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I live in South Texas. I have never lived anywhere or been anywhere as cold as North Dakota. What do women wear to work in negative temperatures? I need to get some necessities . Right now all I wear are flip flops! I have to admit this move to such temperatures has me pretty nervous!
It all depends on what kind of job you are working and what the dress code is.
I've seen many women (my wife included) subject themselves to skirts, open toed shoes, etc. in the middle of January all in the name of fashion. Once the snow flies, you see a lot more people wearing pants, sweaters, boots, suits, etc. It really does depend where they work and what they do.
Most businesses have parking immediately near the building, so walking outside isn't something you have to do very frequently. If you have a good pair of snow boots (not the designer kind), a good winter coat (The North Face or Columbia), gloves and a hat, you'll be fine. It's not uncommon for people to bundle up to go to work and change shoes when they get there.
ND can get cold, but it's certainly not as cold as the media would make it out to be. It's actually on track to hit 85 (yes, 85) here in Bismarck today.
Nothing special. Just think in layers. The more layers, the warmer. Also, you can adjust as the day goes warmer and colder. Just regular hoodies will work. Remember that 40% of your body heat is lost from your head. Keep your head covered, your hands covered and your feet protected and you can endure some pretty cold temps.
I am outside at -30 or worse and I never have a problem. But I stay moving and I have 5 or 6 layers on. When I get up in the morning, I check the thermometer. It's not to see if I'm going outside, because I AM going outside. It's to determine how many layers I need.
It will take the first winter to make a believer out of you. hahahaha But you'll survive. Here's a repost of what NOAA has to say:
What is Wind Chill?
It is the temperature it "Feels like" outside and is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by the effects of wind and cold. As the wind increases, the body is cooled at a faster rate causing the skin temperature to drop. Wind Chill does not impact inanimate objects like car radiators and exposed water pipes, because these objects cannot cool below actual air temperature.
What is Frostbite?
Frostbite is an injury to the body caused by freezing body tissue. The most susceptible parts of the body are the extremities such as fingers, toes, ear lobes, or the tip of the nose. Symptoms include loss of feeling in the extremity and a white or pale appearance. Medical attentions is needed immediately for frostbite. The area should be SLOWLY re-warmed.
What is Hypothermia?
Hypothermia is abnormally low body temperature (below 95 degrees Fahrenheit). Warning signs include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and apparent exhaustion. Medical attention is needed immediately. If it is not available, begin warming the body SLOWLY.
Tips on how to dress during cold weather.
- Wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing. Trapped air between the layers will insulate you. Outer garments should be tightly woven, water repellent, and hooded.
- Wear a hat, because 40% of your body heat can be lost from your head.
- Cover your mouth to protect your lungs from extreme cold.
- Mittens, snug at the wrist, are better than gloves.
- Try to stay dry and out of the wind.
If your work is outside. Carhartt makes good brands for women. They have the red lined, black lined, and flannel lined. Most ladies I know wear sweats under their chosen outer gear. At Below zero there really isn't much to fashion.
I can handle -40 with only 3 layers. Most cant. I've been working in extreme cold for a while. I can do Polar plunges for 10-15 minutes. Don't anyone else try this though.
My advice to wait until you get up here to buy most of your clothes. Lot of people stock up on warm clothes before they move up here, then when they arrive they realize that they overdid it a bit and most of the stuff sits in the closet. Buy some warm shoes, a coat with warm lining, and some mittens and that's all you need until you hit the stores in Bismarck.
I concur with the other posters. Do wait til you arrive to get most of your clothing. Unless you are going to be outdoors for long periods, you really dont need to add too much to your wardrobe for work. If like most, you will park close to work, then your walk may be across the parking lot.
My wife who has spend most of her life in ND, as a few essentials just for winter. Uggs boots are quite popular for walking in or doing errands. She brings any fancier shoes for inside work in a bag and changes once inside, this is what a lot of folks do. Some even just where hiking boots or anything with some grip on the bottom and just change them at work, to avoid tracking in all the sand and grime from the outside. She likes a long moderate thickness coat for normal work attire, and a Columbia brand type coat for errands. Scarf, gloves are a must in the winter fashion world. Sweaters are good too, depending on your work environment. Outside winter weather would be more along the line of sweatshirts. As other have said, you often buy too much than not enough in the winter and have it stacked in a closet and never worn. Start out light and then add as you need.
I used to live in Laredo, and moved to Minot (thank god). A thick long winter coat coat is essential,style is unimportant. I got a milsurp coat from Sportsman's Guide that rocks. LL Bean insulated jeans and khakis are good, but not needed every day. Their
Boots are good, too. Get wool socks, sweaters, good gloves, hats, the basics. Think wool, silk, and wicking fabrics. Keep extras in the car. It isn't always brutal, but can be.
In my opinion, only the not so smart people wear open toed shoes in January. It's pretty rare that you will be able to get away with doing that, it's just not smart. You'll want boots with decent grips on the bottom. You'll have no trouble finding the clothes you need at Kirkwood Mall, Kohls, etc. There are not a lot of fancy high end retailers, but you'll definitely be able to find winter clothing that you need. Add a hat or earmuffs or headband for your ears to your shopping list, I'm not sure ear coverings were on any of the previous posts. Best wishes.
I am moving to williston from tucson az, I will be looking for a janitor job or something in the housekeeping field, is there this kind of work there?
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