The coat is warm and light, but at 20-below you better be wearing a couple of layers of clothing plus a fleece. The wind goes right through the coat and Chicago is ALWAYS windy. Too bad the shell is not windproof.
I now own two 3/4 length coats and one full length (for those super cold days or evenings out where I want more leg coverage). When I bought my first one, I was thrilled to find something so warm and comfortable, which is why I call this coat "my fur". I'm 5'7" and I wear a small. I hadn't owned a down coat in a long time, so I called LL Bean for washing advice. The coat did take a while to dry and fluff up, but this is par for the course. My one negative comment is when I need to wear the hood on super cold days, the fur liner limits my peripheral vision (even when I turn it back a bit). Since I'm a city dweller and I walk a great deal, peripheral vision is important. Nonetheless, the coat is fantastic.
I thought the jacket was really nice, but even the XS was way too large. I'm 5'5'' and 125 and the jacket hung off me even with layers on. I didn't try the petite because the arms would have been too short. Otherwise, it looked like a great jacket (and really warm) and I would have loved to keep it if it fit better.
