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Hi all - This is my first post. I have what seems like a very basic question, but coming from Southern California, I am completely clueless. What exactly does one wear in the winter? Let me clarify - I know to dress in layers, but layers of what? What type of fabric would provide the most warmth? I would also like to know what school aged kids (teens) wear to school? My son lives in jeans...year round. Do the teens wear jeans in winter or are they not warm enough? Long johns underneath? Ski-type pants? Same questions for footwear as well as gloves/scarves/hats. My boys are terrified of looking out of place! Coming from CA will be bad enough for them without dressing like dorks too!
If it helps, we're talking about the Central to Northern Vermont region most likely but it isn't set in stone yet.
Thanks in advance - any and all advice is most appreciated!!
Hi all - This is my first post. I have what seems like a very basic question, but coming from Southern California, I am completely clueless. What exactly does one wear in the winter? Let me clarify - I know to dress in layers, but layers of what? What type of fabric would provide the most warmth? I would also like to know what school aged kids (teens) wear to school? My son lives in jeans...year round. Do the teens wear jeans in winter or are they not warm enough? Long johns underneath? Ski-type pants? Same questions for footwear as well as gloves/scarves/hats. My boys are terrified of looking out of place! Coming from CA will be bad enough for them without dressing like dorks too!
If it helps, we're talking about the Central to Northern Vermont region most likely but it isn't set in stone yet.
Thanks in advance - any and all advice is most appreciated!!
Hi Saphyre -
Welcome! As in any other city/state, styles vary widely from town to town, urban locale to suburbs to rural & also age group to age group. Don't know exactly which town you're going or how old your boys are, but honestly, you won't know the exact "acceptable, un-dork-like style" until you get there. I'd say, even though it may be a bit more expensive, buy your sons' clothing once you arrive. VT is COLD! Patagonia (heavy fleece, some very stylish) is a popular brand all over New England (for underclothes, pullovers & ski-type jackets) & so is Columbia. R.E.I. is a local store that sells warmer clothes, retail price, mainly for hard-core winter athletes (so it's stylish but very expensive), but those of us who need protection purchase their own-brand clothing. Several less expesive places in MA are Sports Authority & Marshall's. VT will have different stores, but see what the locals are wearing once you move.
Living in downtown Boston, where people are dressed more stylishly, again depending on job (a white color worker's coat would look more like a long, wool suit jacket) than someone working in an autobody shop (who may wear a jacket similar to a ski jacket). Some people are not stylish, no matter where you work/live & in that vain, you do see a number of white collar workers with rather unflattering, quilt-like coats of all drab colors/lengths/styles, complete with "dork-like" stocking caps & big mittens rather than leather gloves (the white collar, inner-city norm). Long johns in VT? You bet! Many wear them. You never know, do you?! VT Country Store also has alot of longjohn type clothing. They have a store in VT (I think Burlington) & they also sell online. Sell nice old soaps, candies (old ones like sim-sims, Mallow Cups & Teaberry gum, for example). Check them out.
Shoes? Boots are a necessity, as well as warm gloves, scarves, hats, but as I don't have kids & don't live in VT, I don't know current VT styles. VT-ers, overall, in comparison to a Bostonian's style of dress, tend to be less concerned with style & more practical. As frigid as it is here, it is 10 degrees or more colder in VT with more snow. Lastly, for work in Boston, it would be a few & far-between sighting of a parka wearer in mukluks, but ski jackets & hiking boots are the norm when shoveling out your car/doorways. However, I've had neighbors who were VT transplants & they did wear the former. As they were good-looking 20-somethings, they only made it look stylish rather than the reverse.
Hope this was helpful. If you check out the L.L. Bean catalogue/online store, that also gives you more of a VT, parts of NH & Maine type of style. LLB also sells jeans w/fleece linings. For kids? Not sure, but you'll see once you relocate. Save money, wait 'til you arrive to go shopping. I have 3 teen neices & you know how it is for kids to wear unusual clothing/last year's styles - it's a fate worse than housechores!
Best of luck in your move!
Welcome to New England! Brrrrrrrrr... Baltic_Celt
Last edited by Baltic_Celt; 10-29-2006 at 05:24 AM..
