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| Oh yeah that's me in a T-shirt in the snow in the Alps, bring on the cold! |
Q: Is winter clothing cheaper in Singapore or in Europe?
A: Definitely Europe. You see, in Europe, everyone needs winter wear when winter comes whereas in Singapore, only rich people get to travel to countries where they have real winter weather. So in Singapore, the winter wear on offer tends to cater to the high end of the market because hey, you're rich, you can afford foreign travel whereas in Europe, it is possible to get really cheap bargains with retailers catering for the budget end of the market. Take the UK for example, Primark is your bargain lelong-lelong retailer catering for the bottom end of the market and you can get items for a few pounds (we're talking under S$10 here) for sweaters, trousers, shoes, scarves and hats. Guess what? There are poor people in somewhere like England and they cannot afford your fancy stuff from Uniqlo - so there is a whole section of the retail market dedicated to budget conscious consumers.
If you only travel occasionally to cold countries (remember, if you come to Europe in say summer, you don't need winter clothes at all), then what is the point in investing in expensive winter clothing when it is just going to collect dust in your closet in Singapore? And especially if you are traveling with children, then you don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on your children's winter clothing only for them to wear it once and then outgrow them within a year or two. You may as well just do a bit of research prior to your departure to identify the best place to get budget winter clothing at your first stop in Europe (or USA, Japan, Korea, etc). In Singapore, even if they do bring in the cheap lelong-lelong stuff, they always try to charge you more for it because they know you are a rich person who can afford to travel. Poor people in Singapore simply do not buy winter clothes, unlike in Europe where poor people need winter clothes.
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| How much should you pay for a winter coat? |
Q: Does cheaper winter clothing leave you cold and shivering? I don't mind paying more for quality.
A: No, cheaper clothing doesn't leave you cold, by the same token, more expensive winter clothing doesn't necessarily keep you warmer. You need to know how to dress for the weather conditions you are expecting and a lot of that will depend on whether you're expecting +5 degrees and heavy rain or -20 degrees and snow. You could end up feeling a LOT colder if you get wet in the rain at +5 degrees than if you are appropriately dressed at -20 degrees. So it is not how much it costs, it is more about knowing exactly what to wear for different conditions. There is a premium to be paid for branded goods - the same way a shirt from D&G or Versace would cost a lot more than one from H&M or Next, but it isn't necessarily nicer or has a better design; you're just paying more for the brand name. So please don't imagine that just because you paid a lot for a branded winter coat that somehow it will keep you warm - hell no. You paid for the fact that it has a famous brand name on the label and that is not going to keep you warm.
Q: What about Uniqlo's Heattech range? It is very popular, should I get it?
A: Well it does have a very clever marketing campaign, but there is merely a clever use of the word 'tech' which makes you think there is something magical going on there to keep you warm. No, it is merely thermal underwear using a kind of thinner fabric that is good at heat retention - they are not inventing something brand new here, they are merely taking an existing concept (thermal underwear) and rebranding it very cleverly so you think you're buying into something brand new. So no, I wouldn't bother with Uniqlo's Heattech range, because it doesn't do anything all that special - but I'll give them an A-star for their brilliant marketing campaign as it duped so many people into buying it. And no, I have never ever bought anything from Uniqlo and don't intend to buy any, ever. I'm not fond of Uniqlo.
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| Thermal underwear is nothing new really. |
Q: Should I invest in heat pads?
A: Hell no. Definitely not. No, no, no, it is a complete waste of money. These heat pads are not cheap and whilst they do generate some heat, it is very localized and you would need to literally stick it under your clothes next to your skin to get the maximum effect. If you're already wearing three layers, then having it in your pocket would do absolutely nothing as it is just not close enough to your skin for you to feel anything. They are usually only single-use so please don't waste your money on them - invest in decent winter clothing accessories instead: gloves, scarves, hats, socks. Heat pads are great for treating injuries (say if you have a sprained ankle and you need to improve blood circulation around the injured area). If it is your hands your concerned about, then just invest in a good pair of gloves rather than getting through loads of heat pads.
Q: Is it true that different people experience the cold differently? Like some people can really put up with anything and just not feel cold whilst others start suffering at 10 degrees? I heard some people have poor blood circulation and that makes them more prone to the cold.
