rei is expensive
canada goose is a fad right now
Look at Marmot, Outdoor Research and Mountain Hardwear, they all make great clothes and you will find them discounted.
Check out Backcountry.com everyone is selling their winter clothing at discount right now.
Nothing beats down for warmth but it is expensive and does not breathe.
I use synthetic down for hiking, it breathes so much better and keeps you warm, not as warm as down but it is made for aerobic winter use, it is very easy to overheat in down. But for just hanging out nothing beats real down.
Shop around and look at the REI discount rack, you can get good bargains there if they have your size and the color you want.
I have several winter jackets for different conditions, my heaviest is an Outdoor Research parka filled with Primaloft Gold synthetic down and it is so light and comfy to wear, keeps me very warm and I could wear it comfortably inside, like you have nothing on.
I also own a Marmot Headwall jacket that is superlight, water proof, air permeable, and filled with Primaloft Alpha insulation, awesome jacket for aerobic activity in the cold, that jacket layered with some merino wool and maybe a light fleece and you could play out in the very cold with the utmost comfort.
A lot of the high end stuff tends to look pretty use specific, you won't look hip hanging out in Soho or WillyB with some of this stuff, that is where the Canada Goose comes in....but that is the flavor of the month...next year that 500 dollar jacket could be out of fashion, out in the woods there really is no fashion to maintain, skiing on the other hand is a fashion show, so be prepared to spend some money to fit in.