I am a shill.

You'd think, having grown up in Chicago, and spending essentially my whole life in the midwest, I'd know a little about staying warm in the winter. But in reality, mostly I've just complained about it.

It wasn't until this year that I really started working out way to stay warm in our 5 month winter.

I think I mostly figured it out. Layers. It seems really simple, when you think about it, but I didn't layer quite like I do now. A flannelish lower layer of pants beneath my pants have helped a lot. As did a t-shirt below a thermal shirt.

But I was still cold. The core body would be fine, but my peripherals would still be freezing cold. Feet, hands, face.

Socks. I had previously just been layering 2 pairs of regular socks, and it was better than a single pair, obviously, but still not terribly warm. I got some SmartWool hiking socks (extra cushion), and my feet have actually been hot as I've been walking in the cold. They're pretty damn good with moisture (either snow, rain, or sweat), so even if your feet do get wet, they don't stay soaked and freezing all long. These are pricey socks, but I love the hell out of them.

Gloves. I'd always used gloves, but the clumsiness associated with them always annoyed me. This are extremely thin, and surprisingly warm for how thin they are. Dexterity is pretty high, as I can text while wearing them. If you're going to be digging with your hands in snow, they won't be enough. But for normal walking around, they're pretty sweet.

Face. Yep. I look like I'm going to rob someone. But my face is warm.
This is my general use non-robbery hat. It keeps your head warm, and if you start to sweat from being inside, it keeps the moisture off your head. Very nice.

Yes, I am a shill. But seriously, these three things have made my life significantly better when working outside.