<p>@romani, thanks that really helped, and yea it was kind of obvious lol, doh!</p>
<p>When is the best time to buy winter wear?</p>
<p>Hat, gloves, boots and a good winter coat. I agree that it doesn’t need to be a Northface - my dd would not wear one. She has a good wool jacket that layers well with sweaters and blazers. I think the key is to layer. She also has a few pair of cords. A new addition from last year’s gap year in northwest England is wool tights.</p>
<p>Not many people wear Northface around here, I guess because a lot of people try to dress well so in winter most girls will wear peacoats and scarves in winter.</p>
<p>I think thermals are completely unnecessary, and it gets fairly cold where I live. Even if it’s -10 degrees out, I can walk around in jeans or even a skirt with leggings and boots and feel fine! The important thing is hats and gloves. Ears, hands and feel get cold and numb the fastest and start to physically hurt if you’re in the cold too long. </p>
<p>Boots are ideal for winter too, since sneakers/flat shoes often don’t work in the snow or slush - when I wear sneakers in snow, they end up filled with icy water and my toes freeze.</p>
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<p>Spring 
(seriously though, that’s when the best deals are). </p>
<p>Last year we went in October because it was a ridiculously cold winter IIRC. If you’re on a budget, just look for the best deals, but I would definitely get them before November :).</p>
<p>I’ve lived in Texas, the pgh. It’s just a hassle getting all of the snow gear on for a 10-15 minute walk. You actually get hot. There a lot of southerners who only wear gloves and hats when it dips below freezing, or when there are bad gusts. I put my hands in my pockets and where a hood. Yes, bring them, I have a pair of gloves and a hat, but it’s only for when it get’s bad. Also, gloves are horrible if you smoke.</p>
<p>D is going from FL to Minn and she’s so tired of people telling her “You know how cold it is there?”… We got her a rain jacket and one winter jacket from Lands End, then found a Gap down jacket at the goodwill, brand new. Guess the person just moved from the north! She is looking for sweaters at the thrift stores too. She’s not a fashionista, so it’s all good.</p>
<p>^The only thing about Minn is that it’s so flat that the windchill there is ridiculous. I have family in MN and they routinely have days well below 0. That’s a place where you really need a scarf to wear around the face lol.</p>
<p>OP: I routinely go out in 20-30 degree weather with a t-shirt and jeans. You’ll be fine if you throw on a leather jacket.</p>
<p>You may want a warmer jacket, though - at least until you get used to colder weather. Either a wool jacket (like a peacoat) or a winter jacket (North Face, Mountain Hardware, Columbia, etc.) would be a good idea. You don’t need “snow gear” if it’s just a little chilly outside.</p>
<p>It depends i dont wear a jacket to school or anywhere any more because i got from my house to my car to parking lot to class and vise versa. No point in jackets and plus it makes driving my car uncomfortable.</p>
<p>To to the OP I’m also going to purdue, I actually live in indiana and trust me it goes well below 30 degrees. Are you from india? I was born there. Just wear jeans, basketball shoes, hoodie and coat. you’ll be fine then</p>
<p>If the leather jacket is lined with something warm (fleece or fur) then it should be fine for 20+ degree weather. Anythign lower than that and you’ll need a real winter coat. I have two (a peacoat for the warmer/need-to-be-fancier/not enjoying the snow days and a old Northface I’ve had for five years which is for the colder/wetter/messier days). </p>
<p>And yes, jeans are generally fine in the cold although you will eventually get numb. I wore jeans in -10 degree weather and it was painful after a while but not unbearable. Tights/leggings are too thin though. </p>
<p>Good gloves are necessary. Faux-fur/leather or real fur/leather are the best. Don’t use the cheap knitted ones- they don’t do anything and just soak through easily.</p>
<p>um just bring anything you think you would need for the sterotypical winter and go from there</p>
<p>I know this is to purdue but what about up in Pennsylvania coming from TX and having never seen snow?</p>
<p>(also that guy was joking about the northface crap? cause that’s just odd)</p>
<p>^ He’s a ■■■■■. </p>
<p>In Penn, pretty much all the same rules apply as for Purdue. </p>
<p>As I’ve said, get a “native” to take you shopping. They’ll help you :).</p>