<p>We are visiting Family Weekend, staying on the Magnificent Mile and will have a car. A major objective is to take my daughter out to buy the winter gear she will need to be as comfortable as possible in her first winter ever. We are from LA, and have minimal experience with winter. I am bringing to her a heavy down hooded parka that was good enough for a few winters in Boston and will probably suffice at least until she can decide if she wants a boot length coat. We can always order a coat online if we need to later.</p>
<p>My biggest concern is footwear, followed closely by gloves - both hard to fit via the internet. I’d like to get her some boots that will handle whatever cold/snow/rain/slush she will need to trudge through crossing the Midway. Any suggestions on what type of footwear she needs and where to get it? I’m guessing she may need more than one kind. I’ve looked at the LLBean and Lands End catalogs to get some idea of what’s out there, but there’s a pretty wide range to consider from the Sorrell type to simpler lightweight snow sneaker type things to the Merell type weatherproof mocs. </p>
<p>Gloves/mittens are another question. The cotton knit gloves you can get out here obviously won’t cut it, so what does she need?</p>
<p>We are hoping to minimize the time spent shopping so if someone can point us to a store or shopping center where we can get it all in one trip we would be most grateful.</p>
<p>Effective winter boots MUST come up to the knee, or near it. Make sure to get waterproof- Ugg type or other similar suede slipper boots will get soaked and ruined in a heartbeat. Since Chicago salts roads and sidewalks to prevent freezing, anything advertised as “Salt-proof” is also a good idea, or you will need to take special care to rinse them off when coming in from outside to prevent salt damage.
Some options are not necessarily the most attractive (although North Face does make some decent looking ones), but there’s no point in getting mocs or clog-types that only come up to the ankle, as when it does snow slush will get in there and freeeeeeeeze your feet.</p>
<p>You will also want to take into account what your daughter wants and will wear. My daughter has a complete wardrobe of “outdoorsy” clothes, and she does appreciate that she can dress for the coldest of days and nights at Chicago. But only when she wants to dress that way.</p>
<p>She’s also very conscious of Chicago being in a city, and she’s not comfortable in always looking like she’s off on an Arctic expedition. The North Face jackets and coats can be dressed up with scarves, but your daughter may prefer some city-type boots rather than the classic LLBeans.</p>
<p>For footwear my D has Sorrell winter boots, “the best” in her opinion. She also has knee high rainboots with a removable fleece liner and Frye boots she wears with fuzzy socks. Those 3 cover her warmth, look nice, keep the wet out criteria for Chicago weather November through April! Her coat is the calf length North Face with a hood. She says that length is imperative to keeping warm</p>
<p>My D has the same calf-length North Face. She got it big enough to wear another thick layer under it when it’s really frigid, and she finds that there some days that she’s the only one of her friends who embraces the cold. </p>
<p>The fleece liners for the rain boots sound good too.</p>
<p>Where is a good place to shop for the water and salt proof boots? Where also for the removeable fleece liner rain boots? How much do the longer North Face coats generally cost?
Thanks!</p>
<p>Longer North Face coats will cost $250-$300. I balked at the cost initially, but it’s easy to clean, really durable, and something I know I will get four sold years of use out of at the very least.</p>
<p>On the rainboots with liner, I also have a pair (and love them)- Hunter boots with fleece liner sock (you have to buy the sock separately), and you can get them from zappos.com. They are a bit pricey for a rubber boot but are very durable and have a lifetime warranty if any defects come up.
Zappos also has a good range of water and salt-proof boots- Sorels are popular, but I’ve had good luck with my North Face boots as well. I was able to get mine in the off-season in a discontinued color deeply discounted, but you may look around to see if you can get a similar deal now- depending on size or color interest it may be possible. 6pm.com (the sale branch of Zappos) is a good resource for this, as is Backcountry as well.</p>
<p>I was also going to report that North Face coats are about $300, if you buy them full price. I was with my daughter when she bought hers (while she was home for winter break, not in Chicago), and the price made my blood run cold. Good thing it keeps her blood warm–I still regret the price, but I don’t regret the purchase.</p>
<p>Judging from how many North Face logos I saw when I visited Chicago last winter, it must be readily available. I see on Google that there’s a North Face store downtown: 875 N Michigan Ave # 1SW.</p>
<p>My D got her North Face at Uncle Dan’s in Southport. I think there’s another one elsewhere in the city as well. It’s a good place for all things outdoor and warm!</p>
<p>Oh, and OP, I’ve been thinking that we hadn’t answered your question about gloves–don’t worry too much about them. Cotton may not be the best, but as long as she has something on her hands, she’ll be fine. she should just get something she likes, and for that you can shop anywhere she likes. There are always pockets.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the great info. I’ll take all the expert advice to heart - particularly the tips about tall, waterproof boots and below the knee coats. It sounds like a wardrobe of footwear may be in order. I’m guessing once the cold hits she’ll be happy to make any fashion compromise necessary to be comfortable. </p>
<p>Are there any stores near Hyde Park for shoes, coats or other clothes, or is it more or less head downtown or to a suburban mall?</p>
<p>It may come as a surprise to outsiders, but (1) Chicago in many years does not get that much snow, especially compared to the Northeast and (2) what they get folks manage to clear off the walkways pretty quickly. what does not get cleared gets stomped down pretty quickly. </p>
<p>Keep in mind too that most kids (heck, most sane people ) don’t spend a whole lot of time outdoors in the worst of the weather. No need to. Yes, the kids at BJ or the new dorm may have a bit further to travel to the Reg (but not most classes, especially Cobb hall, curiously) so they might think they need more, but the route, contrary to popular perception, is not a snow covered slush pit!</p>
<p>Bottom line? Don’t worry about it. If your kid decides they want arctic quality footgear, fine. But they don’t need it.</p>
<p>My one son(lives at BJ) wears wellies. The other(Hitchcock) prefers sneakers. I’ve learned to leave it up to them to shop.(It’s beyond amusing to see what comes home in June:) )</p>
) don’t spend a whole lot of time outdoors in the worst of the weather. No need to. Yes, the kids at BJ or the new dorm may have a bit further to travel to the Reg (but not most classes, especially Cobb hall, curiously) so they might think they need more, but the route, contrary to popular perception, is not a snow covered slush pit!</p>