<p>How much wintery gear do I need in general? There aren’t any blizzards, right? I’m just trying to find an excuse to pack as little winter stuff as possible, because of their bulk.</p>
<p>shoot… almost forgot my skis!</p>
<p>back on topic:</p>
<p>people from my area usually wear “Spyder” brand jackets during the winter. I was wondering if i would look like a total moron down there if im the only one sporting a spyder jacket. Believe me these things are nothing but subtle, their extremely flashy and (recently) trendy. They even come with built in eye glass cloths!.</p>
<p>You’ll be fine. Northface somewhat dominates, but I think for a reason. I wanted a light jacket, and since Northface is a pretty reputable brand, and it seemed to be popular for fall/spring weather, I got the standard fleece. Let me tell you, it’s an amazing jacket, and if my current one ever wears out, I’d definitely get a second. I also got a waterproof outer-shell for it, which I use in wet weather (the fleece zips in for cold, rainy winter days, or I wear it plain for spring rain). So, Northface dominates mainly for style and purpose. But, I’ve seen all sorts of other wet-winter-jackets, including your Spyder, LL Bean, etc.
Also, people wear peacoats, leather coats, tweed, or just plain ole sweatshirts a lot too. Some days it might be in the 30s, dry, and sunny, so you really don’t need a heavy winter coat.
As for winter clothes, if you plan on going home for fall break, I’d leave everything wintery at home. Bring some jeans/pants and maybe a sweatshirt and a light jacket, and that will definitely get you through until the first week of October (fall break). Send home some of your shorts/tees, and start bringing some of the heavier stuff during fall break, and maybe hold off on the serious winter stuff until Thanksgiving, at which point any left over pure-summer stuff (shorts, tanks, etc) can be sent home. Then reswitch over spring break (although, SB is something like Feb28-March4…so, winter won’t be completely over).<br>
It just depends on how much stuff/clothes you have. Some girls may have a ton of summer stuff and won’t have space for any winter stuff at first. I had the problem of the fact that I still wear t-shirts and tanks in the winter, I just layer or wear a heavier coat outside. Guys, on the other hand, have it much easier.<br>
One more note on clothes: BB&B and Target and The Container Store and all of those types of stores have those plastic drawers that are see-through. I HIGHLY suggest that if you and your roommate know you guys have a lot of clothes (ahem, girls), each of you could go out and buy 3-4 of the stacking drawers and then just stacks them all up in a corner or somewhere. They’re very cheap, especially with 20% off coupons (BB&B and Linens n Things), they last for awhile, and they stack perfectly. I knew two girls in on-grounds housing for upperclassmen that had them and it was a great idea. Plus, you really don’t have to limit them to clothes. Put toiletries, food, movies, school stuff, whatever, in them. They’re just great, overall, thanks to the see-through drawers, stackability, and price.</p>
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<p>And I suppose those who aren’t sure are caught in a dilemma, right? 
Ah well. Will layering say, a light coat over a long-sleeve on top of a t-shirt suffice even there’s snow on the ground?</p>
<p>Probably. Get it shipped if you aren’t going home. Or, just make room in your room. There won’t be snow on the ground until probably December. You’d be fine without really heavy stuff until Thanksgiving, just layer. Really, your problem is going to class, going to get food, and the other misc trips (for others, frats/parties). Once inside, most buildings are plenty warm.</p>
<p>This topic is very odd. Coming from Florida, I am literally in a T-shirt and shorts 95% of the time. When I go to NY to see my mom during Thanksgiving, I basically pack a UVa hoody and a few pairs of blue jeans and I’m fine even if it’s 30 degrees outside. Why is everybody obsessing with giant winter coats like they live in Canada?</p>
<p>Because it goes lower than 30 degrees, it gets wet, and a 15min walk to classes in the bitter, blowing cold, everyday, gets really old really quick. But, you prove the point that you really only need one heavy jacket and a light jacket, and something waterproof (or an umbrella). I’m a girl so I’m programmed to change my fashion-mind every year, which is why I have three coats and a fleece. That and I wear light shirts underneath.</p>
<p>The more humid it is, the worse it feels. After visiting Richmond over the winter, in my mind a 30 degree day in Canada or New York (most of the time) feels a lot warmer than a 30 degree day in Richmond. With high humidity, and when the wind picks up, the cold is extremely raw. A wet, windy cold will chill you to the bone very quickly.</p>