and simply live somewhere with brutally cold winters. But if you love winter sports — bonus!

This coat is waterproof and windproof has a ton of features, including an adjustable hood, a lined collar to prevent chafing (nice!), a media port, and lots of pockets.

Besides typical winter-coat colors like black, gray, etc., this style is available in this pretty “toadstool,” which on my screen looks like a pale lavender. Sizes are XS–XL, and the price is $199.

Reliable Other Option: Insulated Raincoats

A white woman wearing a black winter coat and jeans

Depending on how cold your winter is, this may or may or not be an option, but: Gallery, London Fog, and other brands offer a number of washable coats that have detachable liners that are pretty warm, in my experience. Shoveling the snow in 20-below weather? Well, no — more like “run/walk to the car.” But that may be all you need. (Amazon also has a bunch under $60!) 

At the very least, these coats bypass the “puffy coat” look and all look conservative and traditional with a skirt suit.

Another noteworthy option here: this reader favorite raincoat from Eddie Bauer (pictured) comes in an insulated option! I found it slightly puffier than I preferred, but it’s always an option. And it comes in regular, petite, plus, and tall sizes, which can be really hard to find.

A Few Other Approaches to Washable Winter Coats

A white blonde woman wearing a blue puffy coat and white shirt and gray pants

There are a few “department store” brands that I’d consider regulars for machine washable coats — namely Cole Haan, Bernardo, and some of Tahari’s offerings. I’d look to affordable stores like Macy’s if you want something like that. The coat pictured above is a long-standing reader favorite from Cole Haan — look for it at Nordstrom Rack, Nordstrom, Amazon, Macy’s and others.

Another good option: Uniqlo’s coats are always affordable and often machine washable (especially their ultra-light down coats)– their offerings vary pretty widely from season to season (or even week to week), though, so if you like something act fast.

Washable Winter Coats for Pregnant Women

A white blonde woman wearing a black puffy maternity coat with gray jeans

As I’ve suggested before, not every pregnant mama needs a maternity winter coat — it depends heavily on your due date, how you’re carrying, etc. (For my son born in May, for example, I think I just wore my winter coat open when my belly was too big in March/April.)

BUT: I always think these are neat options to keep in mind: There are a lot of maternity winter coats like this that have a zippered panel to adjust to a pregnant belly as well as baby-wearing. (And then the zippered panel zips out if you just need a coat). The pictured one is from Modern Eternity, and a lot of that brand’s offerings are machine washable, including this one; also check brand Lole.

{related: what to wear to work when it’s cold outside}

Otherwise Great Winter Coats

They aren’t necessarily washable, but do check out some of our all-time favorite winter coats in regular and plus sizes!

Some of our favorite classic coats for work as of Oct. 2022 include: olive / blue / green / caramel / black / gray (not pictured but also) – and don’t forget to check out our editors’ latest favorite trendy winter coats for work!

Six women (faces and feet cropped out) wearing various colored coats

Hunting for great winter coats for kids? These three retailers temperature-rate their kids’ coats so there’s no guessing: LL Bean, Lands’ End, and Boden.

Hunting for great plus-size winter coats? These are some of our latest favorites:

Five plus-size women (faces and feet cropped out) wearing various plus-size gray and black winter coats

Some of our favorite plus-size coats of Oct. 2022 include these brands: one / two / three / four / five (not pictured but also!)

Like this feature? Check out other recent installments here and at Corporette!

FacebookTweetPinLinkedInPrintEmail
« Washable Workwear Wednesday: Faux Leather Puff-Sleeve Peplum Top
Make My Life Easier Thursday: Mulberry Silk Pillowcase »

Comments

  1. Lizochka says

    10/08/2014 at 2:06 pm

    Sooo, what happened? Did the yogurt come out of the coat or was it stained forever?

    Reply
    • Kat G says

      10/08/2014 at 3:10 pm

      It was out of commission for a few days for dry cleaning, but it was fine — thank goodness his snack hadn’t involved something greasy like olive oil or melted cheese!

      Reply
  2. ELL says

    10/08/2014 at 3:04 pm

    Anyone know anything about the Uniqlo ultra light down? Is it warm? I find it hard to believe it could be warm at that price. (I need something for my ten minute walks in negative twenty degrees; last year I used a knee length LE puffer which was great.) I really like it and only need it to last a winter or maybe two.
    Also, what is Uniqlo’s fit like? I’m 5’10” and slim.

