Brrr- Maine is cold this time of year, in these past few weeks it’s been below 30º more than it has been above. Not to mention the fact that windchill always makes it much colder than the thermometer can pick up, with Orono being especially blusterous. Growing up here in the cold, you’re taught a lot of things that are especially important in the winter time, and you also pick up some other tips as the time passes.
In regards to weather layering: all fashion aside, one of the most important things to know is that you should never layer things that are too tight as they will only make you colder.
Your first layer (closest to your skin) can be tight, such as leggings, but your second layer should be more loose, such as looser fitting jeans or sweatpants. This means that you should not layer two pairs of leggings together, or legging and skinny jeans; the tightness does not allow for your body heat to warm up within the clothing and restricts your blood flow reducing your body’s ability to keep you warm. This same logic applies to socks and shoes. If your toes are cramped because you have two (or more) pairs of socks on, your feet will get colder faster than if you wore one pair of socks. Some shoes like unlined bean boots have the space for two pairs of socks, but even then you should make sure that one pair of socks is looser than the other to avoid restricting your circulation. Keeping your feet dry is also vitally important to staving off the cold. In the winter wet feet are bad news: it can lead to trench foot if left long enough, and can also accelerate frostbite.
Having a good jacket is key to staying warm when walking between classes, and they aren’t that hard to find. Unfortunately, in order to not freeze you’ll generally need to spend more than $50. Every year Target has some great options for around $60, and Walmart for $50. If you’re lucky, Goodwill often has donated men’s coats from the 90s that — while a little rough around the edges — will certainly keep you warm. Although not required, having a coat that is long enough to cover your butt is phenomenal. You never know how much heat you lose when it’s uncovered until you have a jacket that covers it and you realize how much warmer you are.
When it comes to putting together good layers there is one thing that reigns supreme; it is nearly impossible to layer fashionably without turtlenecks. Turtlenecks can go under a v-neck sweater and look great, they can go underneath sweater vests, with a graphic t-shirt over it for a more edgy look, and much more. My go-to for layering is cardigans — which also look great with turtlenecks — and they can be dressed up or down depending on what you have on underneath. I’ve worn one with a t-shirt and leggings, a turtleneck and jeans, and a dress with tights. The world is your oyster when it comes to turtlenecks and cardigans. However, layering is not limited to those. Recently on TikTok, fleece lined tights have been popular because they allow skirt wearing in the cold. Tucking a sweater into a sports bra (if you haven’t seen this hack , it’s when you fold the bottom of a top into a sports bra to either give it a cropped look or a tucked in look)add a skirt and this is wicked cute. Overalls are also fantastic, the bib portion actually adds a lot more warmth than you would initially think.
All in all, layering can be very cute on top of being highly effective (and often necessary) during the winter months! As long as you’re safe with your layering any outfit you put together will be gorgeous!