<p>i'm trying to come up with a list of things i need to buy for chicago.....any tips on the stuff i need to survive the winter? does anyone know of any good stores that sell winter items for a relatively cheap price?</p>
<p>Well, it depends where you are located...</p>
<p>I'll assume you are somewhere warm (otherwise you would probobly know the answer and have the items you need). That will make it harder to reccomend a store (also, a lot of outerware stores are regional so we would have to know where you are). You could try finding a place with a clearance section from the winter or else you could wait until you're in chicago and the winter is coming and get someone to go help you buy what you need.</p>
<p>i guess i should have mentioned that i'm from texas</p>
<p>If you can afford it, this will take the bite out of the "Hawk."</p>
<p>that's massive overkill :)</p>
<p>Best suggestion:</p>
<p>Wait.</p>
<p>It does not get that cold in Chicago until early October (just kidding - first frost averages mid October, real cold usually not until after Thanksgiving.) You'd be best off coming in the fall with what you have and scoping out the local scene once you get here. You'll probably find you'll wait until you go home for Thanksgiving, or even Christmas, before doing any serious shopping. If you need something sooner, a good selection of stores is only a short bus ride or train ride away from Hyde park. And, there's always on line buying. </p>
<p>What you don't want to do is buy what's in style where you are only to come to Chicago and find out you get laughed at. I'm exaggerating, but you get the idea. There is no substitute for local knowledge from your RAs, Head Resident Advisor, upper class peers etc. Besides, local stores stock what works, and fits in, locally.</p>
<p>There is no style in Chicago, let alone at the University, where 90% of the student body wouldn't know fashion if even it were the solution to a math equation. They have no fashion sense whatsoever. Khakis and plaid button up shirts are wayy to common. What's in style in most places doesn't even reach Chicago for another 1-2 years, so your safe. People still wear trucker hats in Chicago as if it were trendy. </p>
<p>With a The North Face or Orvis jacket, you can't go wrong.</p>
<p>It's actually quite hard to explain what you need for the winter (exept for the basics like dressing in layers is better than one big coat and that cotton is bad) to someone who isn't familiar.</p>
<p>Living in minnesota and being a skier, its a knoweldge that just kind of comes to me. I look out side and know what to put on for the weather.</p>
<p>Just wait until you can see what other people own.</p>