reeeeally warm coat?

lyrium

I am a frail 17 year old girl with no body fat who lives in northern Illinois. It's getting colder.
What I was wondering is: what materials make for the warmest winter coats? For example, are down jackets warmer than ones with really thick faux-fur lining? The problem is that they obviously all feel really warm in the heated store, but I want the one that will keep me the warmest when I go outside into the freezing cold. The style of the coat isn't really an issue; I just want to be warm. Any suggestions?

Uncle Long

The North Face makes some knee length female coats out of, I believe, Gortex, which I believe are very warm as well as very stylish. Something like this

But, really, down is going to be great, especially if waterproof. Alpaca is said to be really good as well.

I'd say you want to look for something that's a little longer and is going to cover a good deal of your legs as, personally, I've noticed that my midsection is perfectly warm in whatever coat I'm wearing but when my legs are cold I'm cold through and through no matter how warm my midsection is.

Also consider getting some nice insulated boots and gloves and hats as the extremities tend to be the first to get cold. Oh, and have a hood on your jacket. Those are great for blocking the wind.

Cycophant

Down jackets are almost always the warmest, at least when it comes to high-quality coats that are designed to keep you warm. Problem is, a lot of places you can buy coats that would be considered fashionable are designed just for that - fashion. Warmth is usually a secondary objective, if one at all. Stick with stores and coat brands where staying warm is the primary concern.

Probably your best bet for staying warm though, isn't just the coat. Focus on dressing in layers, and more importantly covering up your neck and head, and you'll be much warmer. Think of it like a house - you can throw 10 feet of insulation around a house's walls, but if you still have drafty windows and doors, the heat's never going to stay in.

Of course if you're looking for probably the warmest coats money can buy (probably way too much for Illinois), start here. Bar none, the warmest coats I've ever worn.

lyrium

Thanks a lot! It looks like down is a safe way to go then. The hood sounds like a good idea, too. Now I'll have a better idea of what to get. Thanks again!

Pheezer

I survive in a much colder climate with my wool p-coat. A good, heavy wool coat, a wool scarf, a wool toque and a decent pair of mittens are all anyone really needs. I mean seriously, I live in Winnipeg, MB. We hit -40 every year. Last year we had a week where it nearly hit -50 without even counting wind chill. The only part of me that was cold was my face.

Heavy wool is life.

Reiten

Layers are very important. Air gets trapped in between the layers, which keeps you warm. Wear a hat and scarf also since you lose most of your heat through your neck and head.