Can you teach me how to winter?

What I did in Seattle was a goretex rain jacket (with hood) from REI and then layers underneath as needed.

I wear a http://us.icebreaker.com/Legacy-Trench/100883001L,en,pd.html?start=1&cgid=mens&prefn1=productType&prefv1=Jackets%20%26%20Vests&srule=Weight-heavy on most winter days. If I want something water resistant, I either wear a http://www.thenorthface.com/catalog/sc-gear/mens-jackets-vests/mens-mountain-light-jacket_2.html?variationId=F4H&variationName=SULLIVAN%20GREEN%20/%20NOTTINGHAM%20GREEN (hardly ever), or this http://us.icebreaker.com/Quantum-Plus-Long-Sleeve-Hood/100726J92L,en,pd.html?start=1&cgid=mens-hoodies. I have never in my life worn long underwear under my jeans in Seattle. "Cold" is a relative measure, but it just doesn't get that cold here. It might get down as low as freezing some nights during the winter. 40s and low 50s feels chilly when it's damp and the sun's hidden, and especially when it's windy, so I also wear a hat sometimes and a scarf with my wool overcoat. A scarf goes a long way toward keeping me warm on windy days.

So the reason everyone wears hoodies in Seattle is they're versatile and useful for the climate. The hood keeps the spitty rain/mist off you and the rest of it otherwise keeps you warm/dry. What you're looking for is a variety of hoodies. Seriously, when I lived in Seattle, I had everything from the light kind you throw on to go to the store to the high-end kind with a serious liner and hood. For Seattle specifically what you want is layers but also light layers that you can remove or mix and match. Like a long-sleeved t-shirt under a t-shirt with a hoodie on top or an undershirt, a t-shirt, and a button-up over the top of it. Sweaters are also good for Seattle if those are your jam, not mine personally. Coatwise, I also kept a blend. I never needed a serious winter coat, even the time it snowed, but I was walking a lot. I'd look for a light kind of jacket without much bulk to it to keep the worst of the wind off and maybe something more serious in leather/faux leather with a bit of a liner rather than stumbling around in puffy parkas looking like a mountain climber. And yeah, I gave up the sneakers in Seattle, too wet, too many puddles, too much sudden rain. You'll also want a beanie or some other kind of hat to keep your head warm and several pairs of gloves because you'll lose em and a scarf because one day you'll go "oh shit that's what could prevent the wind from slicing through my neck." Happened to me. I was raised in the South, too, and the problem is you're used to thinking in terms of like my winter coat and my gloves as in one single coat and one single pair of gloves, but what you need in Seattle are a variety of things, not a single coat or a single pair of gloves.

Yes, go to REI. These are all great suggestions but nothing beats going into REI and saying you just moved here, you want to be warm but not too warm, and you don't want your clothes to be a lot of hassle. There is an http://www.rei.com/stores/redmond.html. Go in and just try stuff on until you find something you like!

Lived in Seattle for 20 years and I concur with the above. One thing that's not explicitly stated, but is kind of implied (hoodies, gore-tex) is that Seattle is one of the most sartorially relaxed cities in the country. Chances are very good that culturally you will be just fine with a nice rain jacket as the outer layer--you know the professional and social circles you run in and how uptight they are (or not). However there are some folks who run in more formal and/or conservative circles, even in Seattle, and It's certainly possible to find rainwear that is more tailored and less sporty. Very nice trench coats, that kind of thing. Nordstrom downtown can help you out.

Lots of good advice, but I would add one more: buy as little as possible for a couple of months. You WILL adapt to the damp/cold, and it won't seem so damp/cold -- just kind of normal -- and if you buy everything all at once you'll end up with too much. And slightly more subtle, but I think important: once you get used to it, the damp and mistiness aren't too hard to deal with (coffee does help). It's the darkness that's hard, and remembering the hours and hours of sunlight in the summer isn't much help. Even natives get a bit worn down. So buy clothes that look good to you, stylish gloves, scarves with some color, a hat that makes you smile. Every little bit helps.

I JUST moved to Seattle (like, a month and a half ago) so I am totally feeling you. I found the perfect winter coat that I'm thrilled with at the Columbia store downtown. http://www.columbia.com/Women%E2%80%99s-Whirlibird%E2%84%A2-Interchange-Jacket/SL7901,default,pd.html It's one of those 3-in-1 coats that people were talking about. The inner jacket is a nice puffy-but-not-too-thick jacket for when it's just mildly chilly. Wear both of them together when it gets windy and damp. I've had it for a couple weeks now and in the last few days when it's really turned chilly and windy...I love it. Highly recommend. Some people might consider that coat overkill for Seattle...but I've just made peace with the fact that I can not STAND being cold and nothing ruins my winter adventures more than being chilly and cranky.

Seattle is the home of my favorite wool base layers ever: Filsons, still sewn in the back half of their store down in SoDo. I lived in Seattle for many years, and I did need long underwear in the winters (but I still wear it now that I live in San Francisco, so maybe I'm just cold). http://www.filson.com/products/women-s-alaskan-long-johns-midweight-pants.25002.html?fromCat=true&fvalsProduct=womens/long-johns&fmetaProduct=1011 feel like you're wearing pajamas all the time, they last for years, and they always stay soft. They got me through a Norwegian winter, but they never make me overheat. (Yay wool! I wish I were a sheep.)

I'll do that this weekend. Thanks guys!