Frazz by Jef Mallett for January 07, 2017

I have found that the skin sensitivity below the waist is less than from the waist up. Skinny jeans are a way to cut off circulation of the legs. And in women they have enough trouble with blood circulation. Seems illogical.

How about puffy coats and shorts? Pretty common around here, but it doesn’t really get that cold. Cold enough for us wimpy people thought.

Puffy coats? When army jackets and waterproofed leathers are available? And with Hush Puppies providing a leather lotion for waterproofing? And CostCo selling good quality quilted leather jackets for 100 dollars or so?

Talk about fashion faux pas.

This is a common sight on the ski slopes. Or at least was when I wan on them.

Parkas and yoga pants?

The 15 yo of a friend of mine was complaining about her legs being cold in those during a cold windy trip to the zoo. Couldn’t convince her that the looser fitting ones would actually be warmer. Especially when you can put leggings (?) under them.

I have a jacket.

2 pairs of sweats, knee length wool socks, and 4 layers up top are my standard wear on cold winter days.

I worked outside for over 30 years, in all kinds of weather – heat to above 110 f, cold below 0 f, wind, rain and snow…I also had to be reasonably professional looking – so no sweats, no army jackets and no silly looking puffy coats…It’s the fabric that matters and how you layer it… You need something that is lightweight so you can move and create your own heat, under a loose outer layer which retains heat and resists wind and water…For cold weather – a layer of silk, a layer of wool and a layer of leather with occasional additions of fleece or Gortex always works for me. (Cotton won’t keep you warm.)…I’d rather spend for a few pieces in silk, cashmere or alpaca wool, and leather… Silk or smart wool tights under slim, but not tight, wool pants, knee-high, fleece-lined, mocassin style boots with treaded soles, two wool sweaters, preferably cashmere (worn right against my skin) a long, loose jacket of leather, boiled wool or Gortex, lined leather gloves and loose knitted wool hat and I am good to go.

In high school in the early sixties, we girls were not allowed to wear slacks or jeans to school and stockings were too expensive to wear to school, so it was skirts and bare legs in sub freezing weather. So glad that is not the case now.

One winter when I was in college I attended a missionary conference in Urbana Ill. I remember looking at the footwear of the women attending the conference and realizing that the women in the high heeled stylish shoes were from warmer climets, and the women in the ugly practical boots were from the snowy climetes

I’ve seen people here (NW) dressed in winter in down parkas, shorts, and sandals.

Nothing as light, and warm, and pack-able as a puffy jacket. Field jackets? HAHAHAHA sure right, you bet