That's not true. There are cities like Moscow, Harbin, Anchorage and Kiev with bitterly cold winters but the locals know exactly how to prepare themselves for the winter weather. So it is not like they have developed some kind of super powers to withstand the cold, it's just that they have local knowledge which enables them to cope a lot better in the winter months. And I think that there are some Singaporeans who just complain and make too much noise sometimes when they travel, they complain about anything and everything from the food to the transport to the weather. Yes of course it is going to feel cold if you visit Moscow in January but it's just a question of being well prepared for that kind of weather and dressing appropriately. So stop listening to those people who complain and make a lot of noise (they probably packed the wrong clothes or made other stupid mistakes) - do note that a lot of travelers do visit these cold places in winter and just get on with their trip without complaining and whining non-stop about the cold weather!
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| London freezing over in winter. |
Now I don't dispute the fact that some people have poor blood circulation but that usually affects the elderly - we're talking old folks over the age of 70. At that age, the heart isn't as strong as before and is unable to efficiently pump blood around the body - thus the elderly tend to feel the cold in the extremities of their bodies, particularly in their hands and feet which are the furthest points from their heart. Poor blood circulation could be a symptom for some form of heart disease which is stopping your heart from working efficiently. Diabetes can also be another cause of poor blood circulation along with other conditions like Raynaud's disease and Hypothyroidism. If you are under the age of 70 and you experience the symptoms of poor blood circulation even in a hot country like Singapore, then I would strongly advice you to seek medical attention as soon as possible and have a thorough medical check up for this is simply not normal. It is a symptom that something is wrong and should not be ignored.
Q: What about shoes and socks? Do I need winter boots?
I have already written a full blog post about this here. Please follow the link.
Q: What about buying stuff over the internet - I heard you could get great bargains.
I am in two minds about this - on one hand, if you're from Singapore and you're hardly ever going to use your winter clothing, then why not, if you can save some money. On the other hand, I usually prefer to try on clothing (any kind, not just winter clothing) before purchasing to see how it feels, if I like it and have the opportunity to change my mind after trying it on. If you can find a great bargain online that is super cheap then go for it, what have you got to lose.
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| Limpeh in Zagreb, Croatia |
Q: Are ear muffs necessary?
Few people bother with ear muffs these days - I think it's a cute thing that girls would wear (I've seen them in K-pop music videos) but otherwise most people would use a wool hat that they can pull over their ears to protect their ears in cold temperatures. Such a wool hat shouldn't cost more than a few pounds/euros - it is something so basic.
Q: Will you fall ill easily in the very cold weather?
Not necessarily so. We are all more susceptible when traveling long haul - long journeys are tiring, the lack of sleep, having our sleep pattern interrupted by jet lag, maybe not sleeping well in an unfamiliar environment. So yes, I can imagine that one may fall ill during a long journey like that because of the lack of rest and sleep, but it is not the cold that is the culprit. You will only fall ill if you are under-dressed for the very cold weather, but if you are well prepared and have everything you need, the cold weather isn't going to make you fall ill. Make sure you get enough rest/sleep, drink plenty of fluids, eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables when you are traveling.
So that's all the questions raised in that thread I think.. I hope this helps. Do feel free to use the comments section below if you have any further questions about the issue of winter wear and I'll answer them. Thank you for reading.
Singaporeans will complain about the cold even when it is just rain. About Uniqlo, my niece was bragging about shopping there with her husband. I looked it up on their site. Very overpriced. We have brands here like North Face, MEC, Taiga, Columbia, and Patagonia that are tried and true winter wear. I think you can get North Face in Singapore. It is all about layering. I don't ski, so I hardly ever wear my thermal layers. Singaporeans really have no clue when it comes to winter clothing, so this is helpful. I see my niece's high-heeled boots when she went to Taiwan, and I was just laughing. Yeah, that's really fancy, girl, and you look like you stepped out of a Korean/Japanese print ad but hardly the footwear to wear to travel. About the price to pay --- certainly if you can buy them overseas, do so. My husband's favorite winter jacket was just CAD$15.00 from CAD$70.00! Not a brand name even, but it is warm, practical, and looks very good on him. Alex, this is such a great idea to share with your readers. Before I lived here, I had no clue what to buy either.
