Friday Fives: My Five Winter Wear Items

Winter is NOT coming...winter is here...and to this Southern girl winter has been here since October...and winter is not going!  If you don't get the picture...I am COLD and I have been cold...and I am starting to think I will never be warm again.  (Logically, I know that's not true, but I am just the teeniest bit dramatic when it comes to cold...as my middle nephew used to say: "I do not like it...no!")

And the cold walk to school (uphill in the snow, no less) wouldn't be so bad except, the English-Only classroom (AKA, the room I spend all day in) is freezing cold and even with the heat on only tops out in the low 60s on a sunny day.  On top of these winter wear items, I typically curl up under blankets and hoodies at my desk, too!

Needless to say, I "weather" the summers here much better...in fact, all I heard about was hot hot summers are, but when it came, there were really only just a few days that I felt "hot."  I mean, some days were uncomfortable, but there were only a few days (and I mean literally, only like 3-4 days) that I felt hot and miserable.  But I digress.

So, here's my top 5 winter wear:



1.) Winter "Jumper"
This coat (Koreans call them jumpers) I bought last year at my co-teachers' insistence.  In fact, she took me to the mall and helped me select it so we could be sure it was a good coat...and I (as we Southerners say) "like ta died" when it was time to pay for it and it was over $200.  I forget the exact price.  Anyway...It's long-ish.  Not quite knee-length on me...although to a taller person it is probably only hip or thigh-length.  It's duck down filled (nice and full...so much that it doesn't even really hurt when I fall with it on), with detachable "fur" hood lining.  The hood is huge...I can go full-on Kenny from South Park if I zip up the coat to the top and pull the hood closed...my head is completely surrounded by the hood.

I doubt I am ever going to be "Korean" enough to wear the coat all day like my students do.  Mostly, because it is so thick I feel like I can't move to work.  Think the little boy in A Christmas Story.


2.) Hat or Ear-warmer
I know I said the hood of my coat swaddles my head.  But because it does, that means I have no peripheral vision when it's up.  Therefore, unless it's actively snowing, I don't put the hood up and, instead, rely on my hat to keep my ears (and head) warm and infection-free.  But winter hats (with pom poms) are enormously popular here, so no one thinks I look ridiculous using a hat and not the hood of my coat.


3.) Gloves
I actually have 2 pairs.  One double-lined Isotoners for walking to and from school and one cotton fingerless pair for work.  The reason I have the fingerless gloves is because I just can't work without them...my room is freezing (almost literally) most of the day...and even them my hands are still cold.  I have ordered a pair of USB heated gloves, but they have not arrived yet.  I may update this when they arrive and I've tested them.


4.) Scarf
Or muffler (to the Koreans). I really only wear a mid-weight scarf...which seems ridiculous to wear in sub-zero weather, until I tell you I wear it all day.  I feel like I can't wear a heavier scarf all day and be taken seriously, so I settle for a slightly more fashionable one I can wear all day without strange looks.


5.) Boots
I went wild and bought winter boots this year.  Well, proper winter boots, anyway.  I had brought a pair of Uggs knock-offs last year, but discovered that once they got wet in the snow they stay wet all day.  So, this year I got a pair of waterproof, furry lined hiking boots for the trek to school.  And I love them.  They are Colombia...with "omni-heat" whatever that might be...I think I has something to do with reflecting body heat...but they have treads like Jeep tires (and weigh about a pound a piece) so even in the ice and snow I am (relatively) steady on my feet.



Bonus Items:
Heat Tech anything.

Heat Tech is Uniqlo (Japanese brand that is extremely popular here...it's the Old Navy of Korea) product.  Super thin thermal underwear.  I like it because it's not "bulky", it's very sleek, so when you are like me and wear 2 sets under your clothes you don't feel too overly fat.  Supposedly, they are warmer than standard thermal underwear...and I don't scientifically know that this is true, but I BELIEVE it is true, therefore to me, they ARE warmer.