A Survival Guide for the Icelandic Outdoors

I have learned a lot since living in Iceland... like how getting into a car and driving is really taking your life into your own hands, that at the supermarket it's every man for himself, and that in a language where there's no real word for please, politeness is going to be a struggle! But so far, I have NEVER been able to dress appropriately for Icelandic weather, always returning home with the onset of frostbite... until today!! I've finally cracked it, so for foreign women living in cold regions around the world, I would like to share with you my fool-proof Outdoor Survival Guide.

First of all, if you have any intention of retuning to your home with your facial skin in tact, moisturise before you go out. I'm in love with Elizabeth Arden's Green Tea and Honey Drops Body Cream and although it is an indulgence, it's well worth the money! Other creams that work and are especially good for winter are those with high SPF because the sun still gets through, especially in very Northernly areas! Another facial feature that needs to be addressed is the mouth... if you don't want your lips to look and feel like they could be used to cut fruit, then good old fashioned Vaseline Petroleum Jelly is the way to go.

Onto the clothes! Can you say thermal?? Thermal underwear is great, but if you can't afford, or want to wear thermal undies (and I totally understand why), then at least buy one thermal vest to wear under your top. The name of the game during winter is layers, so layer up!!! Wear a couple of thinner layers under a fleece jumper and you'll be toastie warm but will be able to peel them off again when you go indoors without overheating.

Your legs cover a large stretch of body and waterproof pants are great with a fleece or thermal legging underneath. The main thing with the legs is to stop the wind getting in, so look for materials that are both windproof and waterproof. When it comes to a good winter coat, think of it as an investment. Good quality coats usually come at a price, but they are your main protection from the cold and they have to be warm, durable and waterproof, so buy a good one. Here are a couple from 66 degrees North that look great as well as do the job... the fact that you have to sell an organ to buy one is a minor set back! ;-)

But even if you do all these things, it will mean nothing if you don't protect the 3 areas that lose most heat and therefore, need the most protection... the head, the hands and the feet! I recently bought this, which is without a doubt, the best item of clothing I have bought since I've lived here. It protects everything, allowing you room to see out but retaining all the heat leaving your head and stopping the biting cold hit your face and neck. And you can open it to expose your nose and mouth when it's not as cold. It really is perfect for outdoor pursuits... i.e. walking anywhere!

Gloves are a tough thing to buy because they have to be warm but you have to use your hands... I am now of the opinion that you should have a pair for driving, where you can grip the steering wheel but another pair for outdoors, because then grip is not your main concern... heat retainment is. These thin woolen ones you buy from fashion shops, don't do much against the Icelandic cold... you need ones with a good tough outer layer and an inner layer of fleece or fake fur and once you've ditched your thin woollen ones for those babies, you really feel the difference!

Finally the feet, it's not so much the shoes that make a difference, although ones with holes in them like trainers are not going to be a good idea in the snow (for obvious reasons) and thin ones are not going to do anything against the cold, but your real concern are the socks. Thin cotton socks are not a good idea, unless you were 3 pairs. I am now wearing one pair of thin cotton socks covered by a thick woollen pair on top and it keeps my feet much warmer... and of course your winter shoes should always be big enough to accomodate this!

So there it is... an idiot's guide to dressing in cold weather... and as obvious as it all sounds, believe me when I say that for those of us who were not brought up in weather like this, sometimes the obvious needs to be pointed out. So good luck, my fellow warm-blooded creatures! :-)