Have you looked at Nordstrom online? I love them because they have free shipping and free returns. They have a great selection of longer down coats, many now on sale, most in Petite, too. I like the "packable" ones because they seem to have a much softer, less stiff shell which is very comfy. Are you in the US?

One example

This is one I bought for a recent trip. Cold enough to wear today and it felt good and COMFORTABLE. I have shoulder problems, and have a hard time getting arms into the sleeves, but this one worked great. Only thing I don't like is the hood, as it was bundlesome, and when I got home, being as it is removable, I took it off.. Think I'll like the jacket much better. I bought mine at Kohl's, but you can find sites on line.

I'm a plus size, but you can find them in regular sizes.

free country soft shell jackets

Check Woman Within, Romans, Free County, North Face, and Burlington coat factory.

I too have developed many skin tags around my neck that can be painful. I have my surgeon or dermatologist remove them quickly and easily with no pain, some grow back eventually, they get removed when they are bothersome. Much easier than living with them and safer too.

As to the one you posted from eBay I would say no it looks very restrictive also many times their products run smaller. I had a fantastic full length down coat when I lived in Denver, I bought it at one of the Western wear stores so try some of those too. Like Cavenders, Sheplers where I got mine, Cabelas.

Also check LL Bean and Blair . I would be leery about buying a coat on Ebay from China.

Being as my free country jacket is new, having only worn it couple times, but today it being cold and windy, it was just right.

When traveling recently I packed it in the suitcase and it packed well without taking up a lot of room.

Another place to check is CJ Banks.

Another to suggest LL Bean or Lands End. How about Columbia, they have a real nice line of coats.

I too suffered from skin tags all over my neck, hurt when I wore a sweater. Compound w worked for me. I did it about 2 years ago and still don't have them growing back. It doesn't hurt and when they are ready to fall off, they will do just that. I applied daily, if you have sensitive skin perhaps every other day. It took me about 5 days.

That Ebay coat looks somewhat fitted to me, not roomy. I wouldn't buy a coat from overseas without the possibility of trying it on either...

I just browsed through racks and racks of coats in about 4 departments at Nordstrom today. My own winter coast is a few years old, not quite showing its age yet and I'm thinking I can get at least another year from it, so was just casually thumbing through racks for bargains...but there were many, many coats on sale. So many I couldn't focus, didn't buy ;)

Thank you so very much for all your tips, including about Compound-W! I'd probly love this IF black: http://www.sierratradingpost.com/jones-new-york-long-down-coat-belted-for-women~p~9739r/?filterString=s~down-coat%2F&colorFamily=01

The armholes in the below look sorta small. If it were cheaper I might consider hacking off the under-ribbing at neck just as I did to the under-cuffs on my Jones. http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/jessica-simpson-knit-trimdown-feather-fill-coat/4138372?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=CHARCOAL&resultback=3262

I assume alot of your names above are "brands" vs. stores/online-stores - hmm? See, I hardly get out anymore due to my issues which also include corneal erosion which treatment is pending, as well as blocked lid glands. Alot is caused by computer radiation. (The skin-tags too btw!

I researched Compound-W just now. The Ehow instructions looked complicated and I have so many of them. A poster somewhere said they'd have to bathe in the Compound due to so many. I could relate to that poster. What's most terrifying is to get them on eyelids which my geriatric dad now has, aside from having AMD blindness.

P.S. A big concern re: Chinese stuff is chemicals on clothing & electronics. Even frozen fish became horrible. The US is going downhill at light speed. Also most stuff caters to the young, skinny & healthy. Thus over-complicated necks such as 2-tiered-neck-layers. Or impractical heavy-handbags.

Jally, rather than having to purchase your wardrobe around those very irritating skin tags, why don't you have your doctor zap them off? My sister-in-law really suffered from a major crop of them and after considerable nagging from her family had them ALL removed in one session. In a week or so, you couldn't even tell she'd ever had them.

The link provided by socks has some good possibilities! The main example would be too long for you, but the others on the same page look perfect.

