When I came to Russia 10 years ago. I brought all my shoes and boots and coats. That was not much and not for Russia. I love my coat and have worn it regardless of the weather and temperature. I am stubborn like that and a coat, like shoes is part of your personality. So the wrong shoes and coat is like a stranger in the house…
I am asked 6 to 8 times a year like clock work by Sveta, about getting a new coat. I always grumble and mumble and answer that my coat is perfect and does the job. Sveta looks at me like I am a bit off the wall because I wear the same coat Spring, Fall, and Winter…
Now the reason that I am asked about coats is because, Russians change a type of coat every month all most. This also includes boots. (Hence the title.) Boots are as necessary as a coat and the correct boot for the season or month is expected and correct..
Russia has different seasons but they are in different levels of each season. Winter is a good example. You have winter. Then you have Winter. Then you have Win-nn-nn-nn-t-errrr (burrrrrrrr) and you have WIN–TER O..M..G.. (The snot freezes in your nose type winter)! So you have 4 different coats, boots, scarfs and gloves for each part of Winter. The same goes to a certain extent for Summer, Spring and Fall…
You see, even though it is Spring in Russia. The snow is falling outside and the temperature is going to plummet the next few days. It is still Spring and that means instead of ground frozen as hard as a rock like it has been the last 4 months, the first few inches are starting to thaw and you need a pair of boots that allow you to walk through puddles and mud, knee-high. (But never would they wear those same boots when the puddles are gone.) The melting snow has nowhere to go except into huge puddles. You also need a coat that will protect you from falling spears of icicles that would kill an elephant if they struck it… (My suggestion is medieval armor.) No not true. They don’t wear coats that protect them from icicles. But they do wear the boots to wade rivers with and with these boots you must have the correct coat…
So in effect almost every pair of boots for the seasons (12 pairs is normal) have a coat that matches said boots. Even the summers in Russia is a coat and boot season. With the exception of last Summer and Russians had a scorcher of a heat wave and forest fires… (They still tried to wear coats!)
You would have to live here to totally understand. So believe me that I see Russian people everyday and except for the pathetic guys like me who have no fashion/weather sense at all. People have arctic coats, fur coats, windbreakers, rain coats, leather coats, flight jackets and so on and so on and so on. They have boots for rain, high heel boots, spiked heel boots, boots for mud, boots for dry weather, boots for fashion, boots for snow dry, boots for snow wet, boots for dates, boots for work, boots for fun and boots for just being boots…
But since I am still a stubborn old bear. I like my coat and my boots. (1) One set of them and no more. I feel guilty because I never wear my boots from America. I can’t! They simply are no good in Russia. They are water proof but not water proof enough. They are expensive Coleman Boots and they are wonderful in normal conditions like America has. But Russia laughs at these wonderful expensive boots. My American boots sit in the corner collecting dust. Sveta and I ended up forced to go to the store and we found finally in my size 3 years ago a pair of quality Finland made boots that can get me through 6 months of Winter in style. They are good to -30 celsius and fur-lined. Of course she thinks that I need about 3 or 4 more pairs of boots plus coats… (For the seasons!)
BigBoy…
Now my coat is a different story. It was a coat that was made by Lands End and was given to me for my store units having perfect inspection scores at my old job in America. It is the only coat like it in Russia. It even has the insignia of my company on it and people are always trying to figure out what company it is in Russia. But it is not a company in Russia. The coat is here with me though and I am getting mileage out of it. That mileage is looking like it will come to an end though. It is stating to wear out. The zipper is getting worthless and other issues. It looks like I will have to break down and get a new coat. I have had the coat for 10 years of almost continual usage…
I can just see Sveta’s face light up when I finally admit that I need to get a new coat… 🙂
Posted by Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…
PS: Update; I have a new coat and it is wonderful!