# Dressing in layers **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 8, 2007, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-in-layers/391350 "2007-02-08T13:48:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2007, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-in-layers/391350/41 "2007-02-10T01:43:47Z")
Oh, and thin cotton socks under thick SmartWool socks. Have to send a shout out about SmartWool socks, best I’ve ever had. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2007, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-in-layers/391350/42 "2007-02-10T03:41:57Z")
[QUOTE=featherlou] Those of you with fifteen pairs of socks on might want to look into [Sorels.](http://www.sorel.com/) They’re Canadian-approved. 😃 [/QUOTE] They are the best when it comes to the deep freeze, but the darn things keep pulling my socks down to my toes. Sometimes I wonder if there are boot fairies lying in wait in my boots, eager to tug off my socks. When the snow is packed down, I’ve taken to wearing fuzzy slippers – warm, easy on / easy off, and they don’t pull my socks off. (But I still keep a big down sleeping bag and a pair of Sorels in the car, just in case.) ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2007, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-in-layers/391350/43 "2007-02-10T03:44:03Z")
[QUOTE=Who\_me?] Sorry, it hasn’t been cold enough in Baltimore or DC (where I work) to worry about layers. Socks, shoes, undershorts, pants, shirt, and denim jacket has been enough for me so far. [/QUOTE] > [@gingerofthenorth](#): > > Ditto, minus the socks most days, and add appropriate female undergarments. Also, not a denim jacket but either a light fleece or leather. Are you two nuts? 😉 It’s been freaking FREEZING here lately. When you’re outside for part of the workday, you _need_ layers. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2007, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-in-layers/391350/44 "2007-02-10T04:23:43Z")
**Ginger** , would you care to share with us the coldest temp you experienced before moving to the relative tropics? (Folks, her name isn’t **GingerOfTheNorth** for nothing.) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2007, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-in-layers/391350/45 "2007-02-10T04:34:55Z")
[QUOTE=Winston Smith] I almost pissed myself one winter day a couple years ago - it was my first time wearing my new farmer john long underwear, and I was alarmingly unfamiliar with the quickest way to unlimber my meat. [/QUOTE] The only quick way with that many layers (ie jeans, long underwear, underwear) is to just reach in and fix it, preferably when no ones looking, especially if you work in food service. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2007, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-in-layers/391350/46 "2007-02-10T13:54:41Z")
[QUOTE=Muffin] Aside from looking warm when being worn, it is as aesthetically pleasing as a pile of cinder blocks. [/QUOTE] Hey, don’t go knocking the cinder blocks. They’re very college chic. I actually still have a cinder block shelf here in the computer room, mostly because **available light** hasn’t decided what else to replace it with yet. Plus, this is more my domain anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2007, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-in-layers/391350/47 "2007-02-10T22:09:12Z")
[QUOTE=Muffin] They are the best when it comes to the deep freeze, but the darn things keep pulling my socks down to my toes. Sometimes I wonder if there are boot fairies lying in wait in my boots, eager to tug off my socks. \ [/QUOTE] Mine don’t do that at all. Maybe I shook my boot fairies out. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![badkittypriestess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8baadc/32.png) [@badkittypriestess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badkittypriestess)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2007, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-in-layers/391350/48 "2007-02-10T22:36:14Z")
On really freezing cold days I wear: Usual girly undergarments leggings 2 prs. of socks (I always wear 2 prs. no matter what) jeans Long sleeve shirt sweatshirt snow pants boots gloves knit hat w/ear flaps scarf 😃😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2007, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-in-layers/391350/49 "2007-02-11T00:07:25Z")
