Ask the Editor: Winter Weather Problems

Is it cold where you live?  It’s absolutely freezing in Montana, but at least the snow is dry.  In D.C., the wet, rain-like snow was the worst.  Here are a few reader questions to get you through the remainder of the slick winter weather.

Hi Abra,

I live in chilly Boston, where winter seems to last forever. I’m looking for a raincoat, but it needs to have a little insulation or “weight” to it because rainy weather is cold here! I’d like it to be stylish yet professional enough to wear to my conservative medical job. I figure you have had a lot of experience with rainy weather, so I’d love to see your ideas. Thanks!

– LaureN

D.C. can be so deceptively cold thanks to the humidity.  And the rain makes it worse.  Of course, I discovered my go-to cold-weather, waterproof trench coat after I moved.

This Helly Hansen Welsey trench is waterproof and insulated for cold days.  I am warm until the temps dip below freezing, but if I add a zip-up underneath, I can stay warm to about 20-degrees.  But this thing is impervious to both wind and water.  It also looks like a classic trench and comes in this great Beluga shade, a green-black, and a soft grey color.

Other options from past reader suggestions include this Land’s End Squall Parka ($95), which also comes in plus.  If water resistant will help you enough, LL Bean also has their warm core down parka for super chilly days.

And my last suggestion comes from a somewhat new-to-me brand called Outdoor Ventures.  A friend who lives in Vancouver bought this coat on Amazon and swears up and down it is the best purchase she’s ever made.  Best of all, it’s just $90.

Hi Abra,

Have you or anyone you know ever used one of those electric warming pads for coffee/tea mugs? I drink my coffee so slow it’s cold by the time I’m half way through. Maybe I should just pour myself smaller cups…

Thanks!  J

All I want when my cubicle is freezing is a hot beverage.  And it’s always a disappointment when I have to abandon my steaming cup of Orange Pekoe with a splash of milk and head down to the Senate Floor where beverages are not allowed, but it’s just as cold.  Here are a few suggestions.

A former co-workers had an Ember coffee warming cup, which he adored like it was his child.  Using the little warming tray, the cup keeps your beverage at the perfect temperature from “the first sip to the last.”  When our boss bought him the Ember Travel Mug as a holiday gift, I thought he might cry he loved the thing so much.

I own this $18 mug warmer that I use when it’s really cold out.  It will work with almost any mug, and it’s affordable enough that you can have one at work and one at home.

But since my current office suffers from a lack of plug-ins, I just bought this Simple Modern Scout Coffee Mug.  It’s a Hydroflask knock-off, but it keeps my drink hot for the better part of the day.  I haven’t had a cold sip of tea since I bought it.

Hi Abra.

My hair is extra staticky this winter.  It’s so bad, I can barely leave the house.  How do I tone it down?  I look like Albert Einstein.

Kali

The winter dryness can cause a lot of us to experience hair static.  Self has a few tips on how to combat electrically charged hair.  But for me, I find a simple remedy works best, I spray my hair brush with Static Guard.

If this doesn’t work for you, have no fear, there are some products you can try.  First, give a simple leave-in conditioner, like Not Your Mother’s Hair Perfector.  This extra moisture should help tame excess static.  R + Co. also makes a solution called Laid Back, for those with a serious frizz and static problem.

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