I Went Shopping For Winter Clothes In Canada For The First Time & It Was The Worst Thing Ever

The stuff that looks good isn't usually warm

As someone who moved to Canada from the Middle East, winter shopping to me meant cute heeled boots and fashionable trench coats.

But, over here in Canada, winter shopping takes on a whole new meaning in that clothes are not just supposed to look good but, well, keep you alive during those icy months.

As I quickly realized, anything that I even partly liked – peacoats, figure-hugging jeans and badass leather jackets – are just not practical enough to handle the coldest months.

And the stuff that did look like it could keep me alive – bulky parkas and jeans that accommodate layers of thermals – are not very easy on the eyes.

So, my advice to everyone in this department is: when in doubt, always go for the warmer outfit, even if it's not as pretty.

What helped me was researching any product I was spending over $100 on and checking user reviews.

Your future self will probably thank you for the extra effort!

Winter shopping is expensive

Eventually, I did find clothes that were gorgeous to look at and seemed to also do their job of keeping the wearer adequately warm.

But all I had to do was look at the price tag to know they were going right back on the rack.

In fact, the first time I looked up the prices at Canada Goose, I nearly shed a tear. A lot of the jackets and parkas there looked great but with price tags above the $1,000 range I think I'd have to take a loan out to afford one.

I compromised by deciding on a budget and then shelling out on some mid-range brands for essential products while getting no-name brands for less-important stuff.

Thrift stores are also amazing places to get quality stuff on a tight budget, I've learned.

You need so many accessories 

I knew that winter shopping was all about accessories and layering.

But, what I didn't realize, was the sheer number of accessories Canadians have for the extreme cold.

Take getting the right boots, for example.

While I previously thought one pair would suffice, I quickly learned that I actually needed a pair of "everyday boots" and then a separate pair of "snow boots" for winter activities.

And don't even get me started on the varieties, like knee-high boots and combat boots. Or features like water-resistant vs. water-proof.

Gloves (that work with touch-screen phones), beanies, ear-muffs, thermal socks and hand warmers (not to be confused with hand gloves) are just some of the other things I've learned I'll likely need.

And all that is hard on the wallet, especially when you need to buy them all at once!

It's overwhelming when you're new

When you come from a hot country and suddenly have to buy winter clothes, the options can be quite overwhelming.

Luckily, many brands actually do list out what temperatures their clothing is best suited for, and this was super helpful to a newbie like me.

It can also get confusing because you want to buy basics that go with, well, the rest of your wardrobe. But you also might want statement pieces that look fashionable, are different colours and stand out.

And, well, I'm still struggling to find the right balance there. Any tips for me here, Canada?