<p>I'm shopping the winter sales for my child, who will be a freshman at Cornell in the fall. Since we live in the south now and he NEVER wears anything but short-sleeved shirts, can anyone give some shopping guidelines? I know layering - am thinking long-sleeved t-shirts and fleece or wool sweaters, topped by a coat. What type of coat works best? Are jeans sufficient? Do people buy and wear lined pants?</p>
<p>Wool socks, hats, scarves...what else?</p>
<p>Long sleeve shirts/sweaters, gloves if necessary, windbreaker or overcoat</p>
<p>Waterproof coats, gloves and boots are ideal. I had a down-filled coat that was very warm, but I couldn’t wear it when it was sleeting or “Ithacating” - rain, snow and sleet at the same time. </p>
<p>As for pants, jeans are just fine. On very cold days, I would wear leggings underneath my pants. I grew up in Upstate NY so I was very used to the weather and didn’t go above and beyond with the winter clothes. </p>
<p>Make sure that your child’s shoes have good traction on them. The sidewalks can be very slippery in the winter :)</p>
<p>Thanks so much for your reply - that really helps! People have suggested coats that have the waterproof shell and down or filled linings that can be removed. It will be a lot for him to keep up with, as he’s not used to it!</p>
<p>S finds his windproof/waterproof fleece jacket to be most useful, followed by his down parka for the middle of winter. We also got him a 3 in 1 parka, which is good for rainy weather but not warm enough for extreme cold. He has waterproof hiking boots (which he wears only when absolutely necessary), and some wool socks. A few hoodies, gloves, scarves and hats round out his winter gear. He also has a pair of flannel-lined jeans. Unlike many Cornell students, he is not one for layering. He has never used the long underwear we got him.</p>
<p>I’ve lived on the Northeast my entire life, and I don’t think you should go insane and buy every heat-enhancing piece of clothing out there. In winter, I generally wear jeans with socks, waterproof hiking boots, and long-sleeve shirt (even a t-shirt works, though perhaps not best on the coldest days), plus a waterproof jacket. I haven’t worn lining in my pants since my parents stopped forcing me when I was 8(ish). While your son is from the south, it shouldn’t take too long for him to get to the cold. Even for me, there was an adjustment since at Cornell, you are outside in the cold a lot (15 min walks to-from campus, plus 5-10min walks between classes). </p>
<p>You also don’t need to go with the thickest jacket available. I have a normal North Face winter jacket, that’s certainly not made for extreme cold, but definitely suffices. Just make sure the jacket is waterproof, that’s actually important. </p>
<p>I would recommend buying as little as possible first (jacket, gloves, hat boots, long-sleeve shirts, jeans). If your son gets cold, Ithaca actually has stores to buy clothes (excuse the sarcasm, but it’s something parents always seem to forget, especially my own). Then if he feels like it, he can go for the lined pants, etc. Personally, since you are still inside a vast majority of the day, I dislike going for too much warmth since it’s really annoying to sweat in class during the winter, then go back outside. I guess layering solves this problem somewhat, but I’d wait to see if your son is that type of person before buying tons of layers.</p>
<p>thank you all for your input - this has been really helpful! I appreciate the advice about the warm buildings. He won’t want to be burdened by lots of layers - that’s what was concerning me! I think he’d rather be a little chilly on a walk, then comfortable inside.</p>
<p>Thank you for taking the time to help us out with this!</p>
<p>I know this is late, but I’m a Texan who’s been accepted to Cornell. I heard rain boots were good for the snowy weather, so I was planning on buying those Hunter rain boots. I’m not sure if these will be sufficient for the cold weather or whether the traction on the bottom is good enough for the ice. Any help?</p>
<p>Something waterproof is vastly more important than something very warm when picking out winter boots. You can also just wait until you get to Ithaca and buy them there. No reason you have to buy this stuff in advance, so you can see if you develop a stronger opinion of what you want once you start experiencing the colder weather. The mall is only a 15 minute free bus ride away.</p>
<p>As for traction, I can see that being an issue, especially since Ithaca is hilly. I wear waterproof hiking boots for the snow and like that.</p>
<p>How funny that my old thread has been revived!!! My son is completing his first year at Cornell and the winter has been unseasonably warm. He went up with some low North Face waterproof shoes and has really liked those. North Campus is a hike to most campuses, so it’s important that all waterproof gear is comfortable and not hot - the buildings are warm. I don’t know if he wore his snowboots much, but I will ask. The sidewalks are shoveled regularly. Remember buildings are warm when purchasing clothing. A warm coat and hat and gloves (all waterproof) are the best advice we can give.</p>
<p>I didn’t wear my snow boots at all this winter. I did have low waterproof shoes, just like Swimmer726’s son apparently, and those proved to be generally adequate.</p>
<p>You want a variety of clothing to survive at ithaca by the way.</p>
<p>Are doc martens a pretty reasonable boot?</p>