Moving from the swamp to the high plains... What kind of clothing should I invest in? (to buy)

[High Plains Guy]

Allow me to begin by apologizing for this presumably dumb question. But look, I'm a dummy. I've lived in Florida my entire life, with the exception of a 2 year stint in Atlanta, and all I know is t-shirts, shorts, and flip flops.

I'm moving in 2 weeks. I'll be living in the high plains of western Kansas. The climate there is classified as cold semi-arid. It rarely rains or snows there. Dust storms are frequent, from what I understand. So I'm curious what kind of clothing works well for environments where:

1. It's dry most of the time.
2. The temperature differential swings wildly from day to night.
3. It gets up above 100° during the day and below 40° at night.
4. It's dusty.
5. It occasionally snows.
6. The grass isn't soft to walk on.
7. So many other things I'm not thinking about because I don't know to think about them.

What kind of clothing is ideal for this type of environment? Am I going to end up dressed like a cowboy out there? What kind of overcoats/dusters are recommended for functionality over fashion? What kind of boots or other footwear should I wear? The only long pants I ever wear are jeans, so I'm guessing that will be fine out there, but just in case, are there better options than denim for this environment/climate?

I appreciate any and all information that I can get. Again, I feel like a dummy, asking basic questions like this... but I've been spoiled by living in an environment that is pretty consistent: hot and humid. There has never been much of a need to venture outside of my fashion comfort zone.

[grampaTom]

Jeans will be fine most of the year. You'll be layering up so you need some wicking T-shirts like underarmor, some regular shirts and some flannel shirts. You'll want an insulated vest and a 'barn coat' like Carhartt. You'll want a good rain suit (jacket and bibs) and either Wellington type boots or lace-ups -- at least one pair insulated for winter. You'll also need wool socks for cold weather. Shorts and T-shirts in summer are fine but you might want tennis shoes instead of flip flops. If you are moving in the summer wait and buy the winter stuff when you get there and they will have what you need in the local stores.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

First of all, don't buy a bunch of new clothes and then have to move them. Wait until you are there to buy a new wardrobe and then you don't have to pack it and haul it across country.

I don't know what people wear in Kansas, but I live in a cold dry climate and I have a Columbia layer system ski jacket that's good to 10 below and if it gets colder than that, I can add a sweat shirt under the jacket, but usually, just adding a scarf and a head and ear covering is enough.. When it is only slightly cold, I wear a light weight jacket with a fleece lining. A down vest works well when temperatures are too chilly for no cover and too warm for a winter coat.

Get a pair of long underwear, but unless you are outside for long hours in the coldest weather, you'll never wear it because it is much too hot to wear indoors.

You will need a good hat that protects your ears. I suggest that you wait and see what everyone else is wearing so that you get the right thing.

I just wear running shoes. I own a good pair of snow boots for the days when snow is more than a couple of inches deep or when the snow is wet and soggy.

Jeans will most likely be more than adequate. I suggest a few sweat shirts for mid range cold days.

I just wear T shirts and add a jacket if I am going to be outside for long. Unless you are waiting at bus stops or out playing sports or hiking, you won't be outside for very long at a time.

Note: you probably won't have a Columbia outlet store, so your Columbia jacket will cost you some money. It is worth the investment.

Additional note: even in heated buildings you might feel chilly until you acclimate. Dress in layers so you can add and subtract to adjust to the temperature.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Even more additional note: Carhartt is as good as it gets, but Carhartt is work clothing. Unless you live in the middle of farm country, the people around you are most likely not wearing Carhartt.

The Carhartt jackets and insulated bibs will certainly keep you warm, the quality is high, and the price is very reasonable for what you are getting. You can buy it at the local farm supply store.