ReplyDeleteNo worries Di - one of them actually asked me for help on the issue of winter boots and I did do a post on it recently. I wanna encourage them to ask for help and get the right information lah - because I read that Singaporean forum and I shook my head in despair. Like some of the information is good, but some were totally misleading and inaccurate:there was a case of the blind leading the blind? Like if you don't know what to suggest, don't say anything, don't anyhow hazard a guess, anyhow hantam an answer: but there was a lot of that and people were faced with having to sort out the useful information from the totally salah wrong information. Hence that's why I wanted to do this quick fire Q&A.
DeletePS. I deleted Kaishun's latest comment which was creeeeepy like an ex bunny boiler. It was like, "sorry but I am not going to disappear just because you want me to..." Creepy! Then it was all this about my parents as if he knows me so well and I'm like, I'm just gonna delete it again and delete all future comments from him to see how long it would take for him to get the message. You know, for all the talk of human decency and politeness, maybe I've been too civil and polite with him, that's why he keeps coming back.
Yikes!
DeleteThat escalated quickly! I wonder what joy he gets out of antagonising you.
DeleteHmmm. Do I even wanna start speculating?
DeleteI think it may have to do with the fact that he feels superior to me. He thinks he is more sensible, more educated, he earns more, he has accomplished more in life, he understands the world better than me, etc - some of that may well be true of course, I don't doubt that he is very highly educated and has achieved a lot in his career. But does that mean that I would listen to him? Not necessarily. I trust in my own judgement and I am not afraid to stand my ground and disagree with him.
Now that irks him a lot I think - because he can't understand why I wouldn't just bow to his better judgement, he can't understand why I would have the audacity to disagree with him when he is sooo much better than me in everything in life. That's my theory anyway - he can't get me to listen to him, so antagonizing me is somehow the next best thing? I could be completely wrong of course.
But there are different types of intelligence, and he is obviously lacking in social intelligence.
DeleteOh yeah I don't doubt that Di - I guess his frustration is my unwillingness to allow him to influence me or even listen to him. He does make some valid points at times, sure - but his abrasive and antagonistic style has made anything he presents unacceptable. Maybe there are people in his life who will tolerate and put up with his abrasive nature, I certainly won't and he thinks that I am wrong - tough, I am not gonna change.
Delete"Mark as spam"
ReplyDeleteUnless you still want to have the option to see his comments.
Oh yes, wrt cold, I realise I have much worse cold tolerance when I'm feeling under the weather or if I did not have a good night's sleep. Not rocket science here. Cold tolerance can be built up too, with some conditioning, and to a point.
There was one stage where I was cycling in ten degrees in just t shirt and berms like some of the other crazy Aussie cyclists. But somehow I've completely lost that, and am damn "lousy" these days. But then again I've stopped cycling for my commute as we've moved to the outer suburbs and either use vehicles or take the metro.
Btw, I'm very cheap. So cheap Chinese crap works well if you pile on enough layers. Just top it off with a wind proof outer shell and Bob's your uncle!
I was once one of those misguided Sinkies you referred to in your post who thought it best to buy winter wear in sg. Now I tell my visitors to buy everything here if they need.
-S
The Singapore range is very limited and expensive (Uniqlo mentioned above). Unless you are heading to -30 degree mountain climbing conditions I would just stack lots of layers and buy whatever winter wear in destination country. I might end up lucky and hit a sudden warm pocket without need for much winter wear.
DeleteHi NR, I may mark him as spam if this goes on.
DeleteI think there needs to be a willingness to put up with cold and be sensible about it - let me give you a classic example. My sister refuses to use the outdoor pool in her condo in SINGAPORE as she claims the water is cold. I have used it many times before and it's just like any other pool in Singapore - the water is cooler than the air temperature so it does feel relatively cool when you first jump in but after a few minutes, it feels okay. The water temperature is probably about 26 or 27 degrees in Singapore, but it is still cooler than the air temperature which is usually around the 30 mark. You can't get cold in 27 degree water, yet my sister is stubborn and will not listen to science. She refuses to get past the initial feeling of coolness when she first enters the pool #facepalm. #typicalsingaporean
I actually do like the Uniqlo heattech, it is a good base layer and quite cheap in London. Plus it does "wick the sweat away" pretty decently, and I can wear it around the house as a "home" shirt. Maybe i have been conned by the marketing but i do think it is quite good.. =D
ReplyDeleteNaaaah I'm not convinced. It doesn't look good and it's thermal underwear with clever marketing at the end of the day. They have impressed me with rebranding thermal underwear in a super successful way but I'm still not buying it. I hate thermal underwear so much.
