What to do when going outside in extremely cold weather?

It's been minus 10C here on Vancouver Island the last few nights and not much warmer in the daytime. When I go outside in weather like this, I am wearing a long sleeved T-shirt, a sweater, and a down vest or a warm jacket. I usually wear a scarf, especially if it's windy, and gloves. I wear thick socks in warm boots and an earwarmer band. That's really all you ever need at these temps, and if you are hiking/walking or doing any other moderate or heavy activity for more than 15 minutes, you'll probably be too warm wearing that. If you're not spending long outside, say if you're getting into a car or on a bus and then spending the day inside a building, you can probably wear a bit less.

In Edmonton it's very dry in winter, which makes it so you don't feel the cold as much as you do in a damper climate such as we have on Vancouver Island. I'd probably wear the same thing in Edmonton at minus 20C as I wear here at minus 10, though I might add a balaclava if it was windy. I'd probably also wear a long coat rather than a short jacket, if it was windy.

I live in Chicago, so we get cold weather, but not REALLY cold. (Today the wind chill was 5 degrees Farenheit.) Usually, I just try to wear a thick jacket (try Spider jackets, my BF has one and he is always warm in it), some gloves, and sometimes my hat and scarf. I also do try to stay indoors.

As for the school part, do you mean if you have to walk to school or take the bus? If you can, you should drive to school or get someone to drive you, or take the bus. If you MUST walk, which sucks, you should bundle up and walk very fast, since exercise gets your blood pumping, which makes you warmer. I'll usually wear my coat and a warm sweater underneath (I like knit or wool). Jeans generally keep your legs warm. Sweatpants too, I guess, but those aren't generally something you wear to school.

Good Luck!

Depends on how warm each layer is. Hats gloves scarfs socks jacket hoody

Where really warm clothing.