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miss_lucy21(I am not super great tonight, for various and sundry reasons, and I can't really bitch about several of those reasons, but I can bitch about the cold and how much of a pain in the ass it is to dress for when you work in an office, and that may make me feel better enough to go to sleep without stewing for hours, so yeah)
When I wake up tomorrow morning to get dressed for work, it is highly likely to be about 8F/-13C with wind chills below 0F/-17C. I saw on the weather almanac section of wunderground.com this afternoon that normal temperatures for the second week of December is generally around 40F/4C. That sounds downright tropical right now.
Here's the thing. I'm not a fat person who runs hot. I run cold. I'm just built that way- there's nothing wrong with my thyroid. But I'm also slightly sensitive to temperature differences and while I definitely can't tolerate being cold, I will also get warm enough to get sweaty. And I detest being sweaty when I'm not actually exerting myself- I hate being the fat sweaty girl. So, the trick is to dress warmly enough to not freeze my dupke off but not to get overheated during the 9.5 hours I will spend in my office (which is middling chilly to warm).
First of all, you want to take your shower the night before. You don't want your skin or hair to be remotely damp. So, either shower the night before (my choice), or spend the time to blow dry your hair to bone dry.
Okay, first layer is underwear. Regular underwear- underpants and a bra for me. I'd go with cotton for this.
The next layer is footless tights (regular, microfiber/nylon tights. The opaque kind, not pantyhose). You can do tights with feet, but I find those uncomfortable with socks over them. Tights as opposed to thermal underwear, because if you're only going to be outside long enough to scrape the car and walk from the car to the building, the tights are enough of a layer to prevent frostbite (I'm exaggerating. A little) but they won't be too hot in the office. I used to wear thermal underwear and then be sweltering in the afternoon. Then I switched to tights and that was even enough when I was waiting for the bus in the cold without being too much indoors. Add a pair of wool socks over top (I specifically have a pair of work shoes that I can wear actual socks as opposed to nylons/trouser socks with). If they're wool, they don't even really need to be super thick. Your top layer is a synthetic, performance/wicking fabric camisole or tank. You don't want sleeves here. Sleeves will be too hot. But a tank will keep your core warm without being too warm. Mine is this one from Lands End. I adore it and want to pick up three more. A regular cotton tank will work too- that's what I wore today, because my wicking tank was in the wash- but the wicking fabric is nice if you do get a bit warm.
Now for the layer everyone's going to see all day. If you own wool pants, today is probably the day to bust them out. I don't, so I wear heavy ponte knit pants. They look like trousers and feel like pajamas. Between that, the tights and the fact that my legs between my knees and my ankles don't really have cold receptors after 13 years in a Catholic school uniform, my lower half is reasonably toasty. On top, I have a 3/4 sleeve wool sweater. Wool for the warmth, 3/4 sleeve for ventilation. With a good winter coat and gloves, you're probably not going to miss the last 1/4 sleeve outside.
And now you're set for a day at the office when it's 8F outside. Hopefully, most of my audience never needs these instructions, because I think it may be the end of the world if it gets that cold where they are.
When I wake up tomorrow morning to get dressed for work, it is highly likely to be about 8F/-13C with wind chills below 0F/-17C. I saw on the weather almanac section of wunderground.com this afternoon that normal temperatures for the second week of December is generally around 40F/4C. That sounds downright tropical right now.
Here's the thing. I'm not a fat person who runs hot. I run cold. I'm just built that way- there's nothing wrong with my thyroid. But I'm also slightly sensitive to temperature differences and while I definitely can't tolerate being cold, I will also get warm enough to get sweaty. And I detest being sweaty when I'm not actually exerting myself- I hate being the fat sweaty girl. So, the trick is to dress warmly enough to not freeze my dupke off but not to get overheated during the 9.5 hours I will spend in my office (which is middling chilly to warm).
First of all, you want to take your shower the night before. You don't want your skin or hair to be remotely damp. So, either shower the night before (my choice), or spend the time to blow dry your hair to bone dry.
Okay, first layer is underwear. Regular underwear- underpants and a bra for me. I'd go with cotton for this.
The next layer is footless tights (regular, microfiber/nylon tights. The opaque kind, not pantyhose). You can do tights with feet, but I find those uncomfortable with socks over them. Tights as opposed to thermal underwear, because if you're only going to be outside long enough to scrape the car and walk from the car to the building, the tights are enough of a layer to prevent frostbite (I'm exaggerating. A little) but they won't be too hot in the office. I used to wear thermal underwear and then be sweltering in the afternoon. Then I switched to tights and that was even enough when I was waiting for the bus in the cold without being too much indoors. Add a pair of wool socks over top (I specifically have a pair of work shoes that I can wear actual socks as opposed to nylons/trouser socks with). If they're wool, they don't even really need to be super thick. Your top layer is a synthetic, performance/wicking fabric camisole or tank. You don't want sleeves here. Sleeves will be too hot. But a tank will keep your core warm without being too warm. Mine is this one from Lands End. I adore it and want to pick up three more. A regular cotton tank will work too- that's what I wore today, because my wicking tank was in the wash- but the wicking fabric is nice if you do get a bit warm.
Now for the layer everyone's going to see all day. If you own wool pants, today is probably the day to bust them out. I don't, so I wear heavy ponte knit pants. They look like trousers and feel like pajamas. Between that, the tights and the fact that my legs between my knees and my ankles don't really have cold receptors after 13 years in a Catholic school uniform, my lower half is reasonably toasty. On top, I have a 3/4 sleeve wool sweater. Wool for the warmth, 3/4 sleeve for ventilation. With a good winter coat and gloves, you're probably not going to miss the last 1/4 sleeve outside.
And now you're set for a day at the office when it's 8F outside. Hopefully, most of my audience never needs these instructions, because I think it may be the end of the world if it gets that cold where they are.
no subject
Date: 2013-12-12 11:28 am (UTC)I am a rather overweight girl who has an immune system of zero tolerance - hence the need to dress well outside or I will get sick - but once inside, I often suffer from overheat. And I hate sweating like, whoa. Also, my mom, dear soul that she is, tends to say the me that I a am only sweating cause I am fat.
I try to do layers - several layers of clothes - and this way I am just strip once in the warm office.
Stay safe!
no subject
Date: 2013-12-12 01:13 pm (UTC)