Delete@Ian a good merino wool base layer is more comfy and warmer than anything I can find from Uniqlo, I find even their ultra lite down jacket gimmicky (and expensive). Down is down whether it comes from Uniqlo or not does make you look less a bumpkin.
DeleteIf you like Uniqlo stuff then buy it because you like the look and the design but at the end of the day, the so-called Heattech is just thermal underwear, don't be duped by the ultra smart marketing campaign.
DeleteThermal underwear can be as simple as Fruit of the Loom or Hanes available at Walmart or a grocery store that sells clothing. Seriously, I believe in layering, and my inner layers are not important to me brand-wise. I hate thermal too. Last time I wore them was when my son was playing soccer in the winter cold.
DeleteCan I just point out please: if I was standing or sitting watching someone playing soccer in winter, then I would get cold. But if I was playing soccer even in winter, then the physical activity would warm me up very quickly and I would not feel cold. Heck, even the simple act of cycling to get around town usually leaves me feeling very warm.
DeleteI don't know why these Singaporeans are sooooo fond of thermal underwear. Like okay if you're going to be standing outside for 5 hours watching the Northern Lights in -30 degrees then fair enough, but most of them are not going to do that. Most of them are going to places where it is barely freezing and they are not even spending that much time outdoors - they are just paranoid about the cold. Heck, my sister is paranoid about the water in her pool in SINGAPORE being too cold. #facepalm That's why I love posting that picture of me in the Alps, walking around in the snow in just a T-shirt.
Yes, I was NOT playing soccer. I was watching the game in the winter cold. I think I can count on my fingers in one hand the number of times I have worn thermal. That is, probably 3 times in 28 years? Anyway, Singaporeans love to make a big deal about the cold. Even in air-conditioned buildings, I have seen office workers wearing sweaters. My fashion-conscious niece loves to brag about her sweaters she claims are necessary because her office is air-conditioned. Please! What a show-off! If the building is that cold, there is something wrong with the air-conditioning, and someone should call maintenance.
ReplyDeleteAhhh heat tech. I live in Hokkaido n yes it's really cheap in Japan, but meh, it doesn't really do much on its own. Even the Japanese people here don't wear it because they can always get cheaper inner wear or just layer their winter clothing. Don't waste money on heat tech. Spend it on a proper jacket, scarfs, or gloves. As for ear muffs, it's ok to wear it in a country like Japan but a good alternative is wearing a beanie. Protects both head and ears. Perfect! Also in Hokkaido , people wear face masks all the time not because they are sick, but because it helps to keep their face warm! Worth a shot.
ReplyDeleteI don't mean to condemn Heattech at the end of the day, but I think unfortunately many people think it is some kinda of electric blanket (hence the word 'TECH') when really it is just glorified thermal underwear with sleek rebranding marketing and marketing ain't gonna keep you warm at -20 degrees. You still need to go back to the basic principles of dressing for sub-zero temperatures.
DeleteFor that I would give credit to brands like North Face and Patagonia. They have some very good quality winter wear that elite mountain climbers use. I would pay money for that since the warranty is pretty solid. Uniqlo? No way since it's Japan's version of Giordano.
DeleteLimpeh, I think I commented on your last winterwear post and I have to say, your advice is great for people who are like you... but there are plenty of people who are not like you! So your travelers are aware, I will share the perspective of a female in a big city with a more sedentary lifestyle than you who "runs cold" (and yes, those last two are likely related)...
