The best puffer jackets for women to keep you cosy and stylish this winter

The best puffer jackets for women are warm, weatherproof and stylish too - making them the ideal buy if you're on the lookout for a new coat. 

Identifiable by its "puffed-out" shape and plush filling, the puffer jacket first hit the fashion radar in the 1930s as a practical item designed for outdoor activities like fishing and hiking. For 2024 however, the puffer jacket is so much more, offering not just practicality (although many brands still put this at the forefront of their designs) but fashion sensibilities too, making it one of the best winter coats for the months ahead. 

One of the big coat trends of last season, we expect puffer jackets to remain a key silhouette throughout 2024, making it an excellent investment, and woman&home deputy fashion editor, Charlie Bell agrees, ""The puffer jacket continues to dominate our winter wardrobes and I can't see them going away any time soon. Equally fashionable and functional, trends may come and go but the practicality of the puffer will never disappear. No longer reserved as your go-to dog walking coat, puffers now come in a plethora of designs from statement duvet styles to refined quilted and belted silhouettes, proving there is one for every occasion."

9 best puffer jackets for women to shop now

A real winter warmer, the puffer jacket will keep you snug as a bug as temperatures plummet. Often filled with feather down or newly developed synthetic down, the padded style provided insulation, trapping heat and keeping your body temperature regulated. While original styles of the best puffer jackets for women were often seen as bulky, as the look has evolved, alongside the fabric technology for lighter layers, there are plenty of more streamlined and tailored options that offer the look without overwhelming your frame, helping you to make some winning puffer jacket outfits for multiple occasions. Here's our edit of the best jackets to buy right now.

Which puffer jacket brand is best?

With so many great puffer jackets for women available, choosing the right one for you can be difficult. The best puffer jacket brand for you will vary depending on your needs. To start with you need to consider your dress size. Unfortunately, not all brands cater to all shapes, so first focus on the brands that do the range of sizing that you need. Brands like The North Face also have a plus size range. 

Next, you need to think about the level of warmth you require. If you're looking for the best puffer jackets for long walks, you'll want to look for down-filling and focus more on active lifestyle brands such as Columbia or Patagonia that have particular expertise for extreme weather wear. For those looking for a coat for a daily commute, straight-to-market and designer brands, such as Uniqlo or Superdry have great all-weather ready ranges that are both stylish for every day, as well as being packed with practical features. 

And finally, you'll want to consider longevity. We're all trying to make a more conscious effort to buy less and buy better, so take time to think about whether you want a trending bright print, or prefer a neutral colour that will date less easily. Black, brown and navy always offer long-term wear as this palette never goes out of style. 

Should you size up or down in puffer jackets?

Many puffer jackets list themselves as 'oversized' and it is here where the debate on sizing up or down in a puffer jacket really takes hold. As a general rule, when buying any winter coat, you should stick to your usual size, as coat silhouettes are cut with the idea you'll be wearing other items underneath them, often allowing for extra rooms for tops and sweaters. 

If you buy a puffer coat a size too big, the air will not be sufficiently trapped and will likely circulate through cuffs or hems that are too wide, which will effect how warm your coat will feel. However, some air circulation is needed as the down filling or padded fabric works by air trapped pockets that help to warm the body. If your coat is too small, there won't be enough pockets to trap, so essentially opting for your regular size is the best option. 

Is a puffer jacket warmer than a wool coat?

Puffer jackets, filled with down are often light and warm, making them a strategic choice when compared to the best wool coats. While wool, a natural fibre traps in heat and often offers some of the most polished of designs, perfect for evenings or the office, a puffer jacket delivers at least the same or better heat, and often weighs less. Trapping the air, to keep your body temperature warm, even though feather stuffed down can weight a little more than synthetic down, a puffer jacket remains the lighter and warmer option. This is also in part because the style of a puffer jacket is usually slightly sportier than that of a wool coat and will often also feature a higher neckline and/or a hood, giving greater protection from the elements. 

Charlie Bell

As deputy fashion editor at Future plc, Charlie works across multiple women’s magazines including Woman & Home, Woman and Woman's Own, ensuring she has her finger on the pulse. Beginning her career in the magazine industry in 2009, Charlie has written for titles including Stylist, Closer and Dare. With a weakness for a printed midi dress, Charlie is on a mission to shop more sustainably and loves finding new ethical brands and second-hand buys.