Wearing clothes in Canada can be a challenging task to do as our weather is pretty much a free-for-all and sometimes what you originally thought was a good idea to wear that day may end up being a regret. But, the basic Canadian girl has it down to a science on what to wear for pretty much any weather. Here’s a list of clothing items that you will typically find in a basic Canadian girl’s closet:
Roots Salt and Pepper Sweatpants
There’s no doubt that every Canadian knows Roots sweatpants are the comfiest sweatpants on the planet. Even though these sweatpants are pricey, with a soft fleece lining on the inside, a secret pocket, cuffs at the bottom and a cute salt and pepper design, it’s definitely worth paying big bucks for. It’s also pretty much socially acceptable to wear these anywhere (e.g. to class, to the mall, to a restaurant, to the cottage) and these pants can bear any weather (although maybe not when the humidity is plus 40 degrees outside). Added bonus if you also own the matching hoodie.
Wool Socks
Not only are these super cute and remind you of a sock monkey, but these are essential for keeping your toes warm during those cool autumn nights or chilly winter days (especially for those days when the wind chill is minus 40 and Waterloo decides to not close the school). You can never have too many pairs!
TNA Wool Sweater
Literally the warmest sweater you’ll probably ever own because it’s made of 100% wool. Not only is it super warm, it also has the classic salt and pepper design that all Canadians have come to appreciate. The sweater also flaunts the TNA logo on the front and the back as all basic Canadians love to show they wear TNA. This sweater will also cost you an arm and a leg during the fall season, but if you wait till after Christmas, it can cost as low as $40! These are perfect for those days you just can’t handle the cold outside or for when you just want to hang around the campfire at the cottage.
Anything Flannel
Flannels are a Canadian staple as they make you look like a hipster or lumberjack and can be worn in any season. They’ll keep you warm on a frigid winter’s eve by the fireplace, during a brisk autumn day, a cool summer’s night and those refreshing spring mornings. Bonus points if it’s red.
Canadian Olympic Mittens
The Canadian Olympic mitten craze started back in 2010 when Hudson Bay released the 2010 Vancouver mittens. And because 2010 was the year the Winter Olympics were hosted in Canada, people went bananas and started buying these mittens. Ever since, the Bay has been releasing a new limited edition red mitten design every year. If you truly dress like a basic Canadian (male or female), you will own a pair (or more) of these red mittens because they’ve pretty much become part of the Canadian culture. Plus, they’ll keep you nice and toasty during the winter.
Lululemon Yoga Pants/Leggings
There are no pants more comfortable than Lululemon yoga pants. Although these cost about the same amount as one brand new textbook at the bookstore, these are the key to success at university, trust me. You can wear these underneath your roots sweatpants when it’s super cold outside, to an exam (to not look like you just rolled out of bed 5 minutes ago), while working out at CIF (obviously) then straight to class afterwards and depending on the company culture, you can even wear these to co-op with a blazer!
Sorel Boots
Fun fact: the Sorel company originated right here in the Region of Waterloo in 1962 (source) and it’s no surprise as to why we love them! These boots will help you survive the trek to class even when the school decided not to close because it’s minus 40 and blizzardy outside. They’re also waterproof, look incredibly cute and will make any winter outfit look totally stylish. If you should invest money into one thing on this list, this is definitely the thing as winters in Waterloo suck and this will probably last you until you graduate.