From the Mailbag: Surviving Winter on a Grad School Budget
I recently moved from Charleston South Carolina to the midwest (Indiana) for grad school. The move has left me woefully unprepared for the coming winter, and the cost of school isn’t helping either. I’ve got boots for the snow, but I need a coat, winter hat, and some gloves that will keep me decently warm and still look good. Any suggestions? I liked a lot of the coats in the outerwear post, but even the cheaper options were out of my price range.
– Nick
A few emails like this have come in over the past few days. Like shoes, a good coat is a great thing to invest in. But we’ve all been at a point in our lives where we just don’t have the funds to do so. Here’s one setup (with slightly upgraded alternatives) that’ll keep Nick from freezing to death, all while allowing him to make payments on his tuition:
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The Coat: Old Navy Wool Topcoat – $65.80* | Express Mid Thigh Peacoat – $144.60*
Both of these are wool mix, with the Old Navy being 40% recycled wool and the Express being 60%. The higher the wool percentage the better, but for $65, the Old Navy should be about as good as you’ll find. Haven’t seen either of these in person, yet… and they seem to have limited stock in stores. Both ship free and return free in-store. *You’ll need these codes: ONAUTUMN (30% off O.N., Exp. 10/20) and 1866 ($50 off $150 at Express). The Express coat is a potential steal since it’s a code stacked on top of a 30% off outerwear sale. Thanks to Sean F. for the style tip there.
The Scarf: Moon of England British Lambswool Scarf – $14.96
($54.00)
If these were on J. Crew’s site, the description would probably read something like this:
“Made by the legendary British Moon Mills, (they’ve been weaving some of the most hearty and luxurious fabrics in Yorkshire since 1837) these pure lambswool scarves will keep the chill at bay in a most particular dapper and natty fashion. Was $54, now on sale for $53.00, free shipping at $125″
Just kidding Frank. But they’re not sold by J. Crew. Instead they’re on Sierra Trading Post. Average review is 4.5 out of 5 stars. Made in northern England and comes in a dozen color/pattern options. UPDATE: Use HDW11 for $2.95 ground shipping. Puts the scarf at $17.91 shipped. ALPUMPKIN1 and OUTSIDEMAG get you 20% off, which with shipping ends up one penny more expensive than HDW11. Credit to eburke, Jason, and BenR for the codes.
The Gloves: Jacob Ash – $12.77* ($36) | Johnston & Murphy Sheepskin – $69.99 ($98)
A lined leather glove is easy enough to dress up and they’ll still keep your hands relatively warm. Both of these come with a snap strap detail at the wrist, which keeps them from getting boring. The Jacob Ash pair are already cheap at $36, but Sierra Trading Post knocks them down to under $16.00 before shipping, *and the best code to use is the ALPUMPKIN1 20% off (or OUTSIDEMAG, same discount). Ends up at $18.72 shipped.
The Hat: Cashmere Ribbed Knit Hat – $36.00 ($100)
You can find a cotton or acrylic hat for much cheaper, but a wet head means a cold body. Cashmere at this price is a pretty good investment, since the fibers are strong and warm. Better to have winter hat hair than frost bitten ears. A bit of contrast isn’t a bad play here either. Part of LastCall.com’s extra 40% off sale which is set to end today. UPDATE: Use the code FSANN3 for free shipping. Credit Mike for the code.
Cheapest Final Total: $132.72
Upgraded Final Total: $265.40
Going cheaper would require a trip to the thrift store, which ain’t a half bad idea. Good luck to Nick and everyone else on a shoe-string budget this winter. And remember, Ramen
Theres a lot of nice stuff mentioned here but the cost can be an issue – NOW were talking
Great article. Amazing that you could walk away with all that for around $130. Love the j. Crew discription, hysterical. But I am headed to STP’s site to pick up one of those awesome scarfs. Nice find!
Could you give a few winter hats alternatives? Ordering from Last Call is tricky for people outside USA. Thanks ?
There is also this scarf on sale: http://www.sierratradingpost.com/moon-wool-cashmere-scarf~p~3389j/
I kind of like this one better. 3% cashmere doesn’t hurt either!
Swweet!! Just grabbed the O.N. topcoat. Exactly what I’ve been looking for.
Thanks Joe!
I wasnt sure where to post this but cole haan is doing 25% off everything…code is 2011FF
-Chris
Code ALPUMPKIN1 at STP takes an additional 20% off. I got the scarf for $17 with shipping
I only live 1.5 hours from Cheyenne (where one of the STP outlet stores is).
