Remember the balmy December? Well, Mother Nature is back with a vengeance and it’s time to bundle up. With predicted single digit highs, CU students are learning how to bundle up fast.
Chris Ball, a 19-year-old sophomore architecture major, said any coat good enough for the slopes is good enough for the streets.
“I wear my Nike jacket,” Ball said. “It’s thick and water resistant. Any snowboard jacket is good to wear.”
However, ski jackets aren’t just for the skiers and boarders.
“I wear Bonfire brand,” said Caitlyn Henry, a 19-year-old sophomore psychology major. “I don’t even ski, but I bought it because it’s warm.”
Brand name ski jackets, like Bonfire, are priced near $170, according to Shopatron.com.
Other students, like Brittan Griffith, a 20-year-old junior sociology major, said they depend on tough outerwear brands like North Face.
“I wear North Face fleece wear because it zips into my jacket,” Griffith said. “It’s really warm, waterproof and windproof.”
Insulated North Face jackets start near $150 for both men and women, according to thenorthface.com.
Less expensive outwear jackets can be found for under $100 at Altrec.com.
Students who are going for a trendier look, like Austin Nguyen, a 20-year-old freshman integrative physiology major, said they wear a wool pea coat.
“I wear a hoodie and a pea coat,” Nguyen said. “They are the warmest things in my closet. [Peacoats] are in style right now and it was at a reasonable price.”
Wool pea coats vary in length and can be priced as high as the nearly $300 Ralph Lauren, according to Macys.com, but are also available at discount stores like the Burlington Coat Factory for about $50.
While the outer shell may vary, many students said wearing layers of warm clothing is a definite must for the cold.
Adriana Pettross, a 21-year-old senior integrative physiology major, said layering is the key to staying warm.
“I wear everything in my closet,” Pettross said, while wearing two sweatshirts in addition to her down coat.
Wearing layers is helpful if the weather changes, said Josh Romero, a 23-year-old junior MCD biology major.
“I wear a hoodie and a North Face jacket because I can take one layer off if it gets hot,” Romero said.
One trick Vivian Vu, a 19-year-old open-option freshman major, said she uses for cold weather is wearing tights underneath her pants.
“I wear long stockings under tights under jeans,” Vu said.
Students like Cody Spangler, a 20-year-old sophomore music education major, said the winter accessories are just as important for beating the freeze.
“I almost worry about [wearing a hat] more than a coat,” Spangler said. “Wool socks or alpaca socks are also good.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Rose Heaphy at Josephine.heaphy@colorado.edu.
