I was born and raised in the Atlanta area in Georgia, a state known for its hot and humid weather, Coca-Cola, and peaches. For college, I decided to go to DePauw University, located in a small town in Indiana. The first time I visited campus, it was snowing. I knew it was going to be colder, but I wasn’t exactly ready for the below 20-degree temperatures in midwinter. Needless to say, it doesn’t get that cold that often in Atlanta.
Here, I have curated a few tips and pointers on how fellow women from warmer climates can prepare themselves and beat the weather. This is A Southern Girl’s Guide to Midwestern Winters.
- Hack No. 1- Fleece Lined
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The first major pointer I want to discuss has to do with clothing. No one wants to sacrifice style for warmth during the colder months. With fleece-lined clothing, you can have the best of both worlds. When it’s especially cold outside, I like to wear Built-In Warm Jeans from Old Navy. These jeans come in a variety of colors and cuts and have a discrete layer of soft fleece on the inside! Even with the extra layer, the jeans maintain their sleek appearance, even in the skinniest of cuts.
I also have fleece-lined shirts that also fight back against the cold and keep my skin feeling good with the soft material.
- Hack No. 2- Longer Coats
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I was used to shorter and thinner coats, but in the harsh winter winds, I found that having a coat that was longer helped keep my body warmer. Instead of a coat that stops at the end of the torso, opt for one that goes down to your knees or lower. These keep both your middle warm and shelter your legs from the cold as well!
- Hack No. 3- Cover Your Hands
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The worst thing about cold weather is that it can dry and irritate your skin to no end, especially areas of our body that are regularly exposed to cold air. One of those areas that I find especially bothersome are my hands. I found that applying lotion on the regular and wearing gloves when I knew my hands were going to be exposed for a long time reduced the amount of dry and cracked skin on my hands. Opt for a nice rich lotion like Vanicream, and a pair of gloves with multiple layers! I would also recommend buying gloves with pads on the fingers, aka “texting gloves”, so that you can continue to use your devices while wearing gloves.
- Hack No. 4- Shoes
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Having a good pair of boots is so important if you are going to be living in an area where snow and cold weather frequent. Get a pair of boots that are water-resistant and come up above the ankles. This will help keep your feet dry and warm when it’s cold and wet. If you can’t find a waterproof pair of boots, you can always spray them with waterproofing spray, but be sure to patch test it first to make sure that the spray won’t discolor the boots. Pair your boots with fun boot-length socks, and you will be good to go!
I hope these hacks can help you tackle your first Midwestern winter with style and grace!