Climate in Russia
Dressing for Russian Winter
What you may not realize before you arrive in Moscow, or any other Russian city, is that while the weather outside may be frightful, Russian interiors are incredibly warm in the winter.
Heat is provided from a central location and is not in any way something you can control. Expats joke that the heat is turned on in the autumn and off in the spring by an arbitrary calendar date, but Russians will tell you that there recent temperature highs and lows are, in fact, considered.
And while you need warm clothing to wear outside in the winter, you may find your apartment (and most city dwellers do live in apartments) so warm that comfort requires a combination of t-shirts and shorts, opening windows in January, and even resorting to using your air conditioning.
Expats will debate whether it is better to buy winter clothing at home (where prices may be better and you can shop on-line and in English) or in Russia. Yes, it may be harder to find bargains in Russia, but the Russians certainly know how to keep warm and do it stylishly. Women's outwear is both functional and feminine: much prettier than the down-filled hand-grenade look. And if you are not opposed to wearing fur, this is definately the place to find and wear it.
Heat is provided from a central location and is not in any way something you can control. Expats joke that the heat is turned on in the autumn and off in the spring by an arbitrary calendar date, but Russians will tell you that there recent temperature highs and lows are, in fact, considered.
And while you need warm clothing to wear outside in the winter, you may find your apartment (and most city dwellers do live in apartments) so warm that comfort requires a combination of t-shirts and shorts, opening windows in January, and even resorting to using your air conditioning.
Expats will debate whether it is better to buy winter clothing at home (where prices may be better and you can shop on-line and in English) or in Russia. Yes, it may be harder to find bargains in Russia, but the Russians certainly know how to keep warm and do it stylishly. Women's outwear is both functional and feminine: much prettier than the down-filled hand-grenade look. And if you are not opposed to wearing fur, this is definately the place to find and wear it.
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