What to wear when it’s cold out there

 “I don’t know what to wear.”

As a young woman, I admit this is a phrase that I have said on more than one occasion. However, this morning, with temperatures in Toronto reaching -21C, it had a whole other meaning – warmth was my main focus, not so much style.

I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way, and not just in Toronto. In New Brunswick, warnings have been issued for the entire province, where temps were between -35 and -38 overnight and into this morning. This morning In Quebec City, it felt like -42 with the wind chill, while Ottawa was a brisk -38 with the wind chill.

So, I looked up some clothing tips to help us survive this latest icy blast. Here’s what I found:

  1. Wear a base layer – this layer goes directly next to the skin, and will keep moisture away from your body to help you stay dry and warm. Synthetic materials are a good choice. Avoid cotton because it absorbs moisture easily and takes a long time to dry in the cold.
  2. Dress in Layers - wear many thin warm layers versus thick layers. It will insulate you better, and allow you to take off layers if needed.
  3. Dress appropriately for activity - waiting at the bus stop during your morning commute will require dressing differently than cross country skiing 10 km at the cottage. Keep that in mind.
  4. Insulated boots and winter socks - both help in keeping your feet toasty warm.
  5. Good quality coat – whatever the style, the thicker the better.
  6. Don’t forget your head and fingers – The extremities can get very cold very quickly.  Your head can lose up to 20% of the body’s heat, so the quickest and simplest thing to do to stay warm is wear a hat. Your fingers are also very vulnerable to the cold temps, so wear a pair of mittens or gloves.

Check out these other tips to help keep you safe in cold weather and avoid risks such as hypothermia or frostbite.

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