Snowy with a chance of fashion faux pas
Dressing Down

Libby Haagensenn, 33, sales associate, Chicago:

Even as snowflakes fell on her furry hood, Haagensen contended, "This isn't cold. This is comfortable. It's refreshing."

Perhaps she felt that way because she was dressed for the cold. She wore a down Mackage coat, thick socks from REI, heavy leggings and substantial boots from Coach.

When I told her I was surprised that she had no gloves, Haagensen invited me to stick a hand in her warm pocket and I had to agree it was a pretty cozy place — but impractical if you're carrying packages or like to talk with your hands.

When the temperature drops to single digits, Haagensen's heavy artillery is a down coat from The North Face, Sorel boots and snow shoes for outdoor fun in Lincoln Park. (Abel Uribe, Chicago Tribune / December 6, 2011)

Ellen Warren Tribune senior correspondent

December 16, 2011
Our crazy Chicago weather has been mostly gentle so far, but we know in our hearts there's some ferocious stuff in our future. On one of the coldest days so far — temperature in the freezing zone and snow flurries too — I went looking for the do's and don'ts of winter wear. I found a lot of both.

The biggest mistakes were in footwear, where an alarming number of people were in denial and still wearing sneakers or summer shoes — in December! I'll be writing more about boots after testing some promising ones in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, underdressing for Chicago's wind, cold, snow and slush is a pretty bonehead play. The right clothes can make the difference between miserable and bearable. I got a reminder of this recently. As I wandered the city talking to the people on this page, my feet soon felt like blocks of ice and my hands weren't any better. I belonged firmly in the "Don'ts" column.

Next time I'll wear thicker socks, heavier boots and insulated mittens over my fur-lined leather gloves. Yup, layering works. Please learn from my mistakes and … stay warm.

shopellen@tribune.com

Tips for staying warm

Layers

Natural fibers like silk, wool, down

Thick socks and waterproof or water-resistant lined boots

Hats that cover ears or with earmuffs

Mittens on top of gloves

No exposed flesh anywhere

Libby Haagensen

33, sales associate, Chicago

Even as snowflakes fell on her furry hood, Haagensen contended, "This isn't cold. This is comfortable. It's refreshing."

Perhaps she felt that way because she was dressed for the cold. She wore a down Mackage coat, thick socks from REI, heavy leggings and substantial boots from Coach.

When I told her I was surprised that she had no gloves, Haagensen invited me to stick a hand in her warm pocket and I had to agree it was a pretty cozy place — but impractical if you're carrying packages or like to talk with your hands.

When the temperature drops to single digits, Haagensen's heavy artillery is a down coat from The North Face, Sorel boots and snow shoes for outdoor fun in Lincoln Park.

Jason Carrazco