<p>i have lived in texas through my schooling years, but now i am about to attend school in the cold world of massachusetts. my question is - what sort of clothing will i have to purchase? what sort of features should my jacket/parka have? how many layers should i wear? what should these layers consist of? what sort of pants should i wear? i would appreciate any help greatly!</p>
<p>You definitely need a good jacket. Look at either LL Bean (my family swears by that one) or Columbia. Both have excellent cold weather clothing. Many others like North Face, but you can get just as good stuff from the other companies for less $. I personally like the jackets that have separate pieces to them. They usually have a liner (like a lighter weight jacket: fleece is best) and an outer portion that's more wind/water resistent. This type of thing gives you the most warmth and can actually act as three separate jackets. If you go with a one piece parka, you need to get a separate fleece jacket for fall and spring. There are plenty of days when you don't need a winter jacket but you'll need something warmer than a windbreaker, or sweatshirt. Fleece is very warm, but not the best for the really windy days, otherwise it would make a perfect winter jacket.
You'll need boots too. I'll be a freshman in the fall, but I saw what kids were wearing on one of my winter tours, and what I have is much like what they were wearing. Once again, go Columbia or LL Bean. Mine are sort of like hiking boots, but they come a little bit higher up, and are more water resistent. Hard to describe really, but they're great. And really good for walking around on ice. Get something with a thick tread. You may want to wait until you get to Mass before you buy the boots, so you can see them and try them on. Jackets can easily be ordered from catalogs or online.
Have a good pair of ski gloves. Even if you're not going to ski, they'll keep your hands the warmest. A ski band would also be a good idea. Most of the time those are just a round piece of fleece really. They cover your ears and really help when the windchill dips below 0 (which has been happening the past couple winters)
Usually in the winter I live in jeans, lightweight shirt, and a sweatshirt. Add a jacket to that and you should be fine to go outside.
You'll probably want some warm socks too. Lots of people like wool, but I think those are itchy. Try to find a sporting goods store somewhere near your school once you get here. They sell all kinds of outdoors socks. The ones I have for skiing are just a little thicker (barely) than regular socks, but they're lined with fleece (what else?) and are very warm</p>
<p>Give it up for MA! I've lived here all my life, so hopefully I can be of assistance.</p>
<p>The weather stays pretty warm (70s to 90s) until early-mid Octoberish, so whatever you're used to wearing should be fine. </p>
<p>Around then there's a funky period where it's fairly cold in the morning and at night, but very warm during the day. You can still wear summer clothes, but you'll want to have a nice warm sweatshirt/light jacket. </p>
<p>Between late November and mid-April it is COLD here. Make sure you have a nice heavy winter coat. A lot of people I know swear by those bubble jackets that they sell at The North Face, but really anything that's wool or down will do. It never really gets so cold that you would need more than 3 layers (long sleeved shirt, sweater/sweatshirt, coat). Any kind of pants are fine, but some people like to wear flannel pajama pants/long thermal underwear or something like that under them as extra insulation. I used think that was kinda silly, but this past winter I tried it and now I'm hooked. You'd be surprised how much heat you loose through your legs.</p>
<p>The most important things, though, are a really warm pair of gloves, a hat & scarf, and some nice wool socks.</p>
<p>But I doubt you'll have to buy much of that stuff beforehand, unless you really want to. They usually have pretty good sales on winter stuff starting in November, so it might be easier just to play it by ear.</p>
<p>HTH</p>
<p>MA is not cold at all.</p>
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MA is not cold at all.
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I'm sorry, but I highly disagree with that. I certainly know the experience of a cold winter in MA, having spent winter breaks there at my Uncle and Aunt's house (they live in Worcester). I always remember to wear double the layers I do here at home, especially since their house is heated by radiators.
