I've only lived in warm climates and I am moving to the upper midwest in a couple of months.I've heard the first winter is tough until you learn what to wear and how to wear it.l would love to get a head start with some advice from people who have more experience than I.What specific kind of coat, shoes, socks, scarf, etc. should l buy once l get there?Any other tips to stay warm?
I've looked online for info but not much luck.

Heavy poly blends for coats, hats, scarves, gloves.and heavy socks and snow boots for the snow and ice. Dress in layers of clothes to keep warmer. Also, mittens keep you warmer than gloves.

Stay away from cotton. Go for the synthetic stuff, nylon, acrylic and polyester.

Depends on how much $ u want to spend. You will have very cold temperatures & a lot of precipitation in the upper midwest, so I'd go with a parka that has Gore Tex, a material that helps retain heat