    Reply
    • anon in brooklyn says

      12/09/2021 at 2:29 pm

      The ultra light down isn’t warm. I use it in spring/fall or as an insulating layer under a shell. The seamless down is the one you want. Uniqlo is true to size for coats.

      Reply
    • Anonymous says

      12/09/2021 at 5:02 pm

      I have a Uniqlo ultra warm coat that I find adequately warm for NYC winter. I haven’t tried the ultra light.

      Reply
      • Anonymous says

        10/27/2022 at 9:24 am

        Another vote for the ultra warm models. Mine is 8 years old but it is my primary winter coat in NYC.

        I would not try washing a nice wool coat if you care about it. My husband used to like to sew coats, and there are a lot of layers of interfacing (can involve actual horsehair!) under the wool that really may not be washable. The lining fabric may also not be colorfast, and if the color bleeds on the wool (which tends to be very easy to dye), that could be a disaster.

        Reply
  3. Lynn says

    10/08/2014 at 3:28 pm

    Great advice! My LL Bean Commuter Trench Coat has been through a few winters, and I still love it! The lining is really warm, and the shell zips off and can be machine washed. I’ve gotten all kinds of stains out of it with zero problems. You can wear it without the lining in warmer weather, too. I think it was like $100, so very reasonably priced to boot.

    Reply
  4. sfg says

    10/08/2014 at 5:24 pm

    I have the North Face jacket – it runs small, but I find it plenty warm for relatively mild winter temps (high 40s-50s). I like it more because it doesn’t have a huge, obvious logo like so many other North Face items.

    Reply
  5. Meg Murry says

    10/09/2014 at 10:55 am

    Since I live in a car-centric place, I’ve gotten away with a lighter weight water resistant jacket that is sized up to fit a fleece under it if I really need the warmth. Basically, a DIY 3-in-one jacket that I can wear now through spring.

    Its pretty borderline mom coat though. I also need to look into a “coat I can wear in the Polar Vortex to shovel snow” new coat this year.

    Reply
  6. L says

    10/13/2014 at 11:39 am

    The comment was mine–thanks for the roundup! (And the comments are also great) I think I might try the Northface jacket, and maybe also the Uniqlo from the comments

    Reply
  7. Jean says

    11/24/2014 at 8:28 am

    I’m upset that LL Bean stopped making their full length washable wool coat. This coat is warm and goes down to the tops of the feet! I still have mine, but after years it’s getting ragged.

    Reply
  8. Boston Legal Eagle says

    12/09/2021 at 4:05 pm

    I have a Uniqlo puffer coat that goes to my thighs that has gotten me through several winters. Keeps me warm enough in New England and is machine washable.

    Reply
  9. Julian M. Nguyen says

    03/28/2023 at 3:17 am

    Great post! As someone who lives in a cold climate and has kids, finding a washable winter coat that is both warm and stylish is essential. It’s so helpful to have a list of classic and trendy options to choose from. I appreciate the caution about faux fur hoods and removing them before washing. And the personal story about the importance of washable coats for moms was so relatable. I’ll definitely keep this post in mind when shopping for my next winter coat. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
« Washable Workwear Wednesday: Faux Leather Puff-Sleeve Peplum Top
Make My Life Easier Thursday: Mulberry Silk Pillowcase »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

New to our Blog for Working Moms? Start Here!
Machine-Washable Workwear
Week in the Life of a Working Mom
Maternity Workwear
What to Put On Your Registry

Connect With Us!

Never miss an update — sign up for the CorporetteMoms newsletter!

Recent Threadjacks of Interest

  • I WFH and feel like a pseudo SAHM — how can I offload some of the parental things?
  • Here are 6 food-related life-with-children hacks…
  • I’m putting together my baby registry – what are your baby or toddler must-haves?
  • How often do you travel with your spouse without kids?
  • Does anyone have any tricks for how to deal with morning sickness? (I’m already on the meds.)

Check out more working mom questions!

RSS recent posts on corporette…

  • The Most Comfortable Work Heels
  • Money Challenge: Check for Inactive Retirement Accounts and Unclaimed Money
  • 12 of the Best TED Talks for Working Women
  • How to Get More Protein Into Your Diet
  • Tool of the Trade: Library Extension

ABOUT

  • About
  • Contact Kat

WORK WITH US

  • Advertise
  • Product Review Policy

Serious Stuff

  • Copyright 2014-2023 Katfry LLC.
  • CorporetteĀ® is a Registered mark in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2014–2023

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!