I grew up in Wisconsin and now live near Chicago so I’m used to the cold weather.
Some good advice above. I’d add one thing:
Take into account temperature acclimation. I’m not sure exactly how it works (physiological? Mental?) but it exists, even for us cold-weather locals.
An example that I experience and observe every year - the first time it drops to 40 F in the Autumn (usually October or November, round here) us locals are shivering and putting on the winter coats. On the other hand, after a long winter, when it warms back up to 40 F (usually late March) we’re all feeling like this is balmy, glorious weather and we’ll be going out sans jacket.
If you’re coming from a warm-weather locale (California) you will not be acclimated. Prepare to dress one level warmer than the locals until you get used to it. Don’t feel self-conscious about it, just do it.
I kinda think about it as a ladder (increasing with increasing coldness. Put on more if you feel cold.)
[ul]
[li]undershirt [/li][li]long-sleeved shirt[/li][li]light fall/spring jacket or coat[/li][li]sweater or sweatshirt[/li][li]medium winter jacket or coat[/li][li]wool hat[/li][li]scarf/gloves/mittens[/li][li]heavy wool socks[/li][li]Heavy winter jacket or overcoat[/li][li]boots[/li][li]thermal undershirt/pants[/li][/ul]
Basically, the farther you go down, the bulkier and less fashionable (:D) you will be, but you will be warmer. And of course, with the coats and jackets and whatnot, I mean “replace the above jacket/coat with”, not “wear on top of.”
My family moved from Florida to Wisconsin when I was a teenager, and the thing that took us the longest to figure out was the long underwear. I’m not sure we even knew when we moved that long underwear still existed, and that it wasn’t just for pioneers or something. Anyway, it makes a BIG difference. From the waist up it’s very easy to just keep layering, but you need another layer under your pants too. I wore tights under my jeans for the first year or two, but winter leggings are much better.
I moved from a mild temperate climate to freaking freezing so I know what you are going to face.
Really do consider the thermal inner clothes that others are talking about. You can always shed them in the bathroom/privacy of your office/where-ever and stash them in your back pack between commutes. Do not wear them throughout the day - they itch like the devil and cause severe skin flaking. Then do nothing for the trip home (take it from one who learned the hard way!).
I second, third etc. say protect your feet with the best boots you can afford - if your feet are cold and wet you will want to DIE! Again, you can easily keep lighter footwear in your office or whatever space you have to change.
Dampness will make you more miserable than almost any sort of cold - so keep as dry as you can with any sort of outerwear, that includes waterproof shell jacket or parka over warm stuff, gloves, hats, scarves etc.
There is nothing worse than cold, soggy woolies that are supposed to help.
Wishing you well, and as I said, the first little while is the worst - you will get tougher.
As a rule of thumb, concentrate on the jacket, hat and hood, gloves, socks and shoes/boots. A breathy shirt and jeans are passable. Might need thermal underwear depending on your exposure.
I kinda like a thermal full face mask, It is useful protection here in our lake effect weather, when one is shoveling driveways against acres of drifting fields… Also most effective for motorized and man powered sledding. That is snowmobiling and tobogganing.
I suggest one with a mouthopening, howeveer.
I don’t live in New England, but I guess my kind of winter climate is roughly the same (from just-above to significantly-below freezing) with some wind and frequent snow and/or sleet.
The basic principles for dressing for cold and/or wet weather are:
Cover your head and neck, 'cause that’s where a lot of your heat loss comes from
Keep your feet warm and dry
Keep dry in general, including using fabrics that don’t get clammy when damp (cotton is the worst fiber in that respect!).
Dress in layers. Balance the number of layers to the activity level and don’t get sweaty and clammy.
Don’t forget the long johns in sub-freezing temps
Use a long(ish) overcoat/parka, you lose quite a bit of heat through the small of your back and your butt
IMO gloves, although not unimportant, are less important if you’re warm enough elsewhere. It’s when you start to feel cold that your body pulls blood and heat from your fingers and toes. OTOH, some people (like my wife) have chronically cold hands. I guess it’s a circulation thing.
My advice (as someone raised in the South and living in Yankee-land): learn to layer. Get comfortable putting on two sweaters/fleeces/sweatshirts. That way, you’re prepared for cold apartments as well as long walks to the T. Don’t ever forget a good hat, either, of course, but committing to layering is the non-obvious trick.