ReplyDeleteHats vs earmuffs. Hats are awesome. Hats keep your head warm, and most of your heat escapes through the top of your head, so if you can wear a hat, wear a hat. However, if you are a girl and you are on your way to a formal event (why are all the Xmas and NYE parties in winter?!?! wrong hemisphere man!) or just care about looking nice because you are hiao okay, and you have carefully done your hair before leaving the house, you can be sure that if you wear a hat your hair will be a mess when you take it off. That is what earmuffs are for. I wear a hat to work and then brush my hair when I get there, but if I have to put my hair "up" then that's not an option, so I have a set of earmuffs just for when I dress up and go out. Travellers have to attend functions too sometimes!
Thermals: Clearly a thing where everyone's mileage varies. Me, I LOVE THEM. No, seriously. And you know what kind I love the most? Heattech. Because it is cheap! Uniqlo always has sales and I stock up. I have silk thermals and performance / ski layers too, but those cost about $30-50 each per piece for both tops and bottoms, and in contrast you can get Heattech pieces on sale for about $5-10 each, which is cheaper than what you'll find at most American department stores (e.g. Cuddl Duds that they sell at Kohls and Walmart etc). Are they amazing and special and worth a lot of money? Absolutely not. But they are comfy, soft, not itchy, stretchy, warm and breathable, and I often find myself not wanting to take them off once I have gotten home, so I lounge around in them. I'd say that's worth $10.
I think there are two reasons we diverge on this issue, Limpeh. Firstly, you take active vacations involving skiing and such -- and I bet if I were exerting myself skiing too I would be warm and sweaty and t-shirting it like you (my husband is exactly the same way when he skis). However, that's not what I'm doing most days in the city. I'm trying to stay warm standing on an unheated train platform, or sitting in an underheated office or drafty apartment.
Secondly, some people "run hot", and others "run cold". I think you are the former and I am the latter. Many women also tend to run colder than men for a few reasons (differences in circulation, surface area to mass ratio, etc). Know which category you fall in, and if you fall in the "run cold" category, know that you may be much happier layering up.
On the serious, at the recent Uniqlo sale I was able to buy about a dozen pairs of leggings, so I started wearing them every day instead of rationing myself to only wearing them on the coldest of days. My quality of life has drastically improved as a result - I was remarking on this to my coworkers; I'm so much less miserable now that I'm warmer. So they all went out and bought the same Heattech leggings as me and now we all happily wear them together. :)
I just wanted to provide an alternative point of view on thermal underwear. You have an marked distaste for them, and you are allowed to! You clearly hate them, so you should never wear them! But that doesn't mean they couldn't make a different type of person very happy indeed. :)
Hi Michelle, allow me to respond to your points:
Delete1. Hats vs earmuffs on the issue of women's hairdos - now when it is like -20 degrees, you have to be very practical, it is not just your ears that gets cold but your head itself will lose a lot of heat very quickly and it needs to be covered, protected if you don't want to feel cold. So even if you are vain - well tough, do you want to fall sick from hypothermia for the sake of looking slightly nicer with a fancy hairdo? I find it ironic that you would ask women to lead their heads exposed in such very low sub-zero temperatures (erm, hello?) when you would advocate the use of thermal underwear - that's a direct contradiction. Even someone like me who (according to your definition) would "run hot" would always protect my head. In places like Russia where the winters are very cold, women ALWAYS cover their heads when they go out in the sub-zero temperature and when they arrive at their venues, they would spend a few minutes doing their hair up in the washroom. Be pragmatic here.
2. Despite my very Singaporean nickname here, Limpeh actually lives in the UK and works in Europe (I have just returned from Germany where I have been working). I do not simply just visit cold countries on holiday, but I actually spend the entire winter in Europe. Do check out my latest blog post about my trip to Germany when I fell ill and still had to work non-stop and my upcoming vlog post from Koln, Germany. I have a British passport, I do not live in Singapore and when I visit Singapore, I do so as a tourist.
3. Most buildings are extremely well heated in Europe - heck I am currently sitting here in my flat in London in my shorts and T-shirt and dressed as if I am in Singapore (on the 23 Dec). I don't recognize these drafty apartments or underheated buildings you are talking about. I was recently on a film set in Germany where it was a disused building which had no heating - yeah, that felt cold but that was a rare exception as it was a disused building (hence the film crew could blow stuff up and have huge explosions without disrupting the businesses or occupants) - but apart from that, all buildings are warmed to a cozy 21 to 23 degrees indoors. Sometimes even more.