Socks thanks for the Amazon tip. Rhizo,I know, re: dermo's but I'm busy now attending corneal erosion plus other major eye issues. Also have many more health issues, such as neuropathy in foot. Its endless. I need to prioritize "costs" which I'd rather not discuss now. As for a downhill US paining Socks, that holds no candle to - for example - if downhill-Bush hadn't suppressed stemcells, then it would be simply a matter of salicylic followed by, hypothetically, stemcell-gel. Another example might be to apply Maskin probe to stiffened lid-glands to remove debris, then injecting stem cells. Anything without stemcells (or perhaps futuristic light therapy??) risks runaway inflammation. So yes, its downhill. (egoGreed-vs-need). I even created a catchy song on a similar theme & wish there were someone to render it instrumentally.

Uh well.... [huff-puff gear-shift] ....back to the subject:

I maybe might love the below if it were 44" instead of 39", since I wanted fuller protection from elements. BTW, rhizo, you're right, the Amazon coat is too long. (I even need to buy little boys socks size 8-9!

http://www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com/burlingtoncoatfactory/Women/Down-Puffer-Coat-Plus-110017627.aspx?h=58413

These past hours i've gone thru WomanWithin, Roamans, Free Country, NorthFace, Burlington.

I was about to start on LL.Bean & LandsEnd & Amazon & Ebay, but by now I need desperately to rest my zapped eyes etc.

Thanks again!

Try "Burlington Coat Factory".

I have been thinking about your situation today and came up with the following suggestions. First, you are looking for a shawl collar coat. Knowing the terminology helps a lot. Second, while you classify yourself as an XL-petite, the petite part of it is going to make the arms and hips area narrower. Try looking for a "shawl collar car coat" that is not in the petite size. A car coat will be shorter than a full length coat. but longer on you.

Do not ever buy from an Chinese Ebay clothing store or one of the ones you see on the side when you are on facebook. Your stuff will be too small, guaranteed. Everybody I know, including myself, that has ordered from China online has gotten clothes that fit too small. And too short. It is not worth the hassle. Plus the quality was really bad- lots of long threads and other items indicating a lack of finishing/quality control.

Here is a great price on a black down coat: http://www.landsend.com/pp/StylePage-457999_AG.html?CM_MERCH=REC--FPPP--GGT--4--457999-_-457988

$99, Petite XL, long, black

Collar does not look like it would be too tight, especially if you leave the top snap or two open.

jesshs thanks for all the tips, though actually the Lands End also looks choking for me. I can just picture the plastic zipper digging into my skin. Most zippers do, for that matter, such as in jackets I've had. I'm sick of both zippers & snaps. Bring back the old buttons.

Now as far as Chinese, yep, I deduced that by now. Interestingly, the same exact Chinese coat which I linked above from Ebay) is also on Amazon under the name Ilishop. The name Ilishop is all over Amazon, among many other Chinese-styles which are ubiquitous at that site. . Unbelievably, I'd seen a site stating that the Chinese 5XL is the same size as U.S. XL. After going thru more than 30 web pages of Amazon coats, I came to realize that they probably sell more Chinese-type coats than US-brand coats.

After sweating thru a zillion sites today (on my very slow computer) I didn't even see V-collars - at least not on anything that made sense! So consider it extinct, even if you call it a shawl collar.

Unbelievably, my options were chiseled down to approx. four puffer/or/downcoats, and even those are "iffy". Two of them are Apt.9 "plus" coats in 1X, one of which is probly too long, and not even sure about the other, since the length was omitted.

What length do you think this is: http://media.kohlsimg.com/is/image/kohls/2149300?wid=500&hei=500&op_sharpen=1

Another is the shortish Burlington coat I linked above that's less than 40"

And then there's a St.Johns Bay coat at JC Penney that isn't the prettiest style, and would reach until my ankles. I don't think its easy to hem a Puffer coat.

