Fall and Winter Season Mistakes I Did Last Year

August 2014 was the month that changed my life. From a warm, breezy country in the Southeast Asia, I moved to Norway to be with the man I love. I was literally coated with wool and winter boots, as I could not imagine how cold it would be like in Norway. But while as I was in the airport in Oslo, I looked around and realized, uh-oh! Why is everybody else just wearing jeans and normal shirt?

I was way too overdressed that 15th of August. But after being a year in Norway and having experienced all the seasons, here are the mistakes I did last fall and winter season that you definitely don´t want to do.

Avoiding to wear scarf. I honestly didn´t know how to tie my scarf that I just avoided to wear them. The thing is that aside from protecting your neck from the cold, it also gives style to your clothing.

Buying fleece online from the kids´ section. I am a petite lady, and teens´clothes really fit me. But thing is that their styles and designs are really not for me. I used them though, but I wish I had returned them.

Not having a party boots. Norway is a place where walking on the streets is relatively safe. In fact Norwegians love walking around. The thing is that they love to party, too. School events would always include julebord or Christmas gathering, and that´s when your party boots would be handy.

Not buying shoe spikes early. Last winter I slid on ice around 5 times, and that was painful! When a store puts their shoe spikes on sale, buy a pair right away. It saves you from shame and pain.

Buying very thick wool. A century ago, people wore thick, knitted wool during winter. But not anymore! Had I known earlier last year that merinowool works just as fine as the thick ones, I wouldn´t have spent money on thick wool. Merinowool sweaters are easier to wash, they´re not as sensitive as the thicker wool, and they are very thin. Petite women like us can´t wear bulky clothes, so in fall and winter, merinowool is the best undergarments for us.

Having this list made it easier for me to identify the pieces of garments one really need when visiting Norway in fall or winter season.

• Scarfs
• Casual ankle boots
• Party boots
• Walking shoes
• Mountain boots (If you are going to climb the fjells and fjords)
• Shoe spikes
• Windproof and waterproof jackets with hoodies (It gets colder when it´s windy.)
• Undergarments made of merinowool (which includes leggings and long sleeved undergarment)
• Superunderwear (This is helpful for people who exercise during the cold season, as it lets your sweat evaporate from the shirt easily.)
• Beanies (Make sure it covers your ears.)
• Long winter jackets or coats (They provide isolation, but coats are just too bulky for me.)
• Socks made of merinowool

The fall season in Norway begins late in August and winter begins sometime in December. So if you plan to visit Norway (or perhaps other countries in Europe), I hope this article helps.