The Sartorial Habits of New England Natives

When I checked the weather last night, it said it would be 33 degrees outside today. Add in the wind chill factor, and it was supposed to feel like 23 degrees, so I made sure I had everything ready ahead of time: snow boots (because the insulation in these things is awesome), long sleeved shirt, super warm jacket with fuzzy faux fur collar (it's not tacky, I promise!) and knee high socks to go under my jeans. I was feeling like a pretty good New Englander-- I mean, I had this layering thing down.

My first mistake, though, was when I walked outside and thought, "Oh, this is 23 degree weather? Jeez, I can handle this!" Because then the wind picked up, and then I immediately stuffed my hands into my pockets to yank on my gloves. The wind is no joke out here, people. It's icy-- I look like I'm crying when I'm walking to class because it makes my eyes water so much.

My second mistake was thinking that layering was the way to go. Silly me! People here don't layer, apparently. They just put on a sweatshirt. I got on the bus, and the first person I saw was some show-off New Englander in a North Face windbreaker and boat shoes-- minus socks-- reading the Globe in the back corner. There I am looking like a penguin, and there he is casually reading the paper, completely oblivious to the fact that it may as well have been 23 degrees outside.

It doesn't bother me-- why should it? I just thought it was another example of the classic New Englander. He may as well have been saying, "What, you think this is cold? Wise up, California, or you'll be frozen solid by February." That's how it usually goes. If it's raining out, I've got an umbrella and almost every else is in shorts and a baseball cap. If it's cold out, I've got gloves on and my Bostonian friends are shaking their heads at me. I think it's going to take a blizzard to get these people to acknowledge the fact that it is wicked cold outside and bundle up.

And I thought New England prided itself on its sensibility.

But then again, maybe I'm the insensible one. Maybe they've got this whole seasons thing down to such a science that they know exactly how many layers to add for each ten degrees the temperature drops. Maybe I've got a lot more to learn that I thought-- but hey, it's all part of the adventure. By the end of this, I will be able to present you with my scientific findings on the subject of the sartorial habits of New England natives.

Ok, so maybe I'll just be able to present you with chattering teeth and frozen ears. But I'm hoping for the former.