Thank you for your reply! My 15yo son doesn't care about namebrand or labels (lucky me!), he just wants to fit in. My 11yo son just wants to be warm and my 6yo son will wear whatever I tell him - he doesn't care. My 17yo daughter is a completely different story though! She probably won't be moving with us. She'll stay here with her dad (my first husband) and go to college with her friends next year. Boys are SO much easier when it comes to material things!
Any other comments, advice, tips, etc. for any NE region are more than welcome! Please share!
You're welcome. You'd have to ask a specific question. I don't have kids, so am not much help there. Perhaps others can offer suggestions, but giving a guideline on subject or a very specific question, is much easier than a "general tips" question, otherwise it's hard to know what would be of value to you.
people will be wearing pants at least from fall to spring. Normal sneakers are sufficient until it starts to snow. Boots may be necessary or hiking boots. I've always just worn sneakers though in the winter time if I'm just going for short distances outside. I just throw on some wool socks to keep my feet warm. Long underwear is nice when it gets really chilly in the winter. people just wear typical long sleave shirts, maybe a sweatshirt or hood on when it gets cold. I dont think there is really a style since there is so many different shirts to wear. Then in the winter you will need a winter jacket to throw on when you are outside, a winter hat and gloves. Fleeces are helpful in the fall and spring. It is simpler than you think to dress appropriately.
You're welcome. You'd have to ask a specific question. I don't have kids, so am not much help there. Perhaps others can offer suggestions, but giving a guideline on subject or a very specific question, is much easier than a "general tips" question, otherwise it's hard to know what would be of value to you.
Best of luck!
Sorry if the additional request was confusing! It was more along the lines of my original post. Just trying to get more opinions from different regions about the proper/appropriate clothing to add to the "big picture". Also looking for more non-dork advice for my boys. That is REALLY important to them. Thank you so much for your help
P.S. I gave you a positive rep point thingie on your earlier reply and I just tried to give you another but I guess I need to spread it around a little first! Thanks!
While I dont live in New England, I do live in the northern Red River valley of northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota where cold and wind in the winter is a fact of life. Dressing the kids for school, etc is pretty basic. I would definitely pay for a nice name brand coat (such as Columbia and Patagonia as mentioned by another poster). Dont skimp on this. Most coats will have two separate layers, under will be fleece and outershell water protectant. Hats seem to be the main thing people wear to show off their personality, whether it be with a school or team emblem or ski-snowmobile affiliated company such as Polaris and Arctic Cat which are headquarters in northwest MN in Roseau and Thief River Falls. Good gloves are a must of course, and most folks just wear tennis shoes or hiking boots every day, stay away from those big clunky boots. A little water or snow on shoes will not hurt.
That being said, it all depends on how long of a walk you got. A short walk with just a nice coat, hat, gloves and tennis shoes from the bus/car to school and back would be the norm. Jeans short/long sleeved shirts and sweatshirts are worn yearround. Some folks may wear ski pants or such. Remember, while it may be cold outside inside of buildings, etc will be quite warm so you dont want to be too warm underneath the outerwear or you will be misearable.
Hi. We moved to MA from Southern CA 7 years ago. I agree with the previous posts, get your boys a cool warm winter jacket, like one from Columbia or Patagonia. And a fleece or wool cap to match, along with some warm gloves. Most kids around here wear long sleeve T's (plain or maybe some graphics) with a hoodie over it, then the jacket. Jeans are worn year-round. On really cold windy days, long underwear is a good option under the jeans. I would look for material that is recommended for active wear. that way, it you do go inside, you won't roast! Another option is fleece lined jeans. look into LL Bean.com. Good boots are a must. If your boys don't want to go to school in big clunky boots, then look for something that is lined with insulation and that is waterproof. I've seen some real nice, non-dorky ones from Merrill or Columbia. I put my kids in fleece socks too, because I always worry about their feet being cold. The biggest differences we found in moving from CA were of course the cold, & the lack of development outside major cities, (ie. we have to drive over 6 miles to a grocery store). Good luck!
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VT Country Store also has alot of longjohn type clothing. They have a store in VT (I think Burlington) & they also sell online. Sell nice old soaps, candies (old ones like sim-sims, Mallow Cups & Teaberry gum, for example). Check them out. 
moving to NE
The biggest differences we found in moving from CA were of course the cold, & the lack of development outside major cities, (ie. we have to drive over 6 miles to a grocery store). Good luck!
