Coats, Hats & Gloves

 

Where I live in Idaho we enjoy all four seasons - Spring, Summer, Winter and Fall.  I think it is important that each of us invests in a good solid winter coat that will accommodate your particular climate as well as a hat and a good pair of gloves to go along with.  I recently purchased a new winter coat for myself after my old one wore out.  It is well insulated with a hood and is machine washable.  I have a nice pair of gloves as well as a knit hat and an ear warmer, both of which I made myself.  Knit scarves or neck warmers are nice additions too.

 

For milder temperatures I have a couple of lighter weight fleece options, a hoodie and a zip up jacket, which I can layer with each other, depending on the weather.  I wear a sweater over my tops practically every single day.  In the winter time they are nice to keep me warm as well as inside air conditioned buildings during the summer.  I personally feel the A/C in most places is set far too cool to be comfortable so I always take a sweater along, especially in the grocery stores.

 

Thrift stores are a great option for coats & jackets

When my children were growing up I made sure they always had a good coat, a sweater and a fleece jacket, all of which could be layered if the weather was extreme.  Lots of the inexpensive knit gloves you can buy for around a dollar as kids tend to lose them and a handmade knit hat and scarf.  Now that they are adults they both see the value in investing in a good coat and have done a great job choosing one that will keep them warm and is appropriate to wear for pretty much any occasion.

 

This coat would've been out of reach for me to purchase had it not been on clearance

I try to purchase the best quality items I can afford.  I found my new winter coat on clearance for 75% OFF making it much more affordable so I was able to get a really good quality coat for my money.   I try to do the same with my lighter weight jackets and sweaters.  Thrift stores are another great option.  I make sure to check them over really well for any issues, but I've found a lot of nice coats, jackets and sweaters secondhand. Careful laundering as well as taking care of any mending as needed helps them stay nice and last longer too.