As our clothes get thicker and our cars take longer to start, we question how to survive another Minnesota winter.

University of Minnesota students spend many months of the school year finding ways to bundle up to feel comfortable in extreme cold temperatures. With layers of sweaters, pants, jackets, scarves, hats, and mittens, it can seem impossible to find a way to feel good and look good. 

But don’t despair. Here are a few tips by the fashion knowledgable that can loft your spirits while also keeping you warm.

Go long on the parka.

“The greatest clothing invention and a key to surviving a Minnesota winter is a long parka jacket,” said Lilly Heimbach, an apparel design student at the University of Minnesota.

Heimbach doesn’t mean just the classic parka falls just below the knee, keeping your whole body warm. She’s referring to the coats that hit your ankles, which have become more popular in recent years.  Heimbach predicts that they will become a trend in 2024. 

In 2023, designers in Paris, Milan, and New York brought floor-length jackets to the runway. From leather, wool, to puffer, the floor-scraping hem is making its way into the headlights of fashion. 

This past spring and summer maxi hemlines were popular in dresses and skirts, therefore jackets cannot be far behind. These ankle-grazing jackets are an efficient way to keep warm and trendy this coming season. 

These jackets can be found at Aritzia, Lululemon, and more affordable options can be found at Old Navy and H&M. 

Choose colors.

Apart from the daily classic parka, a second go-to jacket is a staple. For going out with friends or going to a football game, a cropped puffer or leather jacket in a color you love is a way to liven up your wardrobe and your spirits. According to The Color Theory, specific colors and their frequencies can have physiological and pyschological impacts on one’s mood and behavior. Our bodies have pyschological reactions to color, we automatically associate color with certain themes, things, and emotions. Picking out a blue or green sweat or a red pair of shoes can completely change your confidence and mood. Finding ways to trick your mind, can help you through the cold season. 

To brighten up a dull gray winter, break out of you comfort zone by picking out a red jack or animal print coat to keep you toasty this winter.

“Minnesota is not like California. A jacket is never an option in the winter. It’s nearly impossible to suffer through regardless of if the jacket ruins an outfit,” Smith said. 

Transform your style to baggy.

Heimbach said she transforms her style in the colder months to complement the look of baggy clothes. The baggier the clothes, the more layers she can fit underneath. 

According to an article by InStyle, 2023 is the year of baggy jeans. Throughout the past century, baggy jeans have come in and out of style, and now is the perfect time to use the baggy jeans trend to layer your bottom half. 

The baggy clothes trend is a product of the body positivity movement. In an interview with InStyle, fashion expert Bella Gerard said Gen Z is striving to put emphasis on style not size, and style is no longer limited to a tiny top or tight flattering jeans. 

Smith’s go-to trick for staying warm is wearing leggings under jeans. That simple extra layer goes a long way when it comes to walking from Dinkytown to West Bank, Smith said. 

Use scarves, hats and mittens.

Beyond the layers underneath her clothes, Smith keeps a collection of scarves. Big statement scarves have become a huge part of her fall and winter wardrobe. They make her more excited to bundle up, she said. 

Finally, the key to surviving the cold is embracing hat weather and wearing the mittens that your mom used to force you to wear. Whether it’s a big, chunky scarf or a skinny red scarf, you can’t go wrong. 

As trends fluctuate, jackets change length, and jeans change style, Minnesota winter will always be cold. Using clothes to navigate the season is an important way to feel our best and look it.