How to Dress for Mixed Weather

It's SUNNY!!!!

but its cold.

I WANT TO WEAR A DRESS!!

but its cold.

I want to wear SANDALS!!!

but my toes are freezing.

BUT ITS SUNNY!

It's still cold.

The biggest Vancouver tease is sunny skies at 4 Degrees Celsius. I often find myself threading in and out of shadows. If anyone has been to Vancouver they know that in the shade its FREEZING and in the sun its nice and toasty, if even for a just a few moments.


If you are only here for a month, here is a list of clothes that are WORTH spending lots of money on for USE in Vancouver, and some that will probably never be able to wear. 

In March  the average temperature is 6 to 10 degrees.
But all the Spring clothes are already out! Yes that's because clothing companies want you to FREEZE to death. No I'm just kidding, that's just how fashion works, early bird gets the worm! What does that mean? I don't know, it felt like the right thing to say at the time.


Not Worth 

Miniskirts

 

They are every where this season, but in the freezing cold, retailers tends to sell a lot of things that you can't wear until July. Some stores sell them for $50+, but in this city where prices can range so widely, save your money and invest in a Raincoat. 

Worth it ( And new word for the day: Anorak)

An Anorak or a Windbreaker

A windbreaker is a thin outer coat designed to resist wind chill and light rain (in other words, a light, impermeable jacket). It is usually of light construction, characteristically made of some type of glossy synthetic material and often incorporating an elastic waistband and zipper. It sometimes includes a hood.

See wikipedia  

In the Spring, Vancouver can get very very cold and windy. While I am at work, I tend to look like a little boy because I wear no make up, a pony tail, and an Anorak. Anoraks don't always look cute, but they make you look very Canadian, and keep you out of the cold. I don't know how many times I have taken students out who are freezing in small jean jackets and hoodies! It is well worth shelling out a little extra for some extra protection from the elements.

Not Worth It

An expensive Trenchcoat

 

It hurts me to put this on the list, because I have some AMAZING trench coats that I wear in the summer. BUT you can only wear these puppies 2-3 months out of the year. Magazines advertise it as necessary for Spring, but not in Vancouver. Trench coats are just pretty. They provide NO protection against wind, cold, and little protection against the rain unless its a water proof one. They are supposed to be form fitting so you cant wear them over sweaters or vests= BRRRR

If you are in Vancouver for the short period of May, you probably don't need one. Unless you have some amazing thermal underwear that is thin enough to fit.

But you look so good and so chic just like Hermoine here from Harry Potter.

These are for Mediterranean cities where its not too hot and not too cold. In Vancouver we wear them in the late spring early Summer. But you won't need it in March. 

Worth it

A GOOD QUALITY Umbrella.

I always hear students complain " The umbrellas here are SO expensive. In Brazil, they are only $5"

Listen.

In Brazil, its sunny all the time and doesn't have winds that turn your umbrella inside out. I so much as look at my umbrella with a weird expression and it will flop over into a satellite dish.

Umbrellas break all the time. If you buy five umbrellas in a year because they break all the time, you would have spent $25 on umbrellas.

Even Rihanna has one.

Will post more later, but its sandwich time