Disclaimer: this particular ensemble is only for use between the months of November and April, and when I am too cheap to spend the money necessary to raise the apartment’s temperature above its favorite position in the mid-60s.

• double-layered warm-up pants (nylon outside, knit lining)
• socks, wool, interior
• socks, cotton, exterior
• shirt (what side of the nice/cruddy spectrum this falls on depends upon whether my afternoon plans involve going out, or going to the gym)
• thermally-lined sweatshirt (a wool sweater would be an even better substitution for this layer, but I prefer something easily washable)
• alpaca-blend wristwarmers
• alpaca-blend scarf
• down vest
• wool hat

No doubt the masses reconsidering graduate school in their search for easy fame and fortune despite the struggling economy have this kind of quotidian glamor in mind as they send in their applications.  It is, as Tim Gunn would say, a lot of look, but as I explained to Pete it keeps me warm while allowing me to run to the laundry room or greet the mailman without feeling like a total fool. Because the alternative would be a Snuggie or Slanket, and I would just feel like I’d given up all pretenses of dignity and self-respect as I hopped over to answer the door while dressed in a blanket with sleeves.

As a longer-term solution, however, we are considering installing some kind of large, heated rock in our apartment, so I can drape myself across it during study breaks and raise my core temperature whenever it drops to dangerously low levels.  I am starting to remember why certain members of the Jejune family left Vermont for California in the 1850s.  Apparently they were on to something that their great-something grandchildren have since forgotten.

This entry was posted on Friday, January 30th, 2009 at 4:55 pm and is filed under bits. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.