Advice on Cold Weather Dressing - YouLookFab Forum

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Advice on Cold Weather Dressing

DonnaF

Veteran

This fall, native Californian DD started college north of Chicago -- and is now freezing! I sent her off with a LE hooded puffer coat and North Face waterproof boots knowing she has a bit of a hike from her dorm to the classrooms and dining hall. She's never had a wool sweater or wool anything, so doesn't even know if wool makes her itchy!!! What would you suggest? A cashmere sweater? Nordstrom carries a Halogen one for $79 in petites. Anything else?

Target is her most convenient store, but I fear that its clothing wouldn't be warm enough. Like many teens, she likes fast fashion stores, but Mama here wants her to have clothing that will hold up for four winters.

DD is an athletically built IT with a Junior's thin arms. Some Petites work for her as long as the arms are cut slim and the body isn't too boxy, so I worry that many/most Petite sweaters won't work for her like Lands End which runs too boxy for me.

Sign me,
Completely clueless in California

Dressing

23 replies

Latest reply was from Laurinda

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I have a friend who lived in Nunavut (arctic) for years and he and his wife wore silk as the underlayer to run outside in -40-50C. It is a sturdy fabric and insulates well. I also prefer cotton and silk over wool. Layers and more layers are the way to go.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Maybe just an awesome pair of long underwear like Hot Chilly's or the like that she can layer under her existing clothing?

nk123

As a lifelong resident of the northeast, I second the silk long underwear suggestion. It's soft, warm and breathable. Also a warm hat and gloves. I love LL Bean and Patagonia. Lord and Taylor also has reasonably priced, good quality cashmere (esp if you can get it on sale).

shiny

Veteran

Know that she will adjust. She may always run on the cold side, but believe me, when March rolls around, we'll be looking at current temps and going outside in short sleeves and/or bare legs. It's weird how that happens!

Make sure she has a hat -- you lose a lot of heat through your head. And scarf, and gloves. Does she have fleece liners for her boots? Warm socks are essential.

Long underwear is good too; I like smart wool. It is not itchy at all.

Chicago is windy, so having wind-proof gear can go a long way. With fleece layered underneath.

Otherwise, not much help; both my daughters run hot. They also like fast fashions. Both are content with cotton. They just bundle up with puffer coats, hats, gloves, scarves, and fleece-lined boots. It also gets hot inside the classrooms.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Scarves! In fact, every time I've visited Chicago I'm reminded of how so many people leave their outdoor scarves on even when they've taken their coat off. They sorta loop them around their necks loosely. It makes a big difference, as does a hat, some sort of ear covering if your hat doesn't do that, and gloves. All of these should be decent, and preferably wool or leather, or if fleece the windblock kind not just ordinary fleece.

I agree with the others, a warm underlayer like silk will make a big difference, and lets you wear 'regular' clothes. Layering helps; wool, silk and fleece are all a lot more insulating than cotton. If she's doing a lot of walking outside and hiking around campus, lined jeans might be a nice option; you can usually find them flannel lined or fleece lined from someone like Lands' End or LL Bean. Only problem with them is that they can get too hot when you're inside, especially if they have the heat cranked up in a public building.

Sounds like she's OK with coat and boots, she just needs some more layering options underneath. Warm socks (a lot of people like SmartWool, I tend to like synthetics), thicker sweaters, and getting used to wearing, say, an undershirt a shirt and a sweater under your coat will make a big difference.

Also, Shiny is right, you eventually adjust to what is normal, as far as your body goes. I've gone the other direction - Midwesterner moving to SF - and now when I go home to visit family in the winter I think it's arctic when it's only just a bit below freezing.

Laurinda

Veteran

Don't worry, she'll be fine, in a month or so her blood will "thicken up" just like the natives ;-).

Just to prepare you: don't expect anyone of college age wear the same clothing for 4 winters. "Winter" around here runs from November through March, long enough for a person to get really bored with their cold weather wardrobe.

April

Veteran

Silk long underwear or close-fitting underlayers such as Uniqlo's Heattech line, under a warm sweater. (I often have a cami under the Heattech under the sweater -- the air trapped between layers is what keeps you warm, which is why layering works.) Fleece-lined tights: http://www.barenecessities.com.....PlushP101S Warm shoes/boots -- no athletic sneakers or flip-flops. Hats, or if she's not a hat girl, earmuffs will help with the city wind.

Long sleeves -- forget the 3/4 length that is ubiquitous nowadays. Soft scarves around the neck. Keeping those pulse points warm helps a lot!

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

Layering is definitely going to be the way to go here since the walk to class may be cold, but the classrooms may not be. My daughter layers up and has to wear the bottom layer as a short sleeve shirt since sometimes her classes are hot.

Makrame

Veteran

I am sure she will adjust over time.

I would suggest fleece for layering under the coat. I have a thin LLBean fitness fleece vest (not too fashionable but convenient to throw in the bag in case I suddenly get cold) http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop.....eneck-vest. Fitness fleece is thin and pretty comfortable. Here is a jacket, too. http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop.....ece-jacket

I personally find layering something over my clothes (like a merino wool sweater or a fleece jacket) to be generally more comfortable than layering under because I can take a layer off if it gets hot. I would not buy a cashmere sweater, though, because it is too easy to lose when she is moving from class to class. I also try to layer something under the pants (like buying knee-high socks or even tights to wear under trousers). Oh, and I second the recommendation for fleece-lined tights, especially if she wearing skirts.

