Last winter was tough on weakling West Coasters. “I fell on my arse because I tried to walk down a snowy hill wearing Wellies,” I whined. “Yeah, that reminds me of the time my car froze to the drive and I couldn’t move it for three months,” my hardy Albertan friend replied.
Of course, Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»isn’t set up for snow because typically we don’t get much of it. But this year’s forecast looks like last year’s, and since the city has vowed to prepare better, so should we. How to weatherproof our wardrobes without compromising our look or raiding our skiwear? Take tips from the experts –Ěýour brave friends in cold climes who are dealing with this shit all the time
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Best feet forward
Montrealer Frederic Boyadjian says you need breathable, waterproof footwear that fits snuggly. He also suggests zippers rather than laces. “Without zippers, you’re obliged to unlace to slip in and out of your boots, and unlaced laces in winter always end up lying in the puddle of melted snow you unavoidably carry indoors, which in turn gets the laces wet, and there’s nothing worse than tying damp, stinky, dripping laces,” he says. He likes Italian brand Olang’s boots because they have spikes on the soles that can be flipped out to grip icy pavements and tucked away when they’re not needed.Ěý Their thick soles also give you a little extra protection from slushy puddles pretending to be snow. Highly insulated, breathable and waterproof, they keep feet toasty when the temperature drops as low as -30C. They also look good –Ěýchunky and rugged, but not as if you’re about to go hiking.
Olang Dada boots, $270, see for stockists and to download the size guide.
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All about that base
Base layers aren’t just for hiking and skiing. The best ones are thin, so they don’t spoil the line of your clothes, and breathable, so you don’t get sweaty pits and bits. Multiple people recommended Icebreaker Merino, which offers various different weights and styles of leggings and tees for men and women. Ruby Tan is learning to be an outdoor guide in New Zealand and swears by Uniqlo’s Heat Tech. “I'm surprised at how well itholdsup for adventures in the back country. Itkeepsyou warm and isquick to dry,” she says.It’s less pricy than most base layers, can be washed and tumble-dried, and is designed with style in mind –Ěýlittle touches like slightly shorter sleeves that won’t peek out from under sweaters.
Heat Tech Extra Warm shirt, $24.90, at .
Women’s Oasis Leggings, $110, at Icebreaker and .
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Heads up
The idea that we lose 50 per cent of our body heat through our heads is apparently nonsense –Ěýaccording to a British Medical Journal report, it’s more like 10 per cent tops. But we still need a hat. Beatrice Joliot, who lives in Geneva, Switzerland, says a cashmere beanie is the best option. We found one from The North Face that’s soft, warm, and stylish, though, like most cashmere, it’s dry-clean only. Ěý
Cryos Cashmere Beanie, $129.99, at The North Face and .
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Get your mitts on these
Gloves need to be thin enough so you can retrieve your Compass Card or fasten a button while wearing them, but heavy enough to give warmth. Joliot likes Swedish brand Hestra, which has two collections: Dress gloves in wool-lined leather that keep you toasty to about -3C, and sporty ones that can be triple layered (liner, base and shell) for extreme weather.
Hestra Megan gloves, US$110, see for stockists.
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The big cover up
Puffer coats are in style this season, which is a good job, because they’re really the only thing that will keep biting winds at bay. Canada Goose comes recommended by some (as does Uniqlo) for its Ultra Light Down jackets –Ěýthey pack so small that Joliot says she can get three in a suitcase. We’re hankering for a jacket from Indygena, as recommended by Montrealer Vanessa Prinsen. “I was very happy with the coat I bought last year. It was surprisingly hard to find something that looked cool but didn't have fur (fake or not). Kept me toasty through a Montreal winter. Now I need to try it in Edmonton,” she says. The brand’s Ayaba jacket is long, with a high neck so you can ditch the scarf, and a detachable hood. It’s supposed to be waterproof and effective to -30C. And while it does use real duck down, it’s humanely sourced as set out by the Responsible Down Standard.
Indygena Ayabe Parka, $525, at MEC stores and .
Ultra Light Down Jacket, $89.90 at .
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Keeping it real
Ultimately, our frozen friends say, there’s only so far you can go in the effort to look stylish. “I grew up in Winnipeg and just spent the last decade in Edmonton,” says Tia Harvey-White. “For me, keeping warm wins every time over fashion. I’ve been racking my brain but the brands I love are Columbia and Sorel, which can’t necessarily be classified as fashionable.” And how do you keep things stylish for big events? Says Harvey-White: “When you are heading to a Christmas party in -40C, you wear the cute heels/boots and clothes and basically run from car to building before your face freezes off. It’s how we prairie girls do it.”
