While Colgate may be recognized for its academic

excellence and beautiful campus, the one thing that is not so desirable about our prestigious liberal arts college is its winters. Temperatures in Hamilton can drop as low as -25 Fahrenheit with wind chill, as we saw last January. Now that the first snow has fallen, we should all probably start thinking about what to buy to stay warm during this quick-approaching Central New York winter. To beat the brutal cold, you should definitely make sure all of your cold weather clothing is bought before Thanksgiving break, at the very latest. I’ve picked out some cold weather clothing and accessories that would be great additions to any winter wardrobe on campus. Keeping the Colgate student’s interests in mind, I was sure to pick items that were stylish, functional and budget friendly.

The most crucial element of staying warm during

Colgate winters is making sure you have a thick, insulated jacket. For both guys and girls, parkas are a very popular

option for a primary winter coat. I recommend hooded parkas as they will keep your ears, neck and nose warm and protected from chilly winter gusts walking up Cardiac Hill. I cannot stress the necessity of a jacket with lots of pockets. In the winter, you will need pockets for quick access to gloves, a hat, your phone, your wallet, Gate Card, makeup, a pencil or anything you need to pull out at a moment’s notice. This will eliminate rummaging through a purse or backpack in three-degree weather in eight inches of snow. Color wise, stay simple and go with navy, olive green or black as they are versatile and wearable with a number of different outfits. My pick for the perfect parka for guys this winter is the Carhartt Men’s “Snorkel” Parka ($250, Amazon). This coat has a fur hood, tons of pockets and comes in an attractive army green color. Its nylon composition makes it very windproof and its 550-fill down will keep you toasty warm on days when you slip and fall on black ice on the Ho steps. For ladies, The Patagonia Women’s “Down With It” Parka ($299, Patagonia.com) is an ideal choice for bundling up in style. Its knee length cut will keep you incredibly warm from the knee up. It comes in navy, brown, gray and black, so you are able to choose which neutral color best fits your tastes. It has 600-fill down, so no need to pile on a ton of base layers to keep warm. These utilitarian parkas should protect you from the chill (and the common cold) this winter.

 In the accessories department, I’ve picked out a few interesting pieces that will add style and function to your winter outfit. For guys, the simple yet trendy pick for headwear is the Carhartt Watch Cap ($8, Carhartt). I recommend this cap in neon orange or neon yellow to add a pop of color to an otherwise neutral outfit. For ladies, a stylish winter pick is the Anthropolgie “Wintershore” Cowl ($148, Anthropologie). This wool and silk knit scarf adds style with its chunky woven pattern and its color palette of soft gray and peach.  

I hope these picks give you some style inspiration for your winter wardrobe here at this frozen wasteland we call Colgate. Even though this campus can get colder than Antarctica, it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style to stay warm in Hamilton. Stay cool (and warm), Colgate!