A lot of students around here wear North Face fleece jackets. They are expensive but fashionable with the college crowd. Shearling boots tend to be very warm (but may not be a good option if the roads get muddy and wet).

sarah

Veteran

The idea of some great long undies is a good one. I also wear wool socks almost all winter long under my boots/booties - even the thinner ones add a lot of warmth. Nordstroms has several pair of thinner Smartwool socks that are similar to the ones I wear all the time.

A warm hat and mittens are also essential.

shiny

Veteran

Also, mom, you may just want to send her a gift card to do her own shopping locally. I say this because college campus fashions are highly local. On one campus, you'll see everyone in North Face and Ugg's... on another, those items would be huge fashion don'ts!

At DD#1's campus, everyone lives in gaudy patterned rainboots (the gaudier, the better) with fleece liners. They wear these even in deep snow. At DD#2's campus, the rainboots wouldn't work; everyone wears hiking boots with serious traction for the ice, and anything-North Face is the uniform. DD#1 regularly wears dresses and skirts with tights to class, and cute pleather jackets under a 3/4 length wool coat. DD#2's campus is far more casual/more athletic -- hoodies, sweats and jeans.

You see it here in Boston as well - fashions are VERY different from Harvard to MIT to Tuft's to Mass Art to Boston College.

I remember my older sister telling me, before I went off to college "you'll live in tee shirts, sweatshirts, and sweat pants. Just pack that." My campus was quite different; nobody wore those things, unless they had sports practice.

So long winded way to suggest maybe just give her a gift Visa and have her shop on campus for what she needs?

moira

Veteran

I have to agree with shiny on this. She is a big girl. Let her shop for herself. We have two big schools here and they are like apples and sidewalks. The kids dress in completely different ways on the two campuses.

DonnaF

Veteran

Thanks for your suggestions! Unfortunately, DD's liberal arts college, like most LACs, is not terribly convenient to shopping (other than Target) and underclassmen aren't allowed to have cars. Chicago is about an hour's train ride. She thinks she and her freezing friends from warmer climes can get a ride to an outlet mall after mid-terms, and hopefully she will take my advice to ask the other kids what works in cold weather.

DD's birthday is coming up in mid-November, so I was looking for warm gift ideas since she won't be coming home until Christmas. I think she might grudgingly wear silk long johns, but probably not on the bottom, and definitely would not think to shell out the money herself, so that might be an idea. . .

JAileen

Veteran

My son went to college in western Mass and I knit him a hat, scarf and mittens. Where we live gets quite cold, but because of the low humidity it doesn't feel too bad. It was a real eye opener for him.

Laurinda

Veteran

Not clothing per se, but depending on how warm her dorm room is* a set of flannel sheets and a down comforter might be a very welcome gift in November.

*some are overly hot.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I'm a canuck and still on campus (albeit not living there) - things that my mom sent me that were useful included fleece-lined tights, hand-knit mitts, and cute ear muffs! My aunt also knit me a scarf (with cows on it) I still wear (after 10 years) as a whimsical touch.

I second the gift card/cash idea!

Anonymous

oh poor thing. That sounds like me when I came to live in NYC at 19. It will take a couple winters for her to adjust to the colder weather.

In the meantime I suggest wool blends. I cannot tolerate wool at all but if you buy a blend of wool and cotton, it makes it more bearable. I recommend a bunch of turtlenecks, hoodies and long socks. does she have waterproof boots? Does her down jacket have a hoodie? Silk is also an amazing, breathable insulator. Banana Republic has a bunch of nice sweaters and turtlenecks. They are running either a 25% or 30% off (with card) promotion right now. She also needs gloves, a good scarf and a good hat.

I have a teenage daughter as well. She gets lots of cute winter apparel from Urban Outfitters to spice things up but most of her essentials come from American Eagle, GAP, and BR. They run promotions all the time.

rachylou

Veteran

I BELIEVE in fleece lined tights

catgirl

Veteran

You've gotten great advice already! Down coat, layers, and warm accessories are the key. Also don't go out with wet hair, something I did routinely! Most heat is lost through the head, and women need to keep the torso warm, so even a down vest goes a long way. My hands and feet are always freezing, and I use those handwarmers that get hot when exposed to air. If you enclose them in an airtight baggie when not in use, they will "keep" so she can go to and from class with the same ones.

catgirl

Veteran

Oh, one more recommendation: DOWN SKIRT! Now at REI (this is my friend's company, as a disclosure)...

http://www.rei.com/brand/Skhoop

Laurinda

Veteran

OK -- a down MINI-skirt???
My brain just had a little meltdown.

catgirl

Veteran

Laurinda, the short skirts are actually perfect for outdoor winter activities like running, cross-country or snowshoeing. They keep your tush warm without constraining your legs. Also great for going from gym to freezing leather car seat. I have the long one which is perfect for standing around the playground or walking around town.

They are ubiquitous around here!

Laurinda

Veteran

If it works, great!