How to Dress for Winter like a Norwegian- 2022 Edition!

We have updated our most popular Chronicle from last year with this year's favorites!!!

“There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.” This is as close as Norway gets to a national motto and it was a saying we heard countless times while living in Oslo. It is also very true. Clothing choices can make all the difference whether you are slogging across the open plains or darting in and out of buildings. What follows is a very Norwegian guide to bundling up this winter!

Base Layers- The most critical element.

The material against your skin can make your day hot, cold or even itchy. Merino wool, the wonder fiber, solves all of these problems. For those that know merino, this is hardly news… but for those that may lump all wool together into one scratchy classification, give merino a chance, it is amazing. Merino carries the classic wool properties of continuing to warm you even when it is wet while also being anti-microbial (pushing away germs) and anti-fungal (pushing away smells), so unless you spill your gravy on it, you shouldn’t have to wash it very often. This saves water and also wear and tear on the garment. The clincher is that since the merino material has a small diameter it bends easier than other wool particles and thus doesn’t itch you.

Since merino has all of these wonderful properties it has taken over the base layer world. Kari Traa’s gorgeous patterned pieces look so nice you can wear them as a top like the Agnes , but she is most known for the full kit system like the Lam with matching pants. Odlo's PW versions with poly woven into the wool that serves like a thermal are our warmest base layers. For men, the tops are in standard crew and with a facemask/hood. For women we have crew tops paired with 3/4 length bottoms!

 If wool isn't your thing we have some fantastic synthetics from Varg for her (up and down). For men, our current favorites include the Blackcomb Eco Bottoms and Top. Check out all of our base layers here.

Mid Layers- adding warmth.

Building out from the base we turn to mid layers, and add diversity in material and style. The Mid Layer is meant to be the insulation so they tend to have a lot more substance than the base layer. Norwegians tend to back their base layer up with another layer of wool, whether it is more merino or boiled or lamb’s wool. Our very favorite item in the whole store is Amundsen's hooded laced sweaters for men  and women (with more set to arrive the first week of December, email us at aktiv@aktivstyle.com to reserve one). Felted merino at the front give it protection from wind, while its old school hockey jersey feel sets it apart from all other sweaters.

Not to be outdone, Dahlie has fantastic wind protection in their half-zip options with the Comfy sweaters for women and men. Ivanhoe also brings the warmth with cozy options in many permutations including the Lindsey Half-Zip and Morel Full Zip for women and the Bode and Moritz Full Zip for men.

If wool is not for you, fleece (made from polyester) is used in many different ways.  FW has some amazing selections in this arena like the Catalyst Pre-Baffled Crew for men and the Manifest Crew for women.  Zippers, it is worth mentioning, are vital to temperature control as the area between your chest and neck has a lot more say into your body temperature than other places. Moving your zipper up or down a few inches can make all the difference between boiling and freezing! Haglof's Pile Hood for men and women is just about the softest thing around...and very warm, while Iceland's own, 66North, has the Tindur for men and women to keep you cozy.  We have a vast selection of hoodies and sweaters. with a little something for everyone most are far from "mid".#youthlingo Stay toasty!!

Outer Layers- the goal is blocking the wind and wet!

When it comes to outer layers, there is great variation from the shells to the heavy winter parka that is favored throughout the upper Midwest of the United States like the Haglofs Morkret (for men and women) and the Tvioddi and Jokla by 66North. Norwegians tend to prefer shells that are windproof and waterproof. Amundsen has adapted their signature shell to a full zip version for women and men and is a current favorite of ours. If you like a little insulation, the Catalyst Insulated Shirt is amazing--built to snowboard but stylish enough for everywhere. Need more insulation? Need a little bit more insulation? Check out the Eco Parka from Varg, warm and waterproof!

For that walking sleeping bag feeling, we have the Sarek which is unlike anything you have ever seen. Ultra long, this sleek down pull-over was designed for horseback riding but perfect for time spent on sidelines, in a rink or just out and about. Speaking of down, one of our favorites for her is the Natalie Down Jacket by Skhoop.  In the down-free category we love the Motion Hood puffy by Elevenate for men and women. 

Pants!!!  Cords are back baby and Elevenate has a great version for women and men. For outdoor cardio, the Ceramiwarm Tights for women are fabulous, as are the Adv Essence Wind Tights for men.

Since Norway is the size of Montana  and clothing philosophies can vary greatly from Tromsø to Kristiansand and all points in between this will not be a complete representation of Nordic trends, but it definitely hits the high points we experienced throughout the country during our time there.

Har Det Bra!