From a local of a much warmer climate
As the crisp fresh fall air deepens into bitter ice chills, Wisconsinites and those from climates with true winter know what they need to survive. Out-of-state students and people moving from warmer climates are clueless. Two years ago, I was one of them.
When you first move to Wisconsin, everyone worries about the upcoming winter. The most common advice is to buy a parka. While a parka is absolutely the most necessary item for a Wisconsin winter, it is not the only thing you need.
1. So Many Jackets
Whether people native to climates with severe winters think it is intuitive or just forget to mention it altogether, along with a parka, you need jackets for many types of layering. Winter is not a consistently snowy time—there are days when it is impossibly sunny with a bone-chilling breeze, and the outerwear you need for both kinds of weather is different.
Snowy days are usually the warmer winter days. For those, I recommend a puffer jacket. On the coldest of days, the only outerwear option is a parka. Make sure you buy a long parka that hits above the knees or if you really want to commit to warmth, an ankle-length parka. Most people’s parkas hit around their mid-thighs and are black in color. Make sure the parka you buy also has a hood for particularly wind-filled days.
For the warmest of winter days, an insulated down jacket is the way to go. Another plus of the insulated down jacket is that they typically fit under parkas and puffer jackets. So, if your puffer jacket and parka are not enough outerwear to maintain your warmth, add an insulated down jacket. If you’re an avid skier or snowboarder, you probably already own an insulated jacket. Most people reserve ski and snowboard insulated jackets for the slopes and opt to wear insulated jackets that look like less puffy puffer jackets.
Winter is a time to commit to looking like the Marshmallow Man.
2. Waterproof Mascara
While walking to class, the grocery store, or simply stepping out of your car to enter your place of work, there will be a time when the wind is so powerful that your eyes fill with tears. During a Wisconsin winter, the temperature is so low that those droplets of water filling up your eyes freeze onto your eyelashes. It feels like applying fake lash glue on your eyelashes. Luckily, most buildings in Wisconsin have amazing insulation, so it is very warm inside buildings in the winter. Yet, when your eyelashes have ice on them and you’re in a warm building, the ice melts off of your eyelashes. If you are wearing mascara that is not waterproof, smudges of your mascara will run down your face. So to not look like you have been crying from a particularly harsh breakup, wear waterproof mascara.
3. Snow Boots
I recommend snow boots with a bit of a concession. If you are somewhere where you do not have to shovel your own walking paths (like college), snow boots are not extremely necessary. Tennis shoes that keep your ankles warm usually work. Yet, whenever you want to walk on ice or trudge through snow or make a winter fashion statement, you should wear snow boots.
4. Hats
You’ll never forget the first day you realize you need a layer to keep your ears warm. One second you’re stepping outside, pushing through the wind and bitter winter air, and the next, you’re indoors staring at your bright red ears in a mirror, wondering if your ears or Rudolph’s nose are a brighter shade of red. Lined hats or earmuffs are great items to keep your ears from freezing.
5. Layers
This would not be a complete list of items you need to survive a Wisconsin winter if I did not insist that layers are absolutely crucial. Whether you own long johns or not, there are many ways to add clothing to keep warm. Leggings under pants like jeans or trousers are a simple method for layers that don’t usually require a specific purchase of long johns. Another favorite of mine is wearing a turtleneck or long-sleeved form-fitting shirt under the day’s sweater. Since the insides of most buildings in the winter are sauna adjacent, layers have the added benefit of allowing you to peel back layers of clothing if you feel too hot indoors.
Make sure to also seek winter-wear advice from your local public health advisors. Some days require more preparation than others. And ignore your neighbors that could never imagine living anywhere that is not one hundred degrees every summer day. Wisconsin is a great place to live and the winters are magical as long as you prepare your wardrobe and makeup bags for the frozen tundra.