How Long Do You Expect a Winter Coat To Last?

debsey

Tue, Nov 22 2016, 2:46 pm

I bought my daughter a really expensive coat from Gap last year (Gap Women's). It was a cozy puffer coat. I was thinking that she could wear it for two years in a row. This year, it's already flat as a pancake and not warm. I don't see any holes where the feathers leaked out, but they must have.

Is it unreasonable to expect a woman's coat to last more than one season? I complained to Gap but got nowhere.

Chayalle

Tue, Nov 22 2016, 2:49 pm

Do they have any sort of warranty on their stuff? I got a new handbag from Michael Kors last year, and the handle is wearing out...they want me to send it back to them (a pain) but they will replace it for me, since they have a one-year warranty.

It seems to me they should have some sort of warranty, but it might be something like six months.

Yeah, they don't make clothes to last anymore....

ETA - totally with you that I expect coats to last more than a season. I was so glad that that is one expense I don't have to deal with this year - last year the girls got Abercrombie jackets and they are lasting perfectly for this year too.

My peeve is that my 8-year-old DD's jacket fits, but it was a light color and the stains don't wash out....I'm waiting for a bit of a sale to get her a new one, totally for me, she could care less......

Last edited by Chayalle on Tue, Nov 22 2016, 3:00 pm; edited 1 time in total

FranticFrummie

Tue, Nov 22 2016, 3:22 pm

I expect a good coat to last 5 to 10 years. I've had coats longer than that, that still look brand new. I will pay a lot of money for only two things. A good coat, and shoes that don't hurt my feet. I only buy classic styles, so that they never look like "last year's sales rack."

Believe it or not, the highest quality coats I've ever found were on Ebay, at Barry's Good Buys. They're out of Canada, and shipping is not cheap, but they only deal in the very best of high end coats. Their buyers are super picky, and if there is even a tiny pinhole, they will give you closeup photographs in the listing and description. I've bought from them several times, and always been more than happy.

Chayalle

Tue, Nov 22 2016, 3:28 pm

I just went to Gap's return page, and I'm totally surprised that they won't return your item. Their return policy does not say anything about a time limit for defective items. In fact, it says return anytime. "GIVE-IT-A-WORKOUT GUARANTEE. Work it out. If it doesn't perform, return it."

debsey

Tue, Nov 22 2016, 3:34 pm

Chayalle wrote:

They said since I bought it on clearance, I can't get any sort of refund. Even on clearance, it was 200.00!It was a really nice coat - very shiny black puffer that came to hip length on her, with a kind of funky belt that looked really cute. It's still really cute, but it's more of a spring jacket now in terms of warmth.

debsey

Tue, Nov 22 2016, 3:40 pm

saw50st8 wrote:

I buy coats from Lands End or LL Bean because they stand behind their product. I expect good winter coats to last a few seasons (so far I've passed all my coats down through 3 boys!)

I passionately adore LandsEnd and their policy of standing by their stuff! My big boys are all past their LandsEnd days (over bar mitzvah means we're wearing suits, white shirts, and yeshiva-bochur coats) but all their stuff has been passed down to the younger set and still is in perfect condition. I have pants and flannel shirts that made it through 4 boys and are waiting for #5.

However, with teenage girls, they tend to prefer a less athletic look than what Lands End has to offer in their "puffer" style coats. My daughter pointed out a girl wearing a coat that she "loves" and she wanted a similar one. I googled it. It's a Moncler coat. On sale at Nordstrom, it's 1,180.00. Of course, my daughter nearly fainted when she saw the price and immediately said she no longer wants it. Thankfully, the Nordstrom page gave us "similar" options, and we found a coat for 120.00 that's also a shiny, tailored puffer in a nice color. Hopefully, this coat will last longer than 5 minutes.

debsey

Tue, Nov 22 2016, 3:41 pm

FranticFrummie wrote:

Thanks. I'm going to check this vendor out. I badly need a coat.

Chayalle

Tue, Nov 22 2016, 3:47 pm

debsey wrote:

They do say that they won't return Final Sale items.....well, good to know that they won't return it even if it's defective. Guess I won't be purchasing any clearance items from gap if it costs more than $5.

SixOfWands

Tue, Nov 22 2016, 3:47 pm

debsey wrote:

(1) Have you tried washing it, then drying it with tennis balls? It might re-fluff the down.

(2) Go for the big guns. Complain on their Facebook page. Some companies will respond more readily there than elsewhere.

MamaBear

Tue, Nov 22 2016, 3:47 pm

I've had good luck with Eddie Bauer and some of their down coats are more fashionable. Good quality, warm....and all 40% off right now. Plus they have actual stores so you can try them on in person, or order online and return for free

http://www.eddiebauer.com/prod.....r=236

http://www.eddiebauer.com/prod.....r=365

debsey

Tue, Nov 22 2016, 3:48 pm

Chayalle wrote:

You know, I think I'll send them an email to that effect. Probably won't accomplish anything, but you never know.

amother

cornflower

Tue, Nov 22 2016, 4:24 pm

saw50st8 wrote:

I buy coats from Lands End or LL Bean because they stand behind their product. I expect good winter coats to last a few seasons (so far I've passed all my coats down through 3 boys!)

I also buy coats from lands end and I have beautiful spring jackets from LL bean . I was always able to pass down these coats from one child to another. Last yeAr my teen's zipper broke off I called lands end and they said to return for a full refund . They have done the same when my sons coat tore. My problem is that I love my own lands end coat that I have for 2 years now but I got some kind of stains on it and they don't come out. I went and bought the updated version of the same coat this year, it just didn't fit the same so I had to return it. I'm still wearing my stained coat!

sky

Tue, Nov 22 2016, 4:30 pm

My son just retired his Lands end coat he has been wearing for 2 1/2 years. (I bought it too big). I get such great deals on outerwear there and the just last and last.

I just bought my boys GAP coats, they were way more expensive then I expected - but I needed very warm coats now for a trip, couldn't wait for shipping from Lands End. I hope they last minimum 2 years.

My SIL just told me her son's puffer coat she bought for him last year from GAP had to be tossed. it was flat and tore in 2 places. She was really upset because she really passes down all outerwear. She said she never had it happen before.

debsey

Tue, Nov 22 2016, 4:36 pm

bwaybabe85 wrote:

I've had a North Face coat for 5-ish years now and is still in perfect condition.

That's the only justification I've heard for the crazy expensive Moncler coats. Supposedly they last forever. However, I doubt that very shiny long puffer look is going to be so in style ten years down the line! I'm not gambling that kind of money on teenage tastes.

You're an adult, so it's different. Presumably, you already know your tastes.

greenfire

Tue, Nov 22 2016, 8:30 pm

SixOfWands wrote:

my thoughts as well ... wash & dry with tennis balls

see if you can speak to the manager of all managers for better resolution ... [never knew gap sold $200 coats]