Snow Day Essentials for the Family

This week, we had our first big snow day of 2020 in the new house—and our first real snow day with a toddler to enjoy it with. And I got to thinking… for non-Northeast natives, we got this whole winter thing down… and it only took 7 years 🤷🏻‍♀️

For those new to this space, I’m originally from Virginia Beach, VA and let’s just say “snow days” take on a whole new meaning compared to life here in NJ. We would get off school if we had a dusting. That’s how rare snow was for me growing up. So, when I moved to NJ and traveled to the city for work, I made a lot of mistakes when buying my winter gear. A LOT. I was the dumb chick coming into work freezing with soaked boots because I thought my cute little pea coat from H&M would keep me warm.

Anyways, as someone who grew up with very little snow days in her youth, I know figuring out what you need (and don't need) to enjoy the cold weather can be struggle. So, I put together a list of winter gear must-haves to help your family save time and money (and frustration!) for your next snow adventure.

Before I go into the list, the #1 thing you need to be aware of when you’re buying your winter gear is… waterproof is key! If the product you’re looking at cannot guarantee it’s waterproof (unless it’s for layering), put it away! You’re just wasting your money. My second piece of advice is quality over quantity. Be prepared to spend a little more on higher quality gear. In the long run, you’ll be saving money since you won’t have to replace it as frequently. And for kids’ gear, consider shopping secondhand (like on Poshmark or Facebook Marketplace), buying a year ahead of time when brands start putting winter items on clearance, or see if any of your awesome friends are willing to pass along their kids’ hand-me-downs—we got some of the best stuff from friends trying to purge their kids’ closets!

Coats/Jackets
My two best coats are from Columbia and The North Face. Both brands can be hit or miss, however, if you stick to my waterproof rule, you can’t go wrong with either. Plus, they’re pretty affordable overall. I have one that is long that I wear for day-to-day use and a short one that’s more for playing in the snow or skiing if we ever go since it has more mobility.

For Ellis, I don’t always stick with the waterproof rule because I rarely let her stay out long enough where it’s an issue. However, if we ever take her out for long periods of time (or even skiing one day), I stick to buntings or snow suits. For on-the-go wear, I’ve had amazing luck with the Gap.

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Snow Bibs/Pants
I’ve actually had the same snow pants since I was a teenager. They’re Roxy brand (similar to these) because that’s what teen me thought was cool, but I have 0 regrets since they still work really well. I personally prefer the pants over bibs simply because they’re easier to get on and off for bathroom needs. However, for Ellis, I prefer the bibs. I like to buy a size up for her winter gear since our winters last a long time (more like forever!) and bibs are easier to adjust if she has a growth spurt. I got this year’s from Target.

Accessories
My two biggies are gloves (again go for waterproof if you can) and hats. I don’t wear scarves that much, even though I have a ton of them. I used them more when I was traveling into the city for work. My favorites are thick infinity scarves because 1) you don’t lose them since they’re easy to wrap and 2) I like that they’re closer to your face for windy days. I’m also a big fan of foldable ear muffs since my hair is in a bun 50% of the time.

For kids, go with what they’ll keep on! I have waterproof gloves for my daughter but she hasn’t grasped the concept of them yet (they’re also a little too big) so we’ve been sticking with a cotton pair. Luckily, she’s a furnace and stays warm in them.

Layering
I prefer to have layers when I’m dressing for cold. My body temperature changes a lot throughout the day so I need options to counter it. As I said before, I’m not a big scarf person, so I pick a light jacket or sweatshirt that can cover the neck. My absolute favorite is Uniqlo’s Ultra Light Down Jacket. They have it for men, women, and children, and it’s one of the warmest light jackets I’ve ever owned—and it goes with everything. My other favorites are from The North Face and L.L. Bean.

Another important part of layering is the leggings. I have two go-to’s. The first is Uniqlo’s HEATTECH leggings which are perfect for wearing under jeans or pants. Check out their entire HEATTECH line for other options, but I prefer the leggings so I can take them off when I get to my destination if I choose. My other favorite is Target’s A New Day leggings. They’re really thick so I wouldn’t wear them under anything except snow pants/bibs. They’re also super stretchy so they’re perfect maternity leggings. I practically lived in them during my pregnancy.

For Ellis, I stick to the basics—a long-sleeved onesie, fleece leggings (Target has the best ones), and a hoodie to keep her neck warm when she refuses to keep the hood of her coat on.

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Boots
Ok… probably the most important section of this post because a pair of boots can be what makes or breaks your snow day. I will say this until I’m blue in the face… waterproof, waterproof, waterproof! The best boots I’ve come across are from Columbia. I don’t even wear wool socks with them. Just regular ankle socks. They’re THAT warm! Another trick I would do when I was commuting into the city was wear cheap rain boots with thick socks (these are the best!) and insert UGG insoles from Amazon for warmth.

For kids, don’t go crazy. They’ll grow out of them after one snow day. For that reason, I tend to go a size up for snow boots. Also, they’re easier to put on when there’s a little wiggle room. We got ours from Target (because, of course). They were $10 on Black Friday so we got two—a black pair in her current size and then pink in the next size. I honestly wanted them both in black for hand-me-down potential, but they were out.