With fleece or sweaters for insulation, you don’t need a really thick or warm coat, which lets you focus on one that’s really waterproof, and easy to adjust when the New England weather suddenly warms up.
For particulars best bet is go to either the downstairs clearance rack at REI in the Fenway, or Hilton’s Tent City near North Station, and get three zip-up fleeces (and a thick wool hat if you don’t have one yet). Both those places are also excellent for good boots, but think about what you really want first: a hiking boot that’s OK for snow, rubber boots that will be completely waterproof but clammy if you wear them for long and hard to walk very far in, or just avoid boots if you’re mostly walking on cleared sidewalks.
**I think it is very important to point something out about winter clothing:
** If done in one, big, un-though-out heap that you can’t layer down, and you find yourself sitting in a 72 degree room after a cold commute/walk, you’ll start sweating, and some strange things will overcome you, and you’ll probably fall asleep. **Falling asleep in a warm classroom in winter is like inhaling a drug. **
Then you’ll spend the whole day in sweaty clothes, and your feet will be moist (yeah, I said moist), and your commute home will be hell. You’ll never warm up your moist feet and you’ll just be miserable and shivering because layering up and staying bundled up will actually hurt you.
Also, even in the 20’s, if the sun is baking on your car (should you have one), being all bundled up can be hot, sweaty and uncomfortable.
Good advice. A few years ago I bought a thick LL Bean fleece jacket for about $20. I’d then wear a Mountain Hardware waterproof jacket over it and was really comfortable all winter.
I also made the switch to Smartwool socks. I bought about 6 pairs back in 2007 and got a solid 3 years out of them (they’re expensive, but last a long time). The great thing is that they’re super comfy and keep my feet warm even when they get a little wet in the slush.
I now have a whole bunch in casual types and dress socks. LL Bean outlets will sometimes have them marked way down (which was how I got into them).
For me, the two most important things to protect myself from are The Wet, and The Wind.
THE WET: I spend lots of time on foot commuting, so I can assure you that you WILL find slush lakes at many intersections. The storm drains get clogged, and the combo of road salt and snow result in a big lake of snow, ice and water. You need boots that are waterproof up to the ankle at the very least. Beware low-lying laces and zippers which will just let in a big rush of icy slush when you step off the curb into an unexpectedly deep morass of water and ice. Don’t buy nice leather boots unless you’re prepared to wash them every time you go indoors to get the salt off them, or unless you’re willing to throw them away after one season.
THE WIND: In addition to a good coat (at least two coats if you’re smart - one for warm days (above 20) and one for cold days (below 20) you need a good scarf, hat and gloves. This is to keep out the wind. The scarf keeps drafts out of your neckline, which will chill you very very quickly if you’re walking downtown or waiting for a train or bus. The hat will keep the wind out of your ears and help prevent earaches (in addition to slowing heat loss from your head). The gloves will keep your fingers from freezing, and will keep drafts out of your coat sleeves. I don;t recommend mittens for urban commuting. When it’s really cold stick your gloved hands in your coat pockets. You should also consider a coat that covers your butt. I also have wind/rain pants that fit over my regular pants for those really cold days (below 10) L.L.Bean: Page Not Available
These potholes lurking just off the curb could be 1 inch deep, or a foot deep. And you can’t tell until you step in one. Sometimes you can’t even see them in the slush puddle, you just find them unexpectedly, as tdn did.
I can’t help but reiterate: Good, warm, waterproof boots. This is no time to go cheap or fashion-y (meaning plucked off the main racks at a discount store). (Myself, I often wear regular leather Reeboks on cold dry days, when the road pavement is bare, the sun is shining, and powdery snow skitters across the asphalt. But that’s when I’m going from transportation into a building, not walking any distance. I can walk fine on the pavement for a while, but my feet go numb after a block.) Those big heavy clunkers will become second nature to put on, and you’ll be find yourself wearing them well into spring; the day it hits 70 degrees, you’ll suddenly say, "hey, I’m wearing my winter boots! Where did I put my shoes, anyway…?
If you’re in Somerville, you may want to invest in a pair of Yaktrax, to deal with the hills. I have a knockoff pair from LL Bean that are a lifesaver getting to the bus on icy days.
