<p>So I'm most likely going to the north next year for college, almost certain, and so I figure I'll need some warm stuff. What kind of coats do people wear up there when it's snowing and blizzarding and sleeting and windy and all that other kind of stuff? Where do you buy them?</p>
<p>I have a columbia sportswear northern trek II parka. It's great, insulated, weatherproof, breathable, layered, etc. The only thing is I wish it has a hood, but then again that'll probably ruin the aesthetics of the jacket. </p>
<p>Columbia makes great ourdoors stuff, kinda expensive, but very good quality, durable, and warm. Other companies you can check out are North Face, LLBean, Eddie Bauer, etc. They all make good outdoors stuff.</p>
<p>This is a really good thread on this topic: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/514274-wardrobe-new-england.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/514274-wardrobe-new-england.html</a>.</p>
<p>I would do a search if you want other ideas, but I think it just about covers everything.</p>
<p>I wear a large, puffy Columbia jacket. It's for men, but I wear it anyways cuz it keeps me really warm. I usually layer stuff under it for additional insulation.</p>
<p>It really won't matter, anything reasonable will work. I say this as someone who moved from Hawaii, to Texas, to Georgia, to middle of nowhere, 6 feet of snow, upstate New York. For the first few weeks it'll be tough, but nothing throwing a hoodie on underneath the jacket won't fix. Within a year I was shoveling snow in sweats and sneakers.</p>
<p>get a trench coat like in the matrix</p>
<p>As one that lives up in the upper midwest since age 1.5, I think I have a bit of authority.</p>
<p>Get a warm hat, burly gloves (thicker, heavier, equals better), warm socks, scarf and LAYERS! I recommend North Face, Columbia, or any of those brands. </p>
<p>Buy them when you get there, its much easier to find a market when there is a need. Go to the dept store and find the coats, and stuff. </p>
<p>H&M also has fantastic accessories as well.</p>
<p>I wear a firetrap bomber jacket (I live in Canada).</p>
<p>Land's End has great winter jackets (as well as outerwear for other seasons) that are high quality but still reasonably priced. That's where my parents usually bought me jackets as a kid, and that's where I got the winter coat I have today.</p>
<p>I have several pea coat-esqe jackets, and a "puffy" one, too. Which one I wear depends on the weather for the day. Oh, and I second the layering suggestion!</p>
<p>Just get some sort of thick coat (i.e. Columbia, North Face, etc. though there are much cheaper options) and wear lots of layers.</p>
<p>Some advice, wait UNTIL you get up there. I live up north and you can get winter coats cheap if you look for a sale or something, and everyone up here knows what ones are good and such...</p>
<p>u need layers, and by layers i mean that you need long underwear, a comfortable number of shirts/sweaters/sweatshirts, topped off with a down parka</p>
<p>All of these suggestions are good. North Face has great stuff, but be fore-warned, they are pretty expensive. LLBean, Patagonia, and Columbia are also good.</p>
<p>But PLEASE do not get a peacoat, everyone has a peacoat. I'll admit, they do look nice, but resist the temptation, there are other options if you want the stylish look. Try Gap if you want to go this route.</p>
<p>Interesting thread here, especially the style vs function debate. (I spent a few winters in upstate NY so ignore current SoCal location.) If you don't want to ruin the aesthetics of a coat by having a hood, then you'll likely need a wide, thick scarr, or wear a hoodie underneath the coat.</p>
<p>Layers underneath the coat are very important. Skiers and boarders do it. Think of this at the cellular level, the more layers, the more overlapping cloth will cover the gaps. Plus, this makes it easier to layer down when you end up in some building where the heat is cranked too high. </p>
<p>A hat and a good pair of thick gloves (again, go function, not style) will be essential. A lot of head does escape through the head and unless you're planning on carrying around a steaming cup of Joe all the time, the gloves are a god send.</p>
<p>It was 40 below wind chill this weekend and I was outside shoveling in a Columbia coat - not the most stylish but definitely the best option for the bitterly cold bone chilling days (of course I also had ski pants, face mask, boots, headband, scarf and gloves). When the temps are in the teens to 30's I generally wear a lighter weight more fashional down jacket. I'm not sure exactly where in the north you are going but if it is anywhere in the northern plains (Minnesota, WI, Dakotas, Montana) you definitely need to get something warm and not worry too much about how it looks.</p>
<p>I found a nice long winter coat in a thrift shop and it's really warm and it was incredibly cheap for the quality. Sometimes, you should check out cheaper options, it's hard to find a good coat but you never know what you might find. </p>
<p>But if you're looking for a good coat and somewhere that's guaranteed, macys, gap, northface (My friend has this enormous coat that looks so warm) or columbia.</p>
<p>there's a slim chance I will be going to UMich. Got in, but can we afford it is the question. Otherwise I'll be going to the northeast. What's wrong with peacoats? I think they look pretty cool.</p>
<p>I highly suggest Columbia's and North Face. You can look at LL Bean, JC Penny, Sears, North Face stores (online), Gander mountain, Dick's sporting goods.</p>
<p>nothings wrong with peacoats. they're more fashionable but wearing layers is still key</p>