Winter “What to Wear”
Donning layers of thick clothing in the winter isn’t funny at all. Plummeting temperatures, biting cold wind, and slews of snowfall leave you with no choice, but to put on warmer and thicker clothing. After a few years of winter experience, I’m much used to knowing what to wear based on the daily weather forecast. Of course, always take the wind chill factor into consideration!
0 to -5 °C: A long-sleeve blouse or cotton turtleneck, and a fall jacket.
-5 to -10 °C: A long-sleeve blouse or cotton turtleneck; alternatively, a short-sleeve blouse and a fleece jacket. Top these up with a regular winter coat.
-10 to -20 °C: A long-sleeve cotton turtleneck, a fleece jacket, and a regular winter coat.
-20 to -30 °C: A long-sleeve cotton turtleneck, a fleece jacket, and a thick winter coat.
-30 to -40 °C: A long-sleeve cotton turtleneck, a thick fleece jacket, and a thicker winter coat (i.e. ski jacket).
-40 °C and below: Stay at home!!
It’s important to choose the proper clothing materials as well as understand the appropriate handling of winter clothing. I tend to stick with cotton blouse or turtleneck, and polyester-based jacket. I don’t usually put on wool clothing, except in extreme cold. Not only does it cause skin irritation, but it also requires special handling in washing (ie. should be hung dry, instead of machine dry). Water resistant outwear made of polyester and nylon is great. It keeps body from getting wet, and hence, avoid freezing. Winter coats filled with down and waterfowl feathers are excellent for insulation. Clothing that needs dry-cleaning? It’s troublesome. Try to avoid getting one, if possible.
Besides clothing mentioned above, a pair of warm gloves and winter hat are extremely useful too. I’m not a big fan of scarves; in my opinion, the more you carry with you, the easier it is to lose things. Hence, wearing light and staying cozy is my goal. Winter coats with hoods and high zippers are wonderful. You can stay comfy without a winter hat; neck and lips are well protected when zippers are pulled all the way up.
How about the bottom layers? You may now wonder… Most of the time, I survived with just a good pair of jeans. Under temperature -35 °C and below, an extra layer of insulation is recommended, even a pair of thighs. When it’s freezing cold, clothing tends to become rigid. This applies to jeans. It almost seems like clothing is undergoing the freezing state, and it’s sticking on body. In this case, a pair of thighs underneath can make a big difference. Having said that, it’s advisable to put on snow pants when it’s too cold. Snow pants offer great insulation and best of all, it’s water resistant! It’s a necessity for skiing.
Overdressed can be as bad as underdressed. You don’t want to suffocate yourself with thick clothing and that you can barely move. Perspiring in the cold winter will only freeze you up. So, don’t do that. Conversely, underdressed might cause frostbite and dry skins. Hence, dress according to the weather.
I’ve never worn Long Johns thus far. Why? Good question! With Long Johns, you may feel warmer in the cold, but it may result in skin irritation when you’re inside a heated building. The same idea applies to wool clothing. If you’re only going to be in the cold for 2 minutes (e.g. walking from car to a building), and staying in the building for the next 8 hours, why bother putting on Long Johns? Unless, of course, you’re staying outdoor for long hours. With a good heating and insulating system, one can be wearing a t-shirt and shorts indoor, despite the freezing -40 °C outside!
It’s worthwhile investing in winter clothing of good materials. The good ones can last for years. Same goes for footwear. A pair of non-slip waterproof winter boots can save you from painful falls and freezing feet. It’s highly recommended to own a pair!
Warm (e.g. 7 °C), mild, chilly, cold, very cold, freezing cold, extreme cold, unbearable cold… These are all relative and subjective terms often used to express the level of cold experienced in the winter.
After the long winter months, it almost feels like spring or fall when the rising temperature leaves the sub-zero zone. Lesser and thinner clothing is an indication of the arrival of spring. Hmm… this probably won’t happen anytime soon. Meanwhile, have fun with the snow everyone!
Tags: Experience, Life, Winter
February 21st, 2009 at 4:39 am
I wonder, if you go back home (if you ever do). Is Malaysia a furnace to you? That’s a huge difference in temperature.
Would fleece pants good enough for that weather? I think fleece pants are more comfy.
February 21st, 2009 at 8:25 am
Ai Shiang,
Kind of. Haha… It usually takes a few days to get used to the heat and humidity. Fleece pants would work, but I usually just have a good pair of jeans. Alternatively, snow pants provide good insulation and they are water resistant too!
February 22nd, 2009 at 9:14 am
Well, soon it will be spring for you there. Happy happy :o). How hot is summer?
February 22nd, 2009 at 9:42 am
Thanks, Ai Shiang! Meanwhile, I’ll enjoy the winter while I can. I haven’t gone out skiing much this season :P Summer can get rather hot here, 40 °C with the humidex, for a day or two. Other than that, the average temperature is around 30 °C.
March 20th, 2009 at 12:19 am
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