Do you have special winter clothes?

[asmom]

The short answer to your question is Yes, I have a winter wardrobe. I reserve layering for changes of season. In Georgia, it's very hot in the spring and summer. So I wear a lot of sleeveless and lightweight fabrics. Our winters are generally mild but the seasons do change so layering will not do. Also I enjoy wearing different clothes and shoes.

[JoeP]

Sure! Boots, winter coat, gloves. For clothing, I wear the same throughout the year. I work in an air conditioned building that is a steady 68 degrees winter and summer.

[dojo]

I work from home, so I don't need to go out too much in winter. I do have a pair of winter shoes that last me for at least 6-7 winters. A winter coat and that's it. Other than that it's my regular jeans and blouses/t-shirts.

[BuckyBadger]

This question doesn't make any sense at all unless you're not from the north. When I lived in NY and WI, I had lots of winter clothes. It got to be -10 or so (without the windchill) and into the -40 to -60 range with windchill on truly nasty windy days. Layering with a hoodie doesn't quite cut it even for the time it takes to walk from your car into a building.

Now that I live in the more moderate climate of NC, I have vastly fewer "winter" clothes, although I do still have some. My really heavy stuff I probably should give away, but I still can't really believe that I don't need an ankle length down coat that makes me look like I'm wearing a sleeping bag. Maybe I would have fewer things if I didn't already own so much to begin with. I still use some of it when I go back north to visit friends and family.

[disneysteve]

This question doesn't make any sense at all unless you're not from the north.

Yes, where you live obviously influences your answer. I'm sure if you live in Wisconsin where it gets to 40 below, you own some serious winter clothes. If you live in Boca Raton, probably not so much.

I live somewhere in the middle (New Jersey). It snows. It gets cold (near and sometimes below zero). We need winter clothing.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Vicky91, what do you do for a living that you are able to get by with so few clothes, and holey, torn ones at that? With a needle and thread you could probably get more life out of them. What do you do while your one pair of jeans is drying?

I don't know how you are going to fit thick woolen socks into your ballet flats. I wear a half size larger shoe in winter to accommodate thick socks!

My closet has 3 coats --one short old (late 1980s purchase) canvass one for garden chores, one knee length everyday coat whose worn out zipper I replaced with Velcro shortly after I joined this forum, and a wool peacoat, second hand from a thrift store. I have a fourth coat bought new last year, also wool, however, it is not warm so I will donate it.

I have around 8 turtleneck T's which are daily winter wear, as well as camis or short Ts to go under them. Suit jackets or longish cardigans with pockets are daily wear. Leggins go underneath my jeans or dress pants in cold weather, both indoors and out. In my own house which we heat to 64F, I can still be cold, depending on activity level. In public places I might have to get to a restroom to remove a layer.

Late last winter, I bought some 2nd hand wool sweaters. The sleeves of two were used to make leg warmers. The body of one I shrank in boiling water to make it like dense felt. I used the boiled wool to make a beret, which, I will also sometimes wear in the house.

I have pashminas and scarves that I use in the house, too. Those are nice because I can arrange or remove them quickly according to need.

I have a lot of clothes for all seasons. When I was young I had far fewer clothes, as clothes were relatively more expensive, my size harder to find, and thrift stores not nearly so numerous nor well-stocked. Back then I could keep the thermostat on 56 and be comfortable indoors if dressed right.

[snafu]

We live in an extremely fluctuating Canadian climate famous for winter Chinooks [warm winds] 1st snow falls in late September and lasting winter begins at the end of October and finally ends in late April. It's common to have minus 30F with wind chill factor to minus 90F. Skin will freeze in less than 2 minutes and it's foolhardy to leave home unprepared for the worst. Cars are plugged in to keep oil circulation g and tires freeze square so any transportation breakdown has life threatening potential. We get snow storms that pile the snow drifts knee height. We must be prepared to shovel out the driveway before 7 AM. Roads are icy and even public transit buses slide sideways down the hills.

We have down filled jackets an coats, several types of scarves, hats, gloves and boots. We have sweaters, down 'booties' and throws to wear at home and at work...most anything you'd see at a ski chalet to feel warmth and comfort. We don't wear ripped, torn, hole-y type clothes any season. We value ourselves and do not understand the need to 'dress down,' to the level you've described.

[vicky91]

I work from home, so I don't need to go out too much in winter.

Me too ...

I do have a pair of winter shoes that last me for at least 6-7 winters. A winter coat and that's it. Other than that it's my regular jeans and blouses/t-shirts.

I have no winter shoes and no coat. Sometimes it's cold in winter wearing flimsy shoes but I never got ill. I think I'm kinda tough with temperatures.

[vicky91]

It got to be -10 or so (without the windchill) and into the -40 to -60 range with windchill on truly nasty windy days. Layering with a hoodie doesn't quite cut it even for the time it takes to walk from your car into a building.

I can imagine. We don't have such low temps here in winter.

[vicky91]

Vicky91, what do you do for a living that you are able to get by with so few clothes, and holey, torn ones at that?

I work from home. Freelancer, doing some web design and stuff like that I tought myself. I work as a subcontractor, no contact to customers. So I can get away with my clothes ...

With a needle and thread you could probably get more life out of them.

I'm not good at this. I tried.

What do you do while your one pair of jeans is drying?

Well, I don't go outside. I wash them every two weeks on sunday so it's okay. They are dry monday morning (most of the time).

I don't know how you are going to fit thick woolen socks into your ballet flats. I wear a half size larger shoe in winter to accommodate thick socks!

I didn't mean really thick socks but thicker than the thin ones I have right now. Besides, my shoes are quite worn out. With the thicker socks they will fit better ...

thrift stores not nearly so numerous nor well-stocked.

Thrift stores got expensive lately, unfortunately ...

[vicky91]

We value ourselves and do not understand the need to 'dress down,' to the level you've described.

Well, I don't care so much about that ...

[bjl584]

I have some long sleeved shirts and a winter coat and boots.

That's about it.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Do you not have to shovel out snow? Gloves hat, snow pants are nice when you are digging snow for a couple hours. When it dumps like 12+ inches digging out our cars my DH and I take turns. Nice exercise but it's still exhausting and cold.

[vicky91]

Do you not have to shovel out snow?

No, fortunately not.

When it dumps like 12+ inches digging out our cars my DH and I take turns. Nice exercise but it's still exhausting and cold.

I don't have a car, so no problems like that ...

[HappySaver]

Of course! I live in New England.
Agree with the poster who commented this is a ridiculous question without climate context - it really only applies to those who live in warmer states and could *choose* one way or the other based on fashion/economic decisions.