Welcome to Let’s Get a Room, a series where editor Eliza Huber heads to the dressing room to try on pieces from your favorite retailers, buzzy items, and new collections. Think of this column as a detailed guide to the pieces that are actually worth buying and the ones that, unfortunately, looked better online—no returns necessary.
Despite growing up in Chicago, a city most known for its controversial pizza and tragically cold winters, I’ve never been one to dress for the weather. For example, my senior year of high school was the third coldest in the city’s history, with an average temperature of 18.8°. Yet I refused to wear anything more than a peacoat because, unlike all the actually warm coats, it was cute. And sadly, in the almost 10 years since, I haven’t exactly learned to dress smarter, not chicer.
It wasn’t until I heard about and subsequently saw photos from Reformation’s collaboration with Canada Goose that I started to think my lifelong distaste for practical outerwear could actually ease up. Full of cropped puffers, vests, and parkas—all of which are reversible (with one side being patterned with flowers, stripes, and more and the other being a solid color)—the collection is surprisingly stylish for its level of cold protection. I’d know. I test-drove most of its contents in real life.
Ahead of the opening of the collab’s pop-up at the St. Regis Hotel in Aspen, Colorado, I stopped in the retail space while on a trip with Canada Goose and wear-tested nine pieces from the brand-new collection. My take? Let’s just say that never again can I claim that practicality and aesthetic appeal are mutually exclusive. Scroll down to read all of my thoughts on the Canada Goose x Reformation outerwear I tried on.
Without a doubt, the puffer headscarves were the star of the entire Canada Goose x Reformation collection. In total, they were made in four colorways, each one featuring one solid-colored side and one patterned side. Personally, I loved the look of styling a solid-colored or more simple-patterned coat, like this chevron-printed Mila Puffer, with the bold side of the scarf.
This collection, with its mismatching yet somehow coordinated vests and coats, is practically begging to be layered, so of course, I had to throw a solid-colored vest on top of a super-patterned coat. For someone who usually goes for plain black or white, this color and pattern explosion is somewhat out of my comfort zone. Though, I’m more than up to the sartorial challenge.
Given that it was snowing like crazy in Aspen during my trip, I had to see how many coats from the collection I could layer on to keep warm. The answer? One cropped puffer and one long one, with the addition of a cloudlike hood. The longer Mystique Parka is next-level—warm, heavy but not too heavy, and dangerously chic.
Of all the pieces I tried on, this was one of the two I ended up picking to take home to NYC with me. I’m a big vest person, especially for running in the winter, so I knew all along that I wanted to snag one. What led me to choose this one, in particular, was its wearability, as the other side is all black. Don’t fret, though. I’ll dabble in this daisy-printed side on occasion as well.
I used to hate on yellow clothes so hard when I was younger, but lately, with options like this on the market, my stance has slowly but surely been softening toward them. Especially for that après-ski look, primary colors like red, yellow, and blue feel very classic and cool.
Though I chose to get this pattern in the coat version as opposed to the vest, it was a tough call because the vest is very laid-back and cool with an almost ’70s-like look to it. It reminds me a bit of something Michael Kelso (played by Ashton Kutcher) would wear on That ’70s Show, but in a fashionable way.
Even the coldest day is no match for this longline parka.
Classic.
The all-pink inside is a perfect match for the Barbiecore trend.
How cute is this headscarf?
Staying warm has never looked this good—period.
I can’t decide which side is better.
Flower power.
I had to style mine with the matching headscarf.
For the subtle-pattern lover.
Meghan Markle convinced me to buy this dress, and I have zero regrets.
I need to get my hands on a pair of these stat.
This top is downright stunning.
Excuse my drooling.
Your packed party schedule this season calls for one dress and one dress only. (Hint: It’s this one.)
When in doubt, opt for the off-the-shoulder choice.
I definitely don’t need more pants, but these cords will be extremely hard to resist.
Not your average cashmere sweater.
For the LBD record books.
The perfect amount of slouch.
It’s giving ’90s Jen Aniston in all the best ways.
I dream about this dress.
The perfect maxi slip dress to add to your collection.
Everyone’s wearing long denim skirts right now. You should be too.
I don’t think I’ve ever gotten more compliments than when I wore this dress for the first time.
