Puffer coats and high heels—hear me out. It’s not completely groundbreaking, nor is it extremely Instagrammable, especially compared to red-hot novelty trends like a pint-size purse. But the two pieces together make a surprisingly stellar visual. I’ve always associated the puffer with casual clothes, a marshmallow silhouette that would call for a heavy-soled sneaker or snow boot. As for heels, they require maybe a long tailored wool coat or a leather trench. The two opposites never matched up for me. They felt confused and even cumbersome. All that puff! All that height!
It wasn’t until I noticed the signature It girls of Instagram stepping out in the look that my mind changed. First, Bella Hadid wore the puffer-and-heel getup in January in Paris. She sported micro sunglasses, a Fendi Zucca logo shirt, a Michelin Man orange puffer coat, and square-toe black leather boots with a healthy heel. More recently, Kendall Jenner wore a similar outfit, choosing a heather green and caramel puffer coat with faded boot-cut jeans and square-toe snakeskin boots. Clunk, clunk, chic!
It’s not so wild that puffers and heels have made their way onto the streets, as the unwieldy coat has experienced a revival of sorts. Take Ienki Ienki, a label from Ukraine, whose funky, exaggerated silhouette is now sold at retailers like Barneys New York. Other puffers of late have come with playful graphic prints, courtesy of Danish label Saks Potts. They have even become works of art thanks to Moncler’s Genius project, as reimagined by Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli. (Ezra Miller made waves with his recent red carpet look.) So why not dress these puffers up with a pair of heels and quite literally elevate the outerwear? I myself am sold. This winter, find me warm in a North Face and teetering in heeled boots.
