reachyourgoals

Im coming from 116 degrees (literally).... I have never experienced a real winter beyond a weekend in the mountains.... anyways...

I am going to school at purdue looks like it rarely goes below 20..... (Average Weather for West Lafayette, IN - Temperature and Precipitation)

Where I live it's rather different....

So are jeans warm enough? Can i wear leggings? Would leggings a dress and a leather jacket be warm enough or would I freeze? I'm honestly lost and looking for any help!

Jimgotkp

Depends for everyone. Some people like the cold and it isn't surprising when you see people dressed very lightly during the middle of winter. If you think you need more clothing than others then bring more clothes to stay warm. The bus system gets rather crowded when it is freezing, snowing, or raining so remember that.

smahanru

I'm coming from Texas so I know how you feel. But last winter at Purdue wasn't too bad, or at least not as bad as I expected. The wind just sucks so bring a hat/earmuffs. I only have one winter coat and it's a multi-function coat type thing that they sell a lot of places- Columbia, LL Bean, etc (rain/snow jacket that's wind resistant kind of then fleece on the inside that you can take out if you want). I also recommend a standard North Face fleece zip up for when it's not as cold and not snowing.

Uggs are good cold weather shoes, but not snow shoes because the snow obviously ruins them and they have terrible traction. I witnessed numerous people busting their asses falling down because they weren't wearing good shoes for the ice and snow. So look into finding good snow boots that aren't suede and have good traction (sometimes the sidewalks aren't plowed and they're just slick ice in spots). Also, get good thick socks to wear all the time, your toes will thank you. And buy gloves for sledding down Slayter Hill and snow ball fights.

And I wore jeans all winter and was fine but a lot of people have corduroy pants or wear thin leggings under their pants for more layers (but definitely no dresses or anything in the winter). Also, layers will save you because most buildings in the winter are a thousand degrees so you'll want to take off a couple layers when you're in class.

Jimgotkp

Good call on the sidewalk, shamanru. Purdue pretty much polishes the ice on the sidewalk for everyone, no joke. If you see the equipment they use to "clean" the sidewalks, you'd be rather surprised.

LaRok0

I've lived in Indiana for most of my life, and it has some of the strangest weather patterns you'll ever see. Layering will become essential, as smahanru mentioned, because of the buildings but also because the temperature will change by 20-30 degrees during the day, depending on the season. Its freezing in the morning and night, and more bearable during the day.
From the end of december to mid march, I don't think a leather jacket will be warm enough, especially to someone who is used to warm weather. You'll probably want a wool peacoat or a parka-type jacket for the mornings and nights. 30 degrees is alot colder than you realize before you go and walk around in it for 20 minutes. It's not like the northeast where you always need a hat, scarve, gloves, and coat to even go out, but you might consider buying a cute pair of gloves, as my hands always freeze to death in the winter, especially walking to classes.
Like mentioned above, it depends how well you deal with cold weather, but i'd say get something more than a leather jacket.

naturaldistaster

I've lived in Indiana for my whole life. I have a friend from Florida who is fine in shorts all year round. It really varies from person to person. Like other people have mentioned, layering is a good idea since you'll be going from freezing weather outside to warm weather inside.