I’m sure I’m one of very few people who will ever say that I’m considering a day trip to Wyoming to do some shopping.
Go thrifting, I picked up a “killer” camel colored double breasted top coat last Thanksgiving in Cleveland, the company that made it was the precursor to Hugo Boss which still makes suits in Cleveland.
Target once again has their inexpensive acrylic “watch” style caps again this fall in a variety of colors, less than $10.00 each, so you can splurge and get multiple colors. I received a lot of compliments wearing these last fall/winter, don’t be afraid to purchase.
Great column Joe as usual.
I love Target as much as the next Dappered guy, but like Joe said, it’s worth splurging a little on a hat made of organic fibers like merino wool or cashmere. There’s nothing worse than a cold, wet head in winter.
Thanks !
I think that code is expired (ended yesterday). Code OUTSIDEMAG is still good for the same thing.
HDW11 for $2.95 ground shipping at Sierra Trading Post
Where in Indiana? If you are attended a certain school in South Bend, I can tell you from experience that those coats are fine in November but they aren’t going to be enough to get you through the winter. I would suggest sacrificing style for function because it can get just miserable up there. As if the cold wasn’t bad enough (at least it’s not as cold as it gets in, say, Minnesota), because of it’s location east of Lake Michigan you get a lot of wind, snow, snow mixed with rain that blows sideways, etc. So I’d suggest getting a 3-in-1 parka with a hood so you can mix up your level of insulation to fit the temperature while still retaining the waterproof and windproof shell. I’d suggest something in a darker color and not so technical looking, and with a detachable hood. That is a pretty typical look on campus to wear a parka on the outside and then khakis, oxford, and a sweater underneath.
‘attending’ – Sorry, I was typing in a hurry.
Free shipping at Last Call
FSANN3
Those scarves look sweeet!
Does that ON code work for anything in-store and online?
I used it this morning
I finished grad school in Indiana last year – now live in Chicago where the winters are just that much more brutal…..
I think you have some great choices here – it would be nice to see a boot choice. I am dying for some Bean boots, but I cant justify to my wife having an insulated winter pair and a thinner regular pair for rainy/now-snowy seasons……
Additionally, it is quite challenging to carry around a pair of boots AND a pair of shoes to change into and out of for work, etc…. in my opinion, keeping your feet looking nice and feeling nice in a midwestern winter is the ultimate challenge.
Final note: I would like to see pics of those hats in-person. Not so much a fan of them, but then again, a big floppy beanie looks too trendy/juvenile, sports teams hats are….well, they’re sports teams hats…. and cabbie/driver hats as well as hats of the fedora genus don’t keep the ears very toasty. Not to mention, I LOATHE 180 earmuffs (by themselves of supplemented with a hat lacking ear protection) …. they look stupid IMO.
Would love to see pics of how to pull off different types of dome pieces.Did I mention I’ve always considered myself a hat guy? I have just recently realized how hard it is to rock a ‘mature-looking’ lid.
*non-snowy (paragraph 2)
I would check out lands end. They have a 40% off code on 1 regular priced item right now. They cashmere lined leather gloves are nice and they have a wide variety of hats/coats.
So I finally decided to pull the trigger on the express coat, I have seen it posted here couple times, and right now it seems like a steal!
I got some bean boots… I’m in snow country and I’m just going to pair them with extra-thick wool socks when it gets colder. When it’s wet out I wear my bean boots and carry my office shoes in a bag and change when I get in. It’s not really that big a deal.
I got some bean boots… I’m in snow country and I’m just going to pair them with extra-thick wool socks when it gets colder. When it’s wet out I wear my bean boots and carry my office shoes in a bag and change when I get in. It’s not really that big a deal.
Hmm, weird, I used it after reading your comment and there was no discount applied. Looked it up on Retailmenot.com and it said it expired yesterday (10/19). Maybe it actually expired sometime this morning.
Per the discount terms and conditions, it applies to online purchases excluding “everyday steals” and licensed sports items.
I used it too this morning.
Bought the red scarf from STP. Also bought this winter hat from there : http://www.sierratradingpost.com/peregrine-by-jg-glover-watch-cap-merino-wool-for-men-and-women~p~56596/ Not cashmere, but merino wool is not that bad.
