Not all down coats are good, just like not all wool is good first off. Similarly there are good synthetics and shitty ones. While most people will agree that layers are great, there is a limit to this! When I first moved to Canada I was so cold my first winter in spite of wearing like five layers plus a couple scarves and a toque with a headband under it. I needed a better jacket. I can still layer under my parka when it is super deluxe coat, but I advocate for getting a coat that will at least see you through whatever your average winter is. And keep in mind that some people run hotter or colder than others. I get cold very easily and will pretty much always have to wear a winter coat while others are still hanging out in their fall jackets.

What works well for me might not work for you - but here goes: I have a big Land's End Stadium Squall parka as my winter coat. If it is not that cold yet, well I just don't wear a sweater under it. This strategy was especially nice back when I worked in an office because then I took off my giant parka and didn't have to take off a bunch more layers. Friends who drive often like this approach too. I don't and I am always cold, so I have wool sweaters and wool baselayers and I wear wool shirts all year long (they are really nice in the summer actually, I just use thinner ones then!). And I have a down jacket that I can layer under my coat or just wear as a fall jacket. I do also have a rain jacket that is just a shell too, I don't like down for wet weather, so if it is raining I prefer the shell and a sweater but the down is nicer for snow.

I still have that rain jacket...but now that I am a farmer instead of an office drone I have actually just given up on the breathable thing for daily use. I save that nice one just to hike in, but the rest of the time I have one that is meant as sturdy workwear. Never wets out, doesn't snag on anything, has an amazing hood, and I don't have to worry about breaking it if I am chasing a pig through a blackberry bramble.

Side note: even good down will sometimes migrate, especially when it is new. If you see a feather starting to poke out - do not pull it the rest of the way out! Try to gently manipulate the fabric and pull it back inside. Aside from saving the precious fluff, every time you pull a feather through, you are making a larger hole for more to follow it.