Clothing Definitions — definitions of garments and clothing terms from Apparel Search
A ski jacket is a garment that covers the arms and torso. Its main function is to keep a person warm while participating in winter sports, especially Nordic, or cross-country, skiing and Alpine, or downhill, skiing. It is generally a unisex garment and can also be part of a ski suit. Ski jackets are made from wind- and water-resistant or waterproof fabric, and have non-removable liners made of nylon, silk, cotton or taffeta. A similar hooded garment may be called a parka, an anorak, a down jacket or a winter shell, depending on its construction.
A ski jacket is a garment that covers the arms and torso. Its main function is to keep a person warm while participating in winter sports, especially Nordic (cross-country) or Alpine (down-hill) skiing. It is generally a unisex garment and can also be part of a ski suit. Ski jackets are made from wind- and water-resistant or water-proof fabric, and have non-removable liners made of nylon, silk, cotton or taffeta. From the introduction of the style in the middle to late 1950s through the early 1980s, the dominant style was for a ski jacket to resemble a safari jacket in having a similar belt and shirt-like collar.
A similar garment, especially one with a hood, may be called a parka, anorak, down jacket or winter shell.
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Every feature of a ski jacket answers a condition of the sport. The wearer alternates between hard exertion on the slopes and complete stillness on a chairlift in wind, so the jacket must insulate without overheating, which is why liners and ventilation matter as much as thickness. Snow is a constant contact, at every fall and from spray, so the shell sheds water rather than absorbing it, and cuffs, hem and collar seal against snow forcing its way inside. Pockets are placed to be reached with gloves on, and closures work with cold hands. Cross-country skiing, with its steady exertion, favours lighter and more breathable jackets than downhill skiing, where the lift ride rewards maximum insulation.
A ski jacket's performance lives in its shell finish and its insulation, and care protects both. Wash according to the maker's instructions, since detergents and heat can damage water-resistant coatings, and dry thoroughly before storage so the liner and insulation do not mildew. Store the jacket hung or loosely folded rather than compressed, because insulation that stays crushed loses its loft and its warmth. Checked over at the start of the season, zips, cuffs, seams and coating, a good ski jacket serves for many winters, which is why experienced skiers treat it as equipment rather than as a seasonal coat.
Within the wider coat family, the ski jacket sits among specialised outerwear: the trench coat against rain, the overcoat for formal warmth, the poncho as a simple weather cape, and the parka and anorak it overlaps with. Its place in that family is the jacket engineered for one environment, cold, wind, snow and movement combined, and its design history, from the belted safari-style jackets of the 1950s to modern technical shells, follows the growth of skiing itself from a specialist pursuit to a mass winter sport.
The outer fabric is wind- and water-resistant or waterproof, to shed snow and block mountain wind. Inside is a built-in, non-removable liner of nylon, silk, cotton or taffeta, with insulation between the liner and the shell. The combination is what separates a ski jacket from an ordinary winter coat: it is built for active use in snow rather than for warmth alone.
From the style's introduction in the middle to late 1950s through the early 1980s, the dominant ski jacket resembled a safari jacket, with a similar belt at the waist and a shirt-like collar. Later designs moved to stand collars, storm flaps, fitted cuffs that seal over gloves, and hoods, following the clothing of competitive skiing.
They are close relatives in the winter coat family, but the names mark different constructions. A parka is a longer, heavily insulated hooded coat. An anorak is a pullover hooded jacket without a full front opening. A ski jacket is cut for skiing, usually hip length with a full front closure, sealed cuffs and a built-in liner, and may be worn as part of a matching ski suit.