I went ahead and purchased the Old Navy wool mix topcoat. I’ve been looking for an inexpensive one for a while, and couldn’t pass up the 30% off. I will let you know what I think once it arrives.
Thanks for the tips, Joe – my winter wardrobe is becoming better by the day!
My dressiest “leather” gloves are made from pigskin and denim, say “Kincos” on them, and cost me $11 at the local ranch supply, so I did go ahead and get those Jacob Ash gloves from STP. I tried on some leather gloves insulated with 30g of Thinsulate at Target, which didn’t feel very warm or substantial, so I hope these ones have a little more warmth to them. I also got this merino and cashmere scarf. A little more expensive than the “Moon of England” one at $26 pre-discount, but I also like the single stripe and the cashmere a little better. STP’s got a TON of nice scarves in the ~$20 range.
Sorry for so many posts but I just got this in my email. J.Crew is doing a 25% promo on orders over $150.
Conveniently, that means you can now get this: http://www.jcrew.com/browse/single_product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441808594&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302044517&nav_type=FACTORY&bmUID=1319130652099
for $127 and free shipping with code LOVEFALL. Another “upgrade” alternative for people shopping for coats on a budget.
I have that Old Navy coat, if its the same one as last year’s model. I got it for around $30 when Old Navy was having a 50% off coats sale. Its fairly warm but the coat runs big. Its not form-fitting in the least, the sleeves are pretty wide and I have a solid build. That being said, I bought it to wear as an everyday beater to work and its done the job fine.
I also have an Express top coat, likely similar materials and fit to the double breasted pea coat mentioned above. The fit is far more tailored and the materials are better quality than the Old Navy. As typical with Express after Thanksgiving they will be running ridiculous promotions and I wouldn’t be surprised if you can get that coat for under $115. I believe at the time my top coat was selling for $250 and I got it for around $108.
LKG,
That’s what I was afraid of RE: the Old Navy coat. I’m pretty thin, and I ordered the small size. What size chest/waist are you, and what size did you get, if I may ask?
LKG,
That’s what I was afraid of RE: the Old Navy coat. I’m pretty thin, and I ordered the small size. What size chest/waist are you, and what size did you get, if I may ask?
Any cheap boot suggestions?
As a Grad student, posts like these are quite helpful.
I’ve been looking at those scarves today. Thinking about getting one of the solid colored alpaca ones, but some reviews call them scratchy. The ones you posted are a bit short for my tastes, at 53×12. My favorite scarf is a 72″x14 gray plaid flannel (100% cotton) from H&M. I like to have the option of wrapping it twice around.
As a current student at Notre Dame, please don’t buy a black north face jacket. I think 80% plus of the campus wears one on a regular basis during the winter, it’s just so boring and bland. Also, I think the wind is really the worst part so a nice cap is necessary.
IMO there’s probably not much added value in buying a cashmere hat vs. a wool hat. You can buy military-issue wool watch caps for like $10 from a lot of places, eg here:
http://well-spent.com/2011/10/20/artex-knitting-mills-government-issue-watch-caps/
The benefit to cashmere, or a finer wool like merino, is that it doesn’t itch.
I have one of those government issue ones, and although I love mine, it’s pretty bulky and traditional looking.
@Aaron, I am a 46L regularly and I am swimming in the XL (but the sleeves were short on the L). But in the XL Express (I have a peacoat and top coat) the fit is quite tailored. I can barely fit a blazer under the Express top coat. When in doubt size down for Old Navy.
Thanks for the response, LKG. I’ll see how the fit is when it arrives. I can always return it to my local store if necessary.
Bought the scarft and a winter hat from STP. I live in Canada. They charged me a $20 shipping fee and now I have to pay another $20 for brokerage. Far from a deal. Oh, how I hate UPS.
Is that johnston & Murphy in the top pic?
Just following up on this, I received the Old Navy topcoat in the mail the other day, and boy is it huge. I would say that these run at least one size too large. I wear a small for ON shirts and polos, but the small topcoat was enormous on me. No chance for it, so it is being returned. I can’t understand why ON would waste material on a coat that will clearly not fit someone who is the size it is intended for. Bizarre.
I was looking through JCrew’s website and actually found a description about Moon. “Crafted in a soft, distinguished English wool from the legendary Abraham Moon mill (they’ve been producing some of the world’s finest fabrics since 1837).” Wasn’t for a scarf but for a jacket so the fun stops there, but you were spot on otherwise. Too funny.