Q&A: Coming from Australia to Vancouver – need a winter wardrobe on a budget?
Question by Malfoy G: Coming from Australia to Vancouver – need a winter wardrobe on a budget?
I’m moving from Australia to Vancouver on a working holiday at the end of this month. I’ve left my winter clothing shopping to the last minute and obviously heavy winter gear is near impossible to come by in Aus, and over-priced. As I will be travelling for 3 months before working, my plan is to buy warm sets when I arrive. What are some affordable places to buy winter clothes in Vancouver and how much should I expect to have to spend??????
Best answer:
Answer by Karen L
Any large department store will have what you need. Wal-mart, The Bay, Sears, Zellers. Mark’s Work Wearhouse is another good place and they have a website to shop from. Mountain Equipment Co-op is more specialized for hiking and sports gear d stocks very very good stuff but is still good for the average person. You have to join to buy but it’s only for life. In Vancouver, 3 vets is also good. You can get very good deals sometimes at thrift stores like the Salvation Army or Value Village but obviously you never know exactly what you’ll find there. But if you’re staying around Vancouver mostly, you may not need much true winter gear. Keeping the rain off is as important as anything. Many Vancouverites get through the whole winter with a jacket they can layer things under if it gets colder. Fleece vests are very good for that. A hood on a jacket is very useful. If you’re going to ski areas, that’s a different matter since it will be colder there. If you can find a jacket with a removable liner, that can get you through more types of weather. You shouldn’t really have to spend more than about 0 CAD to get what you need. Don’t forget a head covering if you’re going to colder areas. A knitted woolly hat you can pull down over your ears is very useful. We call them tuques in Canada, rhymes with Luke.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
This winter is supposed to be pretty cold in Vancouver/ The lower mainland. Usually I would say you could get away with a light winter jacket because Vancouver is pretty warm compared to the rest of Canada, but this time it may not be the case.
When you get here, go to Zellers or Walmart. I definitely suggest Walmart. You will find great clothing for very affordable prices and shouldn’t spend more then $150. You’ll probably spend less but it depends on your taste in clothing.
I wear a gore tex rain coat from Mountain Equip. Coop, and wear layers underneath for our climate here. When I was a student and commuting by transit, waiting at bus stops in the cold, I wore a lighter top and a cardigan or pull over, and then added gloves, scarf and hat, and was comfortable. I now work outside part of the time, and still wear the rain coat, layered with a tshirt and a sweatshirt. I also wear winter weight work gloves, and, again, I am comfortable.
Layers are your friend!
Here is the jacket that I have. My first version lasted me over 10 years of continuous, fall, winter, spring wear.
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442630607&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302704149
Like Karen L mentioned, just go to thrift stores. There are a lot in Vancouver. The big ones are Value Village and Salvation Army, but to find more just type “thrift shops” vancouver or “thrift stores” vancouver into Google. If you don’t have transport in Van buy a day pass on public transit and hit the thrift stores.
Drive south to the outlets just north of Seattle. Your money will go much further.
There are also numerous thrift shops where you can buy used, but good, winter clothing, for very little money
I like others suggest thrift shops. Value Village, Salvation Army and Goodwill are all terrific places. For less than $50.00 you could be totally outfitted and when you leave you can donate them back to these charities.
We do this every couple year when my brother visits with his 5 children from Mississippi for Christmas.
Last year I picked up a like new looking sheep skin parka for all of $16.00 and a really good pair of winter boots (never worn) for $5.00.