Today outside with my Boy Scout troop, I wore … on bottom half: panty hose thermal long johns pajama bottoms knee socks pants (old size 22 ones from when I used to be fat. I needed a loose pair to fit over all the layers) knee-high insulated boots. On the upper half: thermal long sleeve shirt hubby’s undershirt cotton long sleeve turtleneck big old size 22 thick wool turtleneck parka scarf hat ear muffs silk glove liners insulated gloves. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2007, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-in-layers/391350/50 "2007-02-11T11:20:02Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] Didn’t Mark Twain have a line about the coldest winter he ever spent…? [/QUOTE] Yup! It’s that blasted wind. I think they make more money at Fisherman’s Wharf in July and August selling fleece jackets to shocked Kansans wearing shorts and tank tops than they do on all the other tchotchkes. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2007, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-in-layers/391350/51 "2007-02-11T11:42:13Z")
Since I don’t have to spend a lot of time outside, I don’t need to layer too heavily. Work clothes include jeans, socks, and sneaks, topped with a mock turtle or a T under a slightly more professional looking shirt. Over all this goes my red fleece jacket, my red fleece hat, and my red gloves. If there’s supposed to be significant white stuff on the ground (not yet this year) I’ve got boots. If I get a chill in the office (which I usually do) I have a jacket/sweater thing to put on in cubicle land. But for my commute, unless I have to stop and fill up my car, I spend all of 2 minutes outside as I walk from the parking lot to the front door at work. And at home, I might be outside all of 5-10 minutes when I take the doggies out to tend to their business. If I was forced to linger in Mother Nature’s frosty embrace, I’ve got a leather coat and several scarves and even a cape if necessary. But being civilized and all (I am too civilized!!) I stay indoors when it’s cold. ---
**Author:** ![ryobserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@ryobserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryobserver)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2007, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-in-layers/391350/52 "2007-02-12T02:22:00Z")
I share the climate with **Twickster** but I walk to work, so I have fewer layers on the torso but probably more on the extremities. On the really cold days lately it’s gone like this: Normal underwear Thin liner socks Long johns Wooly socks (over the long johns) Trousers T-shirt Turtleneck shirt Light fleece jacket/sweater Lightweight balaclava (remove before entering retail establishments) Long fleece scarf wound twice Extra-thick windblock fleece earband Fleece hat Big puffy coat Knitted wristovers (sort of extra-long fingerless gloves) Thin liner gloves Fleece mittens I’m a big fan of polyester fleece. I’m an even bigger fan of socks with Coolmax fiber blended in. My feet sweat quite a bit and I used to be plagued by clammy freezing feet in winter and just clammy feet in summer; Coolmax-blend light hiking socks (cotton or wool blend as appropriate) leave my feet dry and happy. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-in-layers/391350/53 "2007-02-12T15:17:02Z")
[QUOTE=Muffin] Which is where my uncle lives. Please don’t tell me that you are an environmentalist, as I am, for I am still concerned that we might be each other’s doppelgänger [/QUOTE] :eek: You too? It runs in the family, you might say. My grandfather was an activist and inventor as well, and ran for Parliament back in the fifties in Peterborough. My mother worked for the NDP campaign in the elections back in the seventies, knew Ed Broadbent, and once told me that she would have gone into politics if it weren’t for raising us kids (mostly me, by that point in the early eighties). Some of my closest friends are activists and radical solar-house designers. And besides, environmental groups and allied political parties such as the NDP (and later, the Greens) have always had the smartest and most passionate (i. e., “best”) women. I really noticed this at all-candidates’ meetings. 🙂 Back to the OP: I bought a beautiful hand-knitted sweater on the weekend to round out my layers. Now, with my hand-knitted ultra-socks and Sorels, my feet were toasty-warm and happy while I was lumbering around out in the Bancroft snow and sliding down the hill in the driveway with my Haitian frends and their kids this weekend. The only part that was cold was my legs, and that’s only because I hadn’t put on a second layer there. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2007, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-in-layers/391350/54 "2007-02-12T16:37:46Z")
I often don’t put two layers on my legs. I’m not sure why, but the cold doesn’t seem to bother them much. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2007, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-in-layers/391350/55 "2007-02-12T19:30:31Z")
[QUOTE=MissMossie] I loves me some layers! [/QUOTE] Couldn’t help noticing you’re from Radford. That is my hometown. Are you from there, or perhaps attending the university? What is the temp today? How is Radford, anyway? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dressing-in-layers/391350.md?page=2)