:( BRRRRRRRRRRR...........</p>
<p>But it does get quite warm during Springtime.</p>
<p>North face all the way. Cool styles and warm clothes. That will fit in on any campus.</p>
<p>I lived in northern Minnesota for a winter a couple years ago, a couple miles from lake Superior. It was COLD--it stayed below 0 F for months, and it was windy. After a couple weeks and amusing incidents, I adjusted and it wasn't at all hard. I tried to keep up my running schedule, and in WV, it's usually fine to wear shorts all year to run, since you work up heat even if it is only 20 degrees. Well, when it is
-10 with a wind chill...not only are shorts not gonna work, but you'll want a jacket (or at least a long sleeved shirt, sweatshirt, and hoodie) and a hat with ear things. my ears got mildy frostbitten a couple times. </p>
<p>Layers are my main advice. You probably already have almost everything except a good coat, you just aren't used to wearing three things at the same time. Jeans are fine unless you are spending a lot of time outside, in which case you might want either layered pants or thermal underwear. Wool is amazingly warm and makes a good "middle" layer, so it isn't next to your skin. Don't be too scared of the cold, it isn't that hard to get used to, and snow is awesome! I really don't understand how people can stand living in hot places. I'm miserable all summer in WV, and it never gets over 100 degrees, and is usually under 90 or 95.</p>
<p>two words: wool socks.</p>
<p>everyone's suggesting northface and other outerwear brands for jackets, but if you're not in for the brand name, you might actually want to check out old navy for good jackets. i know they always put out a huge series of ski jackets come fall-- both lightweight and marshmallow style. i got a really nice down-lined one a few years ago, and its kept me warm for many-a hockey game.</p>
<p>and ditch the clogs and canvas shoes come snow season-- wet feet are no fun. boots and jeans, on the other hand, are your best friends.</p>
<p>i'd go with timberland. lots of good stuff there including jackets, wintercoats. ive lived in ny all of my life. summers are sweltering and winters are frigid. think summers 95 and above. winters 30 and below. i can only really imagine what mass is like. go with a moderate amount of sweaters and long thin shirts too.</p>
<p>Dont worry about the brand name, go to a decent outerware shop that has all kinds of different companies offering ski/board jackets</p>
<p>pick the one that you like the best. Helly Hansen makes some amazingly high quality outerware but my jacket that has gotten me through 4 downhill ski seasons is plenty good too (and I had never heard of hte manufacturer before).</p>
<p>get a columbia jacket and a warm hat. and leave whenever you can in the winter. the only good thing about winter is skiing, snow days, and christmas otherwise it sucks. good luck.</p>
<p>Having lived in Minnesota for all of my life, I can say that last winter, I only wore something more than what would considered to be a "sweater" if it was past 25 or so degrees. Then again, I am completely insane.</p>
<p>I personally only own a wool peacoat. You don't necessarily need a really heavy jacket, as long as you layer. I went to the Red Sox parade (read: outside for six hours in November in the rain) and wore a sweatshirt and my jacket. So, I guess you can either get a heavy jacket that you may be too warm in or invest in something a little lighter and wear layers.</p>
<p>Keep in mind, though, that coming from a very warm climate you're probably going to feel colder than a lot of other people. My sister grew up in MA then moved to Florida a few years ago, and now when she comes up here she is bundled up no matter how warm everyone else thinks it is.</p>
<p>thanks everyone for your replies!</p>
<p>I live in Massachusetts also. I think the best kind of jacket you can get for winter is definetely DOWN jacktets. You have to. They are riduculously well insulated and keep you very comfy. Also, on a typical January Day, if I know I will be outside for awhile, I generally put on a long shirt, Down Jacket, some sort of pants, snow pants over them, really warm socks and boots, gloves, and a hat. If it's really cold, I'll throw in a scarf too.</p>
<p>One of the most important things about outer layers is that they remain somewhat loose. Seriously, you can have the best socks and gloves and boots in the world, but if they are too tight, you get really cold really fast. </p>
<p>Also, handwarmers are your friend in the wintertime. Seriously, you should consider getting some, espescially because you are not aclimated to the extremes of weather.</p>
<p>Hope that helped!</p>
<p>An important thing about MA no one's said so far: the weather changes like CRAZY. On Mon/Tues this week the high in Boston was in the low 90's...today it was drizzling and in the 50's. Always be prepared for things like this to happen (even in the same day).</p>
<p>Ok, I'm at Bowdoin College in Maine. I came from Chapel Hill, NC. I managed to survive the winter with (on the coldest days) jeans, an undershirt, a patagonia capilene long sleeve, a leather jacket, and a hat. It really isn't that bad, you're only going from class to class.</p>
<p>What about the opposite? I'm from Alaska, and I'm soon to be in the sweltering heat of Connecticut. Don't laugh.</p>
<p>When does winter come? What are winters like? How much will I miss home?</p>
<p>Doesn't Anchorage have a rather temperate (compared to the rest of Alaska) climate?</p>