There's a gorgeous Ellen-Tracy (maxi) down coat on Amazon, but it looks very long, and its over $150.

http://images.prod.meredith.com/product/1d27f7261466324f06ab215c5b5ebff0/db7deb10938e8d63dddff59a69b2ff9f65e280fef94796e2bef96617786c3897/m/ellen-tracy-outerwear-womens-long-chevron-maxi-down-coat

Actually petite should not make anything narrower. Petite refers to height, sleeve length and where waistlines sit. You can be a plus size and still be a petite.

I'm a little chunky and short. I wear a size 10 to some 12s in jeans so I am not huge. I am not large breasted nor broad shouldered. That said I cannot find jackets to fit anywhere for the last few years. Manufacturers are cutting coats and jackets as if they were supposed to be closely fitted button down shirts for women. I have jackets that are older that are all smalls and mediums that fit me. I have jackets from the boys (kids) dept. that are roomy in size extra large (kids). I can even layer them over sweaters and sweatshirts. But today's jackets are cut so ridiculously tapered and tight I can't even close them comfortably over a t shirt or just barely. I've even tried up to extra large and they are all the same regardless of name brand.

I challenge women who are no longer built like a teen to go try on winter wear in the average department store. I look around and I even see young, slender women running around with their coats unbuttoned. Why? Because they couldn't even if they wanted to. It's insane.

watchmelol - I agree!! I have an XL Calvin Klein down coat that is about 10 yrs old & fits me perfectly. I looked at a few new coats this past fall & would have needed to go up to a 3XL to get the same fit as my 10 yo coat. What is up with that!!!???

Does anyone know whether this:

Apt. 9 from Kohls

..has overly-snug armholes? watchmelol & lisaw- shake hands! How are odd-size gals like me supposed to remain sane in this insane world? Why do they act as if 99% of people have slender upper arms? even on plus-size coats? Just take a look at some of my pics. Don't some of them look as if only slender upper-arms can get into the armholes??

Here's a site with really unique roomy coats: https://www.stylewe.com/category/outerwear-223?gclid=COmNo9ufmMoCFYkjgQodKiUO6Q

I think that apt9 from kohl's is a very roomy looking coat and the arm holes look roomy. The length looks pretty good too. I like that one.

It's as if Kohl's is the only choice left. Unbelievable! I bet alot of odd size people committed suicide from the near-impossibility of living in an insane current world in which manufacturers cater mostly to tall/skinny healthypeople. And that goes for shoes and socks too.

After reading these posts I decided the Free Country jacket/coat may work for me. I had bought a new coat from Penney's last fall since my 13-year-old doubled fleece hoody; and my 15-year-old -40 rated parka could use some help between the two extremes.

I went to Kohl's to check out the Free Country coats. The selection was picked over, but I then realized I was wearing my new coat - and it was a Free Country, size 2X. The one I got at Penney's back in October.

Did I feel silly or what?

I am 5'1" and very plump. This coat is a normal length 2X; so it comes below mid-thigh on me - and I love the length. It has a full, wide hood (not removable) that can easily cover a hat or cap along with my XL brain box! :) The coat is reversible, water resistant on one side, and fuzzy fleece on the other. There are two roomy pockets on each side plus a zippered chest pocket on the slick side.

This description is from Penney's web site, and the coat is now $20 less than what I paid for mine.

You don't have to snap it all the way up. There soft fleece inside and you can leave the neck opening as small or large as you wish.

... Reversible jacket from Free Country, featuring a water-resistant exterior and butter-soft pile fleece interior.

*
midweight reversible design

• water resistant
• hooded
• sleeve pocket
• vertical zippered chest pocket
• 2 lower pockets (flap pockets with side slit hand warmer pockets)polyester
• washable
• imported

Mine is grey; they did not have a black that would fit me.

I've been wearing a swing (car?) coat for years and can't give it up. It's nice and roomy and easy-on-and-off, and now I see it's a size M. What?? I wear an xl. How I wish I could find a similar coat.

This is the free country I have from Kohl's. I did take the hood off cause I didn't like it.

sjerin, LLBean has a coat similar to the style you are looking for. Have had mine for years, classic look, nice fabric. May have to wait till mid summer when they get new stock for cold weather. Choices are usually limited this time of year. Worth looking at site for ideas.

Thanks, Marco. Will do!