6 Easy Ways to Add “Extra” to the Black, Women’s Puffer Coat

by Jodie Filogomo

I know the black, women’s puffer coat is basic in many women’s wardrobes. In fact, you’d be surprised at how many of them I even see here in Phoenix.

Since I realize that a puffer coat is functional for those living in the colder areas, I would ideally love to see more colorful ones instead of the recurring black theme. However, I am a realistic woman, so why not take what you have and make it “extra?”

If you’re in the market for a truly warm winter coat, then I hope that you might explore the colorful puffer coats to add that bit of brightness to the darker days.

However, if you already have the basic black, women’s puffer coat, then why not use my tricks to make it a little less basic, and more like your personality. You know…fun, exciting and interesting!!

6 easy ways to add extra to the black women s puffer coat

Tricks to Styling the Black, Women’s Puffer Coat

1-Add a Colorful Scarf

2-Tie on a large, silk scarf

3-Self belt

4-Belt and beret

5-Wear a vest over it

6- Check out another great idea

Now let me address the elephant in the room by saying who cares if your puffer coat makes you look fluffier?? Just as I discussed with my teddy bear coat here, the idea that we should be a certain size is silly. My worth is NOT dependent on my size!!

Therefore, I hope you don’t buy a black one only because you think black is slimming. (Besides, that’s an urban myth). Buy the color that makes your heart go pitter-patter.

An Easy Extra-Add a Colorful Scarf

I think the easiest way to add some personality to the black, women’s puffer coat is to add a scarf. Of course, we all think about a knitted scarf for the wintertime, and yes this is a great option.

But don’t think you have to match the scarf to the coat. If you add a black scarf to the black coat, you won’t even notice it. And we are trying to add “extra” to this basic item, not try to camouflage it. So bring on the color.

So grab one of those bright-colored knit scarves and don’t worry if it seems big and bulky. You have a whole expanse of blackness to try to cover it up!!

Silk Scarf for a Black, Women’s Puffer Coat

Now a winter knit scarf isn’t the only option to add some extra fun to the black, women’s puffer coat. Why not grab one of those larger scarves you own and wear it as decoration over the coat.

The advantage of this idea over the normal winter scarf is that you get coverage in the front AND the back.

My mom has done this in the past and even buttoned it into the coat. Since this puffer coat is a zipper, I just tied the silk scarf in the front. But you can try to get creative and see if it can tie around the zipper pull or something.

Insider tip: This scarf is a large square scarf that I folded in half diagonally. You could use a large, rectangle square or even a smaller square scarf and not fold it.

Self Belt

I thought it’d be fun to create a large bow in the front of the black, women’s puffer coat. So I grabbed one of my self belts. Do you know what a self-belt is?

It’s one of those belts that comes on many dresses or other clothing items that match the material of the item.

Insider tip: I always suggest storing your self belts with your other belts. This enables you to wear them with many other outfits PLUS then you might wear a different belt with the original clothing item.

While you might choose a self-belt that isn’t so big and obvious, I thought this ended up looking quite cute. It’s helpful that I’ve learned how to make a bow that is perfectly horizontal as opposed to being wonky. I shared how to do this in a short YouTube video here.

Belt and Beret

Another idea for a belt is one of your leather belts. Since this one wasn’t as fun as the polka dot one, I also grabbed a colorful beret. Don’t forget that hats can add a lot of extra to a look.

Insider tip: Do you struggle with belts on items that don’t have belt loops? It does make it challenging when you take the outerwear off and need to store it.

You can always add your own belt loops to a coat. For a black puffer coat like this, using black shoelaces would be an easy option.

BTW, I find some of the best belts at the secondhand store as they tend to be expensive otherwise.

Wear a Vest Over a Jacket

I always love the idea of layering a vest over a jacket. The first time I saw a woman do this, it was an “aha” moment for me. Because we tend to think that our jacket is the outermost layer. Yet that doesn’t have to be true.

Since this black, women’s puffer coat is mid-thigh length, I layered a longer long faux fur vest over it. But don’t be afraid to try even a shorter vest. It might look better than you think.

Other vests over jackets:

Short vest over short jacket

Long vest over a jacket

Sweater vest over a denim jacket

Insider tip: This would also work wonderfully with a cape or poncho. Just throw it over your puffer coat and voila, instant “extra”.