4. I would say that whether or not you need thermal underwear depends so much on the kind of activity you'll be doing. How many Singaporeans are going to do what I did: go to North Germany in late December to spend 8 hours in a completely unheated disused building when the temperature outside is barely zero? No, they're going to spend the vast majority of their time in very well heated trains, coaches, museums, restaurants, shopping malls, hotels, train stations, gift shops and are barely ever going to be outdoors for more than 20-30 minutes at a stretch. So they wouldn't need heattech or whatever thermal underwear at all - but in hindsight, yeah I probably could have done with some thermal underwear given how freaking freezing that old building was all night.
Fully aware of your cred, Limpeh, been reading you for a while :) I completely agree with you on how wonderful hats are; I wear them whenever possible. I am just pointing out that some women are very, VERY hiao, and in circumstances when your hiaoness outweighs your desire to be actually warm, then earmuffs are an option! I'll say that the earmuffwearing ladies I know (including myself) live in the 0 to -10 deg weather of DC and NY and Boston, not the --30s or -40s of Moscow or Manitoba, so no one is actually getting frostbite on their ears. Just enduring temporary misery for the sake of their hair. ;-)
DeleteI also chuckled at your description of "very well heated" indoor spaces as, well, spoken like a man! :) I've never worked in London, but I'm curious, when you worked in an office, did you have any female coworkers who complain that the offices are kept cold for the men? Every office building I have worked in in Singapore and the US has been calibrated to a temperature that the men find comfortable and women grouse about. Why do you think so many of us keep cardigans, shawls, blankets, heating pads, and even space heaters at our desks? How you felt in that empty German building is how many of us women feel in our offices every day. Especially if we have to sit near the server rooms. *sigh*
I'm not saying you're wrong, not in the slightest - your advice will hold true for easily 75% of your audience - I'm just noting circumstances in which earmuffs and thermals are useful, so that anyone in the other 25% (people more like me than like you, perhaps!) can maybe recognize it for themselves.
Lastly, I would just like to declare that outdoor train platforms are a scourge upon the earth. You have them out in some of the further zones of London, don't you? BRRR WHEN IS THIS TRAIN GOING TO COME MY NOSE IS FALLING OFF. Why does no one make thermal underwear for my nose. >.<
Hello Michelle, merry xmas to you. Allow me to respond:
Delete1. Well I am balding 38 year old with a very, very short haircut to mask the fact that I am losing my hair, so I shall let you have the last say on women's hair.
2. As for indoor office spaces, well, I have been watching the latest series of the Apprentice and you notice that men are boring: the standard attire is suit and tie. That means trousers down to our ankles, long sleeved shirts + jacket = we're not cold. Women? Oh they wanna be sexy & corporate: that means shirts with hemlines way above the knee and sleeveless tops, sometimes with a plunging neckline. That means that some women are running around the office with most of their legs, arms and possibly some of their back & neck exposed whilst some men have less exposed when they are on the beach. Heck, if a man dressed down like that in the corporate world and dared to say, show his knees in the office or wear a sleeveless tank top to the office - ooooh dear, let's not even go there.
My point is simple: women tend to wear less in the office than men - and that's why you feel cold.
3. Sure we have outdoor train platforms - but again, what temperature are we talking about? 0? -10? -20? You just have to be prepared for the temperature you are about to face.
PS. I'll give you an example about men being overdressed okay? I am notorious at my gym for showing my legs, I wear running shorts which I consider normal by Singaporean standards but super short/gay/sexy by British standards and I'm like, I don't give a toss about your British modesty, I have nice legs, the gym is well heated and I am here to work out so feast your eyes on my flawless thighs and butt if you want. Like seriously, I don't get the British men who wear trousers (we're talking like tracksuit type bottoms) to the gym to work out when I am a shorts kinda guy in the gym environment (well I'm from S'pore where I rarely wore trousers as a kid as it's so freaking hot and sweaty). But you get the idea, men wear so much more clothes than women for some reason: this modesty ... I don't buy into that. And the American men are faaaar worse, but somehow American/British women don't buy into that modesty crap. (Neither do I, have you seen my gymnastics videos featuring my short shorts and thunder thighs). But there u go.
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