Warm Winter Must Haves

Temperatures have been freezing lately. Just this Saturday temperatures dropped so low that it hit the top 5 of coldest nights for the Netherlands since 1901. My parents reported -20 Celsius in their backyard and here on the West coast is was still a freezing -16 when I woke up around 9 AM. Trains aren’t running, the roads are a mess and which weather like that you have to dress accordingly. These are my winter must have items that keep me warm despite the freezing cold (esp. on those windy train platforms yuck!)

1. A nice & warm winter coat.

I guess this first item is also the most important one: a warm coat. A coat with wool added to it works wonders, just make sure your coat has 60% wool or more into it and it should be warmer instantly. I have two wool coats and the reason why I picked this one is because it has a zipper from top to bottom which is protected from drafts by two slabs of fabric. Another good thing about it is that it is padded on the inside too and the hood can add extra warmth when you put it on. This red coat came for H&M sale a few years ago and cost me €15.

2. A decent pair of shoes

Cold feet are the worst thing on the planet in my opinion so no sneakers or wedges for me these days. No, I opt for my Doc Marten’s Jenny with wool lining. They have a good set of soles giving you plenty of traction on the snow and the leather and wool keep your feet warm. I bought these last year for a whooping €170 but they were well worth it.

3. Warm gloves/ mittens

Another part of you body that should not be cold are your hands. Now I don’t know about you, but my hands are the first things that will start to freeze at any point, however these gloves/mittens definitely keep the cold at bay for a while. They are by a brand called Thinsulate with specializes in survival/ hiking gear. I especially love how it’s a glove and a mitten all in one go. Mittens actually keep your hands warmer than gloves but make it hard to grab things so the combo is ideal. I bought these years ago and honestly can’t even remember where I got them.

4. Scarf

These days I really cannot go without a scarf. I wear one with my outfit but I top it off with this woolen one when I go outside. A wool scarf is quite possibly the warmest option you’ve got. If you don’t have one, then this is definitely a must have. Make sure it is long enough so it can cover your chest as well. Again: keeps you warm. I bought this years ago at a store which now since doesn’t exist anymore.

5. Ice hat

The last thing you need is a warm hat: something that will cover your ears and maybe even part of your face for ultimate protection. I have the two pictured above. They’re not cool or sexy looking but they get the job done just fine. I bought the one at the left when I first started university and the other one I bought in Dublin. Don’t remember how much each of them cost.

The final tip I can give you is layering your clothing. I wear leggings underneath my jeans and I wear at least 4 layers of tank tops/ t-shirts/ sweaters etc. Does it look nice? No. But it keeps you warm and cozy and it prevents your toes from freezing off, which for me, standing around cold, windy train stations all the time is a must have for me. I’d rather look and feel like Humpty Dumpty than freeze half to death.

What do you do to keep warm?