Every year, we swear we’ll be done with gift shopping and have everything wrapped by Thanksgiving (LOL). Well, here we are, just two weeks from the holidays, with a full list to get through. But we’ve discovered a quick fix: We’re buying everyone this top-rated down jacket. Oh, and the easy winter essential is just $80.
Meet Uniqlo’s Ultra Light Down Parka. It comes in both women’s and men’s sizes and gets glowing reviews with an almost unanimous five-star rating across the board. Those reviews make admissions like, “Bought this jacket with the intention of using it for traveling and backpacking, but quickly found myself wearing it daily,” and, “This is the fourth parka I have bought. They are brilliant, lovely and warm, not at all bulky, and fantastic for travel as they roll up into a small bag.”
You’re probably wondering why someone would obsess over a simple down coat. Well, when it comes to a New York winter (or any winter) and you’re staring down the wind tunnel that is Tenth Avenue, any additional layer is a godsend (trust). This coat just so happens to be so body skimming that it’s nearly undetectable under even the most streamlined wool coat, so no one has to feel as if they’re tackling the commute like Randy in A Christmas Story. Then there’s the fact that it comes in a handful of colors, ranging from princess pink to sunny marigold yellow, plus the requisite black, light gray and dark gray.
And (our favorite part) it can easily be stuffed into a tiny carrying pouch, making it an ideal item to pack for that upcoming trip your cousin has to Japan, Copenhagen or any other destination where she’s not quite sure how cold it will feel. One PureWoweditor wears hers nearly year-round, saying, “I bought this coat while out and about one day, and I basically haven’t taken it off since. It’s lightweight enough for early fall and spring, but it layers really nicely under any type of winter coat, from a puffer to a pea coat. It just adds that necessary extra warmth for those really cold days. I’m never not wearing it.” Another editor bought one for both her brother and sister last year, and each have dubbed it their favorite, most useful gift of the year, thanks to the fact that it never awkwardly (or uncomfortably) bunches up.
