Inflate Your Fashion: Padded and Puffa Jackets for Autumn Winter 2013/14

After an unseasonable warm autumn, it would seem the chill has crept up on us with the speed of  winter’s gale-force winds. Gone are the light-weight jackets and outcome the big hitters - padded winter coats and insulating outwear is all we will see for the coming months.

One thing my discerning eye noticed is that the fashion-pack seemed to have decided if it isn’t  quilted, then it isn’t worth wearing. Whilst the Fair Isle jumper and 90s fisherman have been rather prevalent, the most desired item for this winter is the padded and quilted puffa jacket. 

The history of the padded puffa goes back quite a way, to a time when men needed an insulating outwear option during the harshest of months. This key ideal still remains at the heart of the jackets design and ethos, but with great thanks to the big fashion gurus, they come in an array of must-have-right-now styles and eye-wateringly good designs.

Moncler have brought out some stunning jackets this season and the bottle green, down insulated Hubert jacket is a firm favourite. Finished with ribbed collar and coyote fur trimmed hood, this jacket will keep you warm and looking your best in the depth of winter. The more achievable brands have also been putting out designs as impressive as big names. The 

Diesel wanton jacket in black available from Diffusion is an expertly crafted piece of outerwear from  a brand who specialise in keeping the urban-wearer stylish. This a great street-ready option that will keep you warm and looking sharp from am to pm in effortless style, and warmth.

Diesel Wanton Jacket 

Last on the list is the petrol green contemporary take on a classic by Fendi. The funnel neck cleverly 

conceals a zip away hood and the long sleeves with ribbed cuffs will be sure to keep you warm - regardless of dipping temperatures. 

So there you have it, three of the top padded puffa jackets to ensure you’re part of the fashion elite this winter. Just team them with worker boots and distressed denim for an off-duty look, but remember, the puffa can also add a sharp fashion edge to smart suits and more preppy styles too.

SWEAR by Music

This month will see the worlds of fashion and ‘music mash up’ like never before, with the release of a unique and exclusive capsule collection of shoes, from cult footwear boutique SWEAR as part of a new initiative. This limited edition collection designed by five of the music scenes most dynamic bands, will be available from farfetch.com and swear-london.com with the special selection on sale from 10th July. 

The designs each encapsulate the personality of each band whilst appealing to fashion fans. For ‘punk funk’ tribes, there are peeptoe platform boots with hints of colourful embroidery. The indie and folk crowds will be pleased to see a selection of slick boots with striped heels, bright show stopping linings and soft suede textures.The bands span across various genres of the music world with a mix of home grown and international talent chosen as part of the SWEAR line up.

S – Amsterdam based band, Skip and Die is headed up by the vivacious Cata Pirata who has already caught the attention of the fashion world with an Elle Style Award nomination earlier this year. The band will be playing their eclectic sound - a mix of hip hop, bhangra and electronic dance - over the course of the European Festival season including The Great Escape in Brighton.

W – After two years of touring including support slots with Coldplay, Florence + The Machine and The Killers, Wolf Gang are building up a loyal fan base. Led by Max McElligott, the band have produced an array of hard hitting Indi anthems with a hazy  summer sound, getting everyone in the mood for the festival packed months ahead.

E – One of the most exciting bands to come out of the British music scene in recent years, Everything Everything are a thrilling addition to the SWEAR initiative. Their debut album, ‘Man Alive’, released in 2011, went on to win the coveted South Bank Times Breakthrough Award while the bands song writing skills were recognised with nominations at the Ivor Novello’s and Mercury Music Prize in the same year.

A – The electro pop duo Avec Sans is made up of the beautiful Alice Fox and the mysterious Jack St James, who started their journey into the world of syth based beats in 2012. Hailing from London, the stylish pair have already started to infiltrate the fashion world, with Dolce and Gabbana’s Swide Magazine giving them the No. 1 position on their list of best new artists.

R – There aren’t many artists who can combine the hard hitting bass of dupstep with the melody of European classical music but Rudi Zygadlo isn’t most people. Rounding up this unique collection, Rudi’s influences span the great and the good of international music and genres.

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