“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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Insulated boots and winter socks - both help in keeping your feet toasty warm.
- Good quality coat – whatever the style, the thicker the better.
- 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.