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EDITOR'S PICKS Asmar Down Coat I've been told more than once that I'm a jack of all trades (the "and a master of none" was usually implied), but if there's one thing of which I really am a true connoisseur, it's outerwear. My coat collection goes far beyond what even the winters of Chicago, where I live, require. But I'll be taking a big haul to the local Goodwill soon, because otherwise they're probably going to go to waste this winter. The only thing I want to put on these days is my new puffer from Asmar. The Down Coat is one of the crowning jewels of the brand's newly released lifestyle line, a follow-up to its intelligently designed (and incredibly popular) All-Weather Rider jacket collection. Judging the Down Coat against Asmar's previous jackets is a bit like comparing apples and oranges, since it's not designed to be worn in the saddle, but, instead, for the barn and the street. And frankly, when I picked this coat, I was fairly sure they couldn't possibly improve on that already terrific design. I was wrong. The Down Coat still has all the bells, whistles and tiny intuitive surprises you've come to expect from this brand. That means things like a removable hood with two different cleverly concealed elastic drawstrings (no more struggling to keep your too-big hood up while running out to the barn on a windy, sleety winter's eve) and stretchy inner cuffs with thumbholes to keep your hands warm and the elements (plus hay and horse hair) out. Its oversized, delightfully puffy collar, which is lined with soft microfleece, reaches up to your ears when the coat is completely zipped, rendering scarves totally superfluous. The zippered pockets are also fleece-lined, and there's an inner zipped compartment with a headphone cord exit for your smartphone or iPod. 16 W INTER 2013 U N TAC K E D But beyond being highly functional, the coat is also fashion-forward. "We wanted to marry the equestrian and fashion worlds, using design details like extreme high collars and unexpected textures with stitch and quilting lines, while still keeping the core function of the garment," explained designer Mena Lucas. That means this isn't just any plain old black puffer coat. While a lesser designer working with this semi-sheen black fabric might have turned out a coat that more closely resembles a trashbag full of pillow stuffing, Asmar's stitch pattern helps create a slimming, sleek, European-inspired outline. Its diamond quilting transitions from small squares across the shoulders and upper arms to larger ones the further southward you go. Like many down puffers with waterrepellent shells, this one is unfortunately dry-clean only. And at $388, the Asmar Down Coat isn't cheap. But when compared to similarly designed brands like Moncler or Bogner, it's a serious steal. It comes only in black, but if you'd like some more color in your life (say, a scarlet or cream) or just want a more affordable layering option, Asmar's matching Down Vest may be just the ticket. Asmar's Down Coat seems to run a bit larger than its All-Weather Rider collection (I was concerned the medium might be a bit tight with my winter layers underneath, but it's still quite roomy on my size-10 frame), so consider ordering down if you're on the fence between sizes. Check it out at AsmarEquestrian.com. —Editor Kat Netzler

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