The Perfect Gentleman Issue 9 - Christmas | Page 44

In as many layers of clothing that I could fit
under my coat and still close it, I pulled on
several layers of socks and managed to force my
fat feet into my boots, then put on a hat and
wrapped a scarf or two around my neck, face,
and head, leaving only a thin opening to see
through.
I waddled to the bus stop and saw a crowd of
similarly-dressed people milling around the
stop. The bus came and we all boarded, went to
school and wrote our tests, went outside again,
got back on the bus, then returned home – and
we lived to tell about it.
I learned a lot from my time in Saskatchewan
and I want to share my winter dressing survival
tactics with you to make your winter a little
warmer.

NECK
If there is a collar on your coat, flip it up for
added protection from cold air and secure in
place by doing up the top button of your coat.
I see a lot of men drape scarves around the back
of their necks and cross them over in the front.
This is fine if you only want to keep the back of
your neck warm, but to warm your throat and
make the most of the length of your scarf, try
this:
1. Start wrapping from the front of the neck and
cross the scarf ends around the back.
2. Bring the ends to the front again and adjust
the scarf to a comfortable length around your
neck – this can be pulled over your face if need
be.
3. Stuff each crossed scarf end into the neck of
your sweater or shirt – if you’re wearing a
button up, open a couple of buttons and spread
the scarf across your chest, then button up
again.
KIDNEYS
Keeping your kidneys warm will help you retain
body heat. Dressing in layers is good for keeping
your kidneys, not to mention your vital organs,
warm.
Try the following technique for proper layering
and maximum warmth:

HEAD
We lose body heat through our heads, especially
through our ears. Keep them covered with your
hat, earmuffs, or ear flaps. Protect the tips of
your ears – ears are mainly thin bits of skincovered cartilage and quite prone to frostbite.
Our hair can only retain so much heat, even less
in the wind. People, especially bald or shorthaired people, should wear a hat to keep their
heads insulated. A warm hat spells instant relief
in icy winds.
TIP: NEVER GO OUTSIDE WITH WET HAIR.
Wet hair in cold weather can lower your core
body temperature while your system works
harder to keep you warm, thus compromising
your immune system and making you more
susceptible to viruses – a lose-lose situation.

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1. Start with an undershirt of some kind for the
first layer: depending on how warm you want to
be, you could start with a sleeveless vest, a shortsleeved t-shirt, or for the most warmth, a longsleeved t-shirt – see textile info below.
2. Tuck this shirt into your underwear or long
johns if you’re wearing them – this keeps the
fabric of the shirt close to the body via the
elastic waistband of your undies, giving a feeling
of warmth and security because the wind can’t
blow up your t-shirt this way.

The Perfect Lady