Comedy, People, Society

Dressing in Cold Weather

Tamsin in snow header
This. What is this?

This. What is this?

OK, Australia, we need to have a talk about the weather.

Today it’s 23* and forecast to rain, possibly storm. So I’m seeing a lot of different versions of what Sydney thinks is appropriate clothing for this weather.

I am a cold person. I feel the cold ridiculously. So I’ve developed many strategies over the years for coping with the cold. Also consider that I recently went to the US and Canada, where they know a thing or two about cold, and was pleased to learn my habits are not unusual over there.

With that in mind, there seems to be a lot of confusion in Australia about how to deal with cold weather. Most people seem to succumb to the same brain washing as our public transport system, living in the belief that it never rains, never gets cold, and never gets too hot (perhaps it was designed by people who live in Summer Bay).

So today I’d like to pull on my ranty pants and drop a little knowledge on you about dealing with the cold.

First off, 23* is not particularly cold. It may be sweater weather, when it’s raining, but it’s absolutely not coat weather. Especially not wool coat weather.

Secondly, when it comes to dressing for the cold, your feet are key. If your feet are warm, you are warm. To that end I want to see no more of this coat-on-top-thongs-on-feet business. Australia, you’ve got it around the wrong way.

Me. In the cold. At -4 in fact and I insisted on getting out of the car to twirl in the light snow.

Me. In the cold. At -4 in fact and I insisted on getting out of the car to twirl in the light snow.

Thirdly, your head is also pretty important. We lose something like 90%* of our body heat through our head so why no hats, Australia? Hats are a great accessory, keep your head dry, sun out of your eyes, and keep body heat in. What more could you want in a piece of clothing?

While I’m at it, what’s with coats and boots in Australia anyway? The coats look like big warm pieces of loveliness but they’re about as effective as guarding your house with a chicken when it actually drops below 18*C. And the boots? Oh my goodness the boots. The amount of pairs of boots I have tried on and asked “Can these get wet?” only to be told they can’t, in fact, get wet and it’s strongly recommended to waterproof them in case you accidentally get caught in a mist. What’s the point of boots that can’t get wet? Boots are designed to keep our feet warm and dry.

And don’t even get me started on sweaters with holes in them.

How do you deal with cold weather? Do you think we have it all wrong in Australia? 

*Not a guaranteed scientific fact. I remember hearing it somewhere once.

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  • Maryann

    I love cold weather and have no tolerance to the heat. I can’t wait for summer to be over. I always water proof my boots (it only takes a few minutes) but having said that I would never take much notice of what the sales people say in most shops as they generally know very little about the products. I agree with you about the thongs and coats thing. I had a colleague that was always complaining about how cold she was but always wore thongs to work!

    I am not a hat person but then I don’t find a need one in winter in Australia. Perhaps overseas in the middle of winter that may change. I love coats, scarves, gloves etc. it is one reason I always travel to Europe between Oct and March as it gives me a reason to wear all these items much more than in Australia.

    • https://kikiandtea.com/ Tamsin Howse

      Yes! last winter I didn’t get to wear gloves at all, I was really disappointed. This year I’m hoping for a really cold winter so I can bundle up. I adored being all snoodled up in Canada and Colorado.

  • Casey

    I agree with you so much about the boots. They’re my favourite thing to wear in winter because I can walk in them comfortably and don’t have to change my shoes to walk to the train station because of the wet grass etc – and yet, it’s rare to find ones that are waterproof. Isn’t that kind of the point of boots?
    I tend to run hot so in 23 degree weather I’m wearing a sleeveless shirt and a light weight cardigan. I’m the person who puts the heater on inside as a last resort and is always telling others to just put on some heavy socks and slippers or not sit around so much! (Yep, I’m that annoying person). I’m a big fan of layering so there’s no need for coats until winter. No jumpers for me either until it’s seriously cold! It drives me crazy when people complain about the cold, crank the heater up, and yes, they’re wearing a jumper, but they’re also wearing shorts and thongs. I can’t understand their logic :)

  • http://www.jfgibson.com.au/ Jodi Gibson

    I feel the cold too Tamsin and agree we could learn a thing or two from the Americans and the Europeans. The key is layering. I always figure, you can take it off but if you don’s,have it you can’t put it on. I love my boots (weatherproof of course) warm coat scarves and gloves in winter. You can never be too warm – and thick woolen stockings or socks. Perfect!

  • http://Carlyfindlay.blogspot.com/ Carly Findlay

    We’ve got it wrong in Australia! I am loving dressing for the cold in the USA :) scarves, boots, hats and warm coats :)

  • 26 Years & Counting

    Thankfully I don’t really feel the cold…but AAAH you think it’s bad in Sydney, try Brisbane! Sheesh. I like scarves as much as the next person but even in winter it’s barely cold enough to wear them here. I rarely wore a jumper at school and people constantly used to ask me if I was from “down south”. And I’m with you on the subject of boots – clothes need to be practical as well as pretty. Boots that can’t get we are fairly useless.

    • Jessica Chapman

      Ah the Queenslanders. I went up there in early August last year; after so many people insisted that ‘it gets cold at night’ I packed only closed in shoes (no boots, only like ballet flats) and spent the entire time with sweaty feet wishing I’d brought sandals. Also at night my Grandma would ask if we wanted the heater on when I was about to ask if we could open the windows to get some breeze. I should have known considering whenever my cousin visits from up there in winter we fight about the car air-conditioning setting, which usually ends in me telling her that if she’s so cold she should put some shoes on and stop punishing me for dressing appropriately for the weather.

  • Jessica Chapman

    I lived a year in Albury, which gets the winds of the Victorian alps, all the houses were built with some form of heating in mind and people dressed sensibly for the cold. I spent the next winter in Sydney ranting at people who complained about being cold about the uselessness of polyblend and the virtues of a high wool content. Probably a bit mean of me considering I don’t feel the cold much.

  • http://www.ispyplumpie.com/ Liz @ I Spy Plum Pie

    Ugh, I totally agree. It’s not just our clothes that we get wrong, but our houses too. We don’t insulate them properly and we don’t shade our windows to stop them getting too hot in summer, and as a result we need to blast the heaters and air-con for half the year! I’m all about the layering – I figure if I survived winter in northern Europe then I can cope with Melbourne!