Fight the Cold by Looking Cool
Some of have lived in climates where really good parkas and jackets are an absolute life-saver… literally. The right parka can make spending an unexpected night in sub-zero weather and heavy wind survivable.
The function of a parka is to protect you from severe cold, even during high winds. Parkas often have down or synthetic fibers to guard against the cold. Most have hoods with drawstrings to keep your head and ears comfortable and safe from frostbite or freezing.
Form follows function.
The purpose of parkas and jackets is to keep you comfortable and safe. When it comes to freezing to death or not, how you look isn’t nearly as important as how you stay alive.
Many parkas have shells under which you can place fleece liners, which make the parka useful in a wide range of temperatures and wind conditions. You want a parka to fit snugly around your waist, but give you a freedom of movement to keep doing the activities you find necessary. You also want to know that snaps, zippers, hoods and drawstings can be operated even when your fingers are numb from cold.
You should never try and “go cheap” with parkas and jackets which might be needed in dangerous weather. In this case, you need high quality material and construction, and that seldom fits the cheap catagory. In this realm, you really do get what you pay for.