How do you dress for different seasons?

[Merlion]

I come from a country that is summer 365 days a year. I will be relocating to Japan to work for a MNC in Kobe soon. Can someone enlightened me how do I, my wife and my 7 yr old dress for work and school during the seasons? (especially during the winter, don't want to freeze my butt off nor look like a walking cabbage)

[synthia]

Welcome to the furum! Fair warning, the first winter will seem extremely cold. The next will be easier to tolerate because your body will have adjusted.

If you want to see some winter clothes, at least one of the department stores in Singapore (merlion, righ?) has what used to be called the 'Going Home' section, where sweaters and winter coats were available. You could go and have a look.

It isn't just the seasons that you have to worry about. Every day will have temperature changes greater than the maximum range you have ever seen in Singapore. So when you leave for work on a morning in early spring, you might need a coat, and even gloves, then not need one at all during the day, then need a sweater in the early evening and a coat again at night.

Most Japanese apartments don't have central heating, and you will probably need to bundle up even inside. Kerosene (parafin) heaters are fairly common, and you must keep a window open at all times when you use one. This, of course, cuts down on the effectiveness of the heater.

[april]

I definitely have summer and winter clothes. My summer clothes are a light material and short sleeves; winter, heavier material, longer sleeves. During Spring and Autumn I basically wear my summer clothes but with a jacket.

In winter, I wear long thermal pants under my trousers, but I take them off once I get to work as people tend to have the temperature set too high inside. I also have a very warm coat that I wear when outside, plus gloves and a scarf. My winter socks are thicker than summer socks, same with stockings. My coat is easy to take off and on because trains and shops are also overheated. Sometimes I feel I sweat more in winter than summer!

When there is snow on the ground I wear shoes that have a good grip on the sole as it gets slippery. But lots of people, especially women, tend to choose fashion over practicality and I often see people skidding along the street, quite funny!

As long as you aren't going to be located in Hokkaido, it shouldn't take that much to adjust to. My hometown only had 2 seasons so I really enjoy the change in seasons in Tokyo. This week I noticed the ducks are back in the lake near my place, arriving from Hokkaido (I guess) in their annual migration, and the leaves are changing colour. This kind of thing fascinates me!