When I first saw this jacket in my Instagram feed I knew I needed it in my life. You know when you see a piece of clothing and just know that it’s meant to be? Anyway, I asked how it stacked up against the rain (because finding a weatherproof plus size jacket has proven really hard) and the 17 Sundays team described it as Melbourne proof. Knowing that Auckland and Melbourne are pretty similar climates, I figured it would be perfect for my needs so when they asked if I wanted to road test the Cartel Hooded Jacket in New Zealand for them, I jumped at the chance.
So over the last couple of months I’ve worn this jacket in all kinds of weather. Winter in Auckland is generally a bit cold but very wet. It’s windy, it rains, and that seems to make the cold seep in to your bones. I’ve also spent a bit of time back home in Gisborne where it was chilly and windy with the occasional big storm. Needless to say, I feel like I’ve given it a pretty good test!
17 Sundays said that the Cartel Hooded Jacket was a coated denim and “weatherproof for moderate conditions”. I’ve worn it out walking when it’s drizzling. I’ve worn it while gardening in intermittent rain (it was one of those times when we had to get shit done before the garden bin was emptied, definitely not my ideal gardening situation). I’ve worn it during massive storms walking between the carpark and the airport terminal, between the terminal and the plane, between the car and the house (so, short periods of time with heavy weather) when I felt like I was going to be blown away by the wind and the sideways rain. And in all that time I haven’t ever gotten wet through the jacket. The clothes I’ve worn underneath have stayed dry as a bone. I’m not sure what the standards you’re required to meet before you can call something waterproof, but for someone who is most likely to wear this jacket walking between buildings or between the car and a building (so, short distance), it suits me fine and is better than all of the other jackets I’ve worn that claim to be water resistant or shower proof. I mean, if you’re looking for a jacket that can stand up to driving sleet or a few hours standing in the rain at the kids sports games in the weekend when it’s absolutely chucking it down then I might not be the best person to advise you because I do neither of those things, but for the majority of us who just need a jacket to keep us dry when going from A to B or when we’re nipping out to walk the dog around the block when it’s drizzling, this is great.
As I’ve mentioned, the exterior of the jacket is a coated denim. The interior is lined with a soft stretchy jersey, making it really comfortable to wear and the zips and domes are in a rose gold that looks really lovely with the black. The jacket zips up the front then has a wee flap that goes over the zip and has dome closures – as you can see in the photo below the zip is a shorter length (the base is at the bottom of my tshirt) which makes it a nicer fit for those of us with big hips (oh hey!). There is also a hood which I really appreciate as so many jackets don’t have them, and pockets which are always a win for me.
The fit of the jacket is quite generous (yes, even in the arms if you have big arms like me!), so there is plenty of room for winter layers underneath (I can comfortably fit my merino, a top and a jumper under mine). I don’t do the dome at the bottom up though, because my hips are a fair bit bigger than the size chart. I’m wearing a size 26, which is the usual size I wear with 17 Sundays.
So, the road testing has been done – I’m a massive fan and stoked that 17 Sundays has made a plus size jacket that stands up to Auckland’s weather. It’s a classic that, like so many of the other pieces I have from 17 Sundays, will be in my wardrobe for many seasons and won’t go out of style. If you want to grab one I’d recommend getting in quick because I know this has already sold out once and word has it that they won’t be doing another run until next winter (and I know some sizes are already gone).
As always, hit me up in the comments if you’ve got any questions about fit or anything like that (including stockists in other countries).
Meagan wears:
Kate Madison Femme Tee from The Warehouse (26)
17 Sundays Cartel Hooded Jacket from Zebrano (26, gifted)
17 Sundays Warpaint Joggers from Zebrano (26)
Keds Driftkick Mesh from Hannahs (8)
Photos by Doug Peters / Ambient Light
