In a year that amplifies the expression about waiting five minutes if you don’t like the Alberta weather, it's been an equally uncertain task for some residents to match the right clothing to the ever-changing climate. An unseasonably warm Lakeland winter that has continued over the last month — aside from a week-long Arctic blast — has seen residents jumping from parkas to T-shirts and winter boots to runners.
And as residents and weather forecasters try to keep up, so too are local clothing retailers.
Two weeks ago, customers were looking for cool deals on hats and gloves as temperatures dropped to below minus 40 across the Lakeland. To end the month of January — the middle of winter on the calendar — temperatures jumped to double-digits on the plus side of zero... bringing in customers looking for rubber boots and spring jackets.
Victoria Harrington of Four Seasons Clothing in Lac La Biche said the unseasonably warm weather has customers coming to the Main Street store with a spring in their step. But they also know it might not last long. Harrington said Four Seasons staff are offering — like the business name says — clothing for all four seasons – even if two are happening at the same time.
Although the warm spell is nice, Harrington expects to sell more winter clothing before the season officially ends in the middle of March.
“The weather is constantly changing, and we offer such an array of clothing options that allows the people of Lac La Biche to be well dressed and prepared for whatever the rest of the winter season has in store for us,” she said.
Across the street at Lac La Biche Modern Wears, the forecast and fashion connection is also strong.
Modern Wears owner Leo Palamaruk says some recent sales in “lighter clothing and footwear for moisture” have shown what might be a hopefulness from customers that the coldest days of the season are behind them.
And while he’s had lots of experience with fashion over his decades in the clothing industry, Palamaruk has also got some knowledge about Alberta winters.
He’s not putting the boots, jackets, and gloves away just yet.
“(We’re) not done with winter yet, so we expect to sell more,” he said with a laugh, going further to say temperatures still have lots of time to drop back into the deep-freeze, and his store has lots of options to keep people warm. “We hope to sell-out some product.”
What’s it going to be?
While local retailers have all the weather options covered, the real wardrobe choices in the coming days will be up to Mother Nature. Weather forecasts for the coming week show the warming trend coming to an end, but temperatures remaining above seasonal norms.
