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This article is part of our Fall Style Guide, a fortnight-long series aimed at helping you figure out how to dress for the coming season, which, as we’ve become accustomed to saying, is going to be not quite like any that came before it. At least you’ll look good, though, right?
With the start of fall, I am very excited to layer up. In fact, last week I started writing an ode to my favorite fall jacket, the Western Rise AirLoft jacket. I love it because of its unique, Barbour-like styling, with a low collar and brass snaps. It was stylish while still being casual enough to wear in the mountain towns that I frequent, like Taos and Aspen.
It turns out,Telluride-based Western Rise is revamping the jacket and the original, which I love, is no longer available. The redesigned jacket launched on Kickstarter today and I got a sneak peek. The new AirLoft is decidedly less urban-focused than the original, but that’s by design. It’s missing the quilted styling, trades snaps for a zipper and adds a hood. Appearance-wise, it’s much less sport coat and much more traditional puffy jacket. That said, it still looks versatile and sleek enough to wear in the city. It has a slim fit and the all-black color is devoid of any logos or marking.
The goal was to make a jacket that had real performance features for outdoor use but looked good enough to wear every day in the city. In classic Western Rise fashion, no detail was overlooked. The AirLoft forgoes legacy materials brands like Primaloft and Polartec and instead uses 3DeFX synthetic insulation that’s uniquely stretchy and a proprietary ultra-breathable face fabric, which is coated with DWR to repel rain and stains. Four zippered pockets (including an internal chest pocket and a hidden back pocket) keep valuables safe, while elastic cuffs and a cinched waist and hood add extra protection from the elements, without sacrificing style.
The new AirLoft couldn’t be more different than the original, but for me, it serves nearly the same purpose. It a jacket that matches nearly everything in my closet and I can throw on no matter the occasion. It doesn’t scream, “I’m going camping,” but unlike the original, it wouldn’t be out of place on a hike or as a mid-layer with my ski kit.
The AirLoft jacket is currently available for pre-order on Kickstarter for 30% off.
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