Hi parents we are packing for my freshman kid and were wondering if a long dawn coat is necessary, or a normal dawn coat is enough for NH winter. Thank you!
My daughter never had a long coat (and I don’t even think it was real down); New Haven is not quite as frigid as inland areas as the Sound moderates things. But our family is from suburban NYC area, so cold is just a fact of life.
IME, based on DS, he wouldn’t wear a long coat even if it were required; a lot depends on the kid. Last winter was pretty grim, but DS still ran around in sneakers.
Where are you from? A Florida kid might not be as impervious as a kid from Maine.
If this is for a boy, absolutely forget about it. I’d say the same for a girl, though some girls will welcome the length (which can impede) and like the look of a long coat.
Try to practice layering clothing for your new college kid. You don’t want to get all cotton items, but rather close-to-the-body items, like long t’s and short-sleeve t’s which will breathe: think the Under Armour type workout shirts the young people wear.
Look around at different web site and figure out what the best new materials are for layering the upper portion of the body, as well as the lower region, each of which can react to cold quite differently. One will be more exposed at the legs than the torso, necessarily.
For a girl, I like thin silk under things from … The Clymb, I think is where I purchased such things. They are not the only ones, however. LLBean, Lands End, Sierra Trading Post and REI (I’m not really steering you this way, these guys are expensive) will be your friends for new materials, made in the most contemporary manner.
It’s been mentioned here before, but WOOL SOCKS (sorry for yelling). I wear them year round. When your feet are warm, you are warm. They also deal well with getting wet.
They are not inexpensive, but Smart Wool or, my favorite, Point6 are good brands.
I’m going to disagree here. A down coat (not necessarily a long one) would be good for the months of January, February and March, especially if your child chooses to go on a Yale sponsored ski trip (my son went on several of these). And, if your child is from are California, Florida, Central America, or the tropics – where -10 degrees is not something they’ve ever experience – I’d say spring for the down coat over layers. And get the WOOL SOCKS too!
Well, of course, your mileage may vary, but my California kid did just fine bearing with the cold of the Boston area. He did get sick once in freshman year, and again once in sophomore year, but it’s not the cold that makes one sick, it’s the plethora of germs about.
Wool socks are a great idea, I will agree.
They are not inexpensive, but some hi-tech thin coats can keep a body warm in cold and windy weather. Columbia had one made out of something that was light and thin, breathed, but reflected body heat back to the wearer. I was unhappy that DS bought it because it looked much too flimsy, but he stayed toasty, so I was wrong. Alas, he lost it, and his pathological frugality keeps him from replacing it. He got something nearly as good at a department store, for a lot less money.
Again the consensus seems to be wait and let the student see what everyone wears as opposed to rushing out and buying coat/boots now. I’ve got to admit as a native california (as is kiddo) we are not well versed in this department. I will put it on the list of learning curve items for sonny boy. Are there any New Haven area retailers that anyone would suggest for buying these items as opposed to ordering them in line and having them disappear in the Yale post office black hole?..
online would be the way to go. There’s certainly nowhere walkable, or even within a mile or two, that I can think of. There are some $$$$$ clothing stores near the bookstore…
IIRC there’s a Denali store with winter clothes on Broadway near the bookstore - not sure about selection or prices but a nearby option anyway.
Thank you for your advice! I think it is better for her to wait and see!
I have to disagree with waiting. My daughter was born and raised in CT. She even asked for a long coat because you have to walk to class even in the worst weather as Yale never seemed to cancel class. She also has a nice Northface jacket with layers built into it. This past winter was VERY mild for CT. She still needed both jackets. Also a good pair of boots that are easy on and off and waterproof. I also agree with the wool socks. We are not in the Arctic by any means but we are in an area where the weather can change at the drop of a hat and you can go from 80 degrees to severe snowstorm in October and zero power so you wont want to be stuck freezing in a dorm room because you wanted to wait and see how cold it actually gets. Just my opinion.
I am going to half-way disagree! Don’t get a long coat- but get one long enough to cover her backside. Mine fought me on this (b/c she was sure a short coat would be fine) but when the really cold weather hit she called to say that she hadn’t realized how much of a difference those few inches of coverage make in staying warm. But pretty much nobody has all-the-way long coats.
I just posted in the parents thread (but realized that I was thinking of this thread) my recommendation of low ‘duck boot’ type footwear for inclement weather. Great for rain, snow, and slush. Both my college kids had and used them frequently. Wet feet are a misery!
Definitely agree on the duck boots (rubber bottom, leather top) - pretty useful in the New Haven climate.
Perhaps we use coat to differing degrees. Something which stops at the waist line, at the belt, is not a coat to me, but a jacket.
Yes, cover the tush and keep that inner layer piece of clothing tucked into the pants or skirt or shorts ( I wore shorts and boots in winter 'cause of my bohemian nature, I guess.)
@bookmobile @canoe2015
Purchased in New Haven or are they and online, ship to kiddo kind of thing?
@tonymom - Either, I guess, though I never trust the Yale P.O. Sounds like others have had success with packages, though. If you are doing mail order, maybe wait until after the beginning-of-term rush.
The footwear I bought my students were the Bass brand “mocs,” but LL Bean and others sell the same sort of thing.
@tonymom I know that over Labor day weekend last year, we saw a LOT of Yale students (they all were wearing gear of some kind) that were shopping at the outlet malls. There is an LLBean there as well as a few other really great shops for winter clothing. I know that my daughters friends have also taken a shuttle of some kind to the mall in Milford CT. There may be a shuttle of some kind as the outlets are only about 30 min from campus. You might want to look into that.