What to Wear in Montreal in December

Pack from the ground up. Environment and Climate Change Canada's figures for Montréal-Trudeau give December a high of -1.2°C / 30°F, a low of -8.7°C / 16°F and 48.2 cm of snow over about 13 days. Unlike November's, it stays: snow depth builds from about 1 cm to 10 cm by the 31st, and the high sits at or below freezing on about 16 days. The wind chill falls below -20 on 7. On 1 December winter tires become compulsory, rentals included, and downtown the RÉSO passages let you cross the city with the parka open. So the snow boots come first, then a down parka to the knee, a knit that holds a room alone, a toque and a scarf that stays on.

The capsule

1. 
   01

   Black knee-length down parka with a hood

   Start with a coat that covers your thighs. The high stays at or below freezing on about 16 days and the wind chill drops below -20 on 7, and a black channel-quilted down parka to the knee keeps the cold off the stretch of leg that trousers alone leave exposed. The hood goes up on the walk and down in RÉSO; black because it pairs with the red check and the tan.

2. 
   02

   Charcoal cable-knit wool roll-neck

   Choose a knit that can be the whole outfit indoors. RÉSO runs more than 33 km underground between métro stations and shopping plazas, and once the parka is open down there the roll-neck is what people see. Heavy charcoal cables hold warmth on the walk in at -8.7°C, and the roll collar fills the gap a hood leaves when it is down.

3. 
   03

   Oat merino long-sleeve crew base layer

   Twenty-eight nights in 31 fall to freezing or below, and about 12 drop under -10°C. An oat merino crew under the roll-neck adds warmth without bulk, which matters when a parka sleeve has to go over two layers, and it stays warm if an hour indoors in the parka leaves you damp. Oat keeps the line at the collar soft against the charcoal.

4. 
   04

   Tan canvas work trousers with utility pockets

   Canvas rather than denim for a snow month. Dense tan canvas blocks the 16.4 km/h mean west wind below the parka's hem, brushes clean of snow at a doorway instead of soaking it up, and the hem drops over the snow boot's cuff so nothing gets in. Tan is the warm colour against black, charcoal and red, and the pockets hold what the parka buries.

5. 
   05

   Black waterproof snow boots, faux-shearling cuff

   By the 31st, ECCC's average snow depth is 10 cm, and it sits at 5 cm or more on about 15 days. Black waterproof leather and rubber with a deep lug sole grips packed snow at the curb, and the cream faux-shearling cuff seals the top. Pack these instead of November's Chelsea boots: the Ville de Montréal loads snow away only once 10 to 15 cm has built up.

6. 
   06

   Dark olive structured leather flap crossbody

   Worn across the parka, it keeps both hands free at the Grand Marché de Noël on Sainte-Catherine, open daily from 16 December, and at the Village de Noël by the Marché Atwater until it closes on the 24th. Dark olive leather wipes clean of wet snow, and a structured flap stays shut when you lean over a chalet counter.

7. 
   07

   Heather-grey wool toque with a pompom

   Sunset is about 4:10pm for most of the month, and on about 12 nights the low sinks below -10°C, so the toque goes on at the door and stays on outdoors. A heather-grey ribbed toque with a folded cuff doubles the wool over your ears when the parka's hood is down, and the grey sits between the black parka and the red check.

8. 
   08

   Red-and-black buffalo-check wool scarf

   Keep it on outside. December's mean wind is 16.4 km/h from the west, and even a zipped parka leaves a gap at the chin; a long red-and-black buffalo-check wool scarf wound once closes it. It is the capsule's one strong colour against black, charcoal, oat and tan, and it is long enough to wind twice after dark.

A suggested look — black quilted down parka, charcoal cable roll-neck sweater, red and black buffalo-check scarf, tan canvas trousers, black snow boots with cream cuffs.

What to avoid

• A wool overcoat as your only coat — wind chill below -20 on 7 days
• Chelsea boots or ankle-cut shoes — snow lies 10 cm or deeper on about 9 days
• Suede — salt and gravel go down as soon as pavements turn slippery
• Christmas Day shopping — shops close on the 25th and open 1pm to 5pm on the 26th
• Right-hand parking when 15 cm is forecast — banned from 7pm to 9am