Yesterday I was educated on the finer points of living in a place where it snows in the winter (by a British expat who has been in Norway for seven years). Before I was shown the ins-and-outs of buying the right kind of boots with the proper sole for walking in the snow and ice, she told me that being sexy in the winter goes out the window when living in Norway. AND she told me that you have to learn to walk like an Egyptian a Norwegian.
Instead of a cute light walk or a runway strut, to avoid slipping on the ice or falling in the snow you have to walk like a Norwegian. I asked her what that was (because from what I could recall I did not ever notice a particular ‘Norwegian walking style’). She showed me – to which I burst out laughing (because then I realized I HAD seen this ‘Norwegian walking style’). She put her feet kind of far apart and kind of tottered sideways slowly back and forth while walking. She said, “It’s all about weight distribution”.
Then she explained when it starts snowing and especially when there is ice on the ground you have to have the right boots to manage without falling. She said that it is important to get boots with soles with large spaces between the tracks on the bottom or else snow and ice will get stuck there and make it very slippery. Also, she said that you need to find boots with really soft rubber for soles. The reason is, is because the hard soles just slip on the snow and even medium textured soles get really hard in the freezing temperatures. So even if it seems like its not too hard, it might get really slippery still when you are outside in the freezing weather. So boots with very soft rubber soles are the best bet for not falling in the snow and ice!
It was a very educational fashion lesson for me to know what to wear in Norway in the winter now! At least as far as footwear is concerned (one thing at a time 
.
10 responses so far ↓
1 Peter // Nov 15, 2007 at 11:20 pm
Fantastic top! Kristie, you’ve just saved me some time! After being here for little over two weeks and walking to work everyday in my thin sneakers, its time for some shoe shopping (in anticipation for the inevitable). Thanks again.
2 Zandria // Nov 16, 2007 at 4:02 am
I think you’ll really get a kick out of that walking style when everyone around you — including you! — is doing it.
3 Little Miss Moi // Nov 16, 2007 at 1:59 pm
Obviously I picked the wrong city. Fashion is de rigeur in Kyiv in the winter – more so than summer, I will venture to add. In fact, I really believe that all the girls wear stiletto boots here in winter because they give better grip in ice and show. But I have a pair of slightly wedged knee high black leather boots lined with thick fleece, and a big puffy down jacket that comes to my knees. I look totally like a dork but it’s still city-wear. Comfort doesn’t come into this equation. I was cursing this stupid equation as a pretty much ice-skated home along the frozen footpath the other night.
4 Stine // Jul 12, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Hehe – I never learned to walk like a Frenchwoman when I lived in France, I felt the Norwegian walk (!) and sensible footwear was far better suited to the cobbled stones of old Strasbourg than the local womens’ stilettoes… In any season!
5 Wind Mill // Jul 14, 2008 at 12:52 am
WOW!
That looks really chic and cool!
6 Lindsay // Oct 1, 2009 at 11:01 am
sooo funny – yes you definatly need to know how to walk here…. we thought we were canadians… and some snowr.. no problem. well we werent quite expecting the solid layer of ice that covers all the sidewalks and roadways…. and biggest mistake was to assume that a good fluffy layer of snow meant we were “safe” from the ice. my husband fell so hard last winter when we decided to venture out after anowfall… I have also been so embarassed falling on my first day of work in front of highschool students… they didnt even laugh. said it happens every day you just get used to it.
and…. in canada the old people would never venture out on the ice for a walk… here they have walkers with spikes on them!!!
7 Unearthing // Nov 18, 2009 at 8:16 pm
These are what I use to beat the winter ice and snow- VIKING BOOTS! A review is here: http://unearthing.wordpress.com/2008/10/18/viking-boots/ AND MOST IMPORTANTLY these:http://unearthing.wordpress.com/category/gear/page/4/
I have had Norwegian utility workers stop me while wearing the get-a-grips (second link) as I successfully jogged down icey hills while out in the Stavanger January ice! (They sell different versions at the XXL sports store) They literally saved me in winter and you can wear whatever shoes you want. Although they are a bit too tight over Uggs (which you should waterproof with spray)
8 Sky // Jan 4, 2010 at 11:13 pm
I am coming to Oslo and then Tromso for one week in February. What should I wear ie jacket/coat/footwear? One week isn’t long but I want to be warm and not look too much like a tourist and with a little Norwegian style without spending too much. I like the site. Very interesting and useful but I’d like to seem more photos please!
9 Jen // Jan 13, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Having lived in Norway for 20 years, and also being married to Norwegian, I have found the lessons learned over there regarding snow and ice to be invaluable in the current weather conditions. Luckily I was persuaded by my husband to bring my Norwegian snow boots with me when we moved back to Wales in 2001! I sure am glad of them now – plus the technique of “walking like a Norwegian !?” – which I didn’t even realise I was doing until I read this article;-)
10 Anais // Nov 3, 2010 at 11:36 pm
Do you know of any good sites that sell those types of boots. I’m from Texas and am studying abroad for 6 months in Oslo starting January. So I want to be as prepared as possible for the cold COLD winter I will be experiencing.
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