Every day starts with checking the weather and seeing snow or negative temperatures on the forecast. While, like me, you can take a pessimistic view, roll your eyes, and resent the fact that we can only really wear clunky snow boots instead of our cute square-toed leather ones, the reality is that the only way out of a Montreal winter is through. Layering, cozy accessories, and playing with colours and shapes are the name of the game for staying stylish during this season. Whether it’s your first time attempting to dress for the cold or you’re a seasoned veteran, it is always a challenge to blend fashion and function.
As I am sure everyone told you when you were packing to come to McGill, the key to survival is a) layering and b) a good coat and boots. To speak to the former, I am the biggest proponent of Uniqlo HEATTECH (not really a hot take at this point – note my temperature pun). All jokes aside, HEATTECH is a lifesaver when it comes to insulation. As far as a coat, I personally think you can survive without dropping hundreds on a puffer jacket as long as you have the layers and thermals to take its place. As far as boots go, I do not have recommendations. Finding cute snow boots is not something I have accomplished as of yet. In the interim, I have been sporting a Doc Martin-esque boot that does the trick. Some people seem to be ignoring the snow and sticking to their normal Adidas Sambas, while others opt for a warmer route, sporting the ever-controversial platform UGGs. As long as you can find a shoe that keeps you warm and spares you the embarrassment of slipping down McTavish or University, you are winning.
As far as fashion trends this year, I turned to the real students on campus, conducting some preliminary observational research. The goal was to try to notice what people are wearing, from jackets, to hats, to brands of boots. I parked myself on a bench inside Leacock and watched as people came and left the building, taking note of the apparel I was seeing. Today, January 14, is around -3 degrees Celsius (25 degrees Fahrenheit) with a real feel of -11 degrees. We had some light snow this morning, partial sun, but mostly cloudy. All in all, this is a fairly average day for McGill winter weather, and therefore is a perfect climate for our experiment. Obviously, there is a possibility for observational bias here, as I tend to have strong fashion opinions and might be more apt to observe things that I personally like. With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s start with what people are wearing on campus.
To no one’s surprise, the colour of the season is black. It feels natural to dress in dark colours for the darkest days of the year. Among a swarm of students heading into Leacock, only a few pops of colour stand out among the myriad of black puffers and wool coats. Within the uniformity of an all-black outfit, people are experimenting when it comes to shape, structure, and layers. Black fur hats are paired with long black skirts over jeans. Playing with shapes, textures, and patterns is a way to wear black without looking like you have coordinated your outfit with everyone else on campus. A lot of people circumvent this issue by simply throwing on a colourful chunky scarf (you know the ones).
I am seeing a lot of fur accessories and jackets with fur trim. I enjoy the looks that embrace fur to the fullest extent, with full-length coats or faux-fox bombers. Most of the time, I find the people wearing the most fur finish their statement with a sweatshirt and messy hair, which I simply love. The “mob-wife” vibe transitions really well into winter, as a simple outfit can look chic and on-trend by adding a fur coat or big leather bag to your sweat set. Even if you are an Aritzia Super Puff person, wear a cool scarf, change up your bag, or try funky pants to spice up your outfit. Like I was saying: this is a mix of blending being warm with looking cool. Over the course of my observation, I also observed some seemingly hand-knit hats and eccentric hair accessories. All in all, I urge you to experiment with small additions to your outfit that work to elevate a simple jacket.
One of my favourite observations, and possibly the most unintentionally useful winter accessory, are headphones. While they seem like college-student staples, their dual purpose as ear warmers has recently become apparent to me. In the wake of that observation, I have been keenly observing the different styles and models headphones come in, adding personality (and soundtracks) to people’s bundled outfits.
Sacrificing individuality seems to be out of the question for McGill students. While black and grey hues and puffer coats are the overarching theme of campus fashion, there are glimmers of singularity in varying aspects of an ensemble. Style isn’t everyone’s priority during the winter months, especially when staying warm is at the forefront of our minds, yet putting a little bit of effort into making your clothes feel like yourself makes it easier to break out of a winter slump. The best thing you can do is to not focus on looking “good,” per se, but on having fun and making these dark days seem a little brighter. Whether through colours or layers, playing around with your clothes and mixing and matching is the joy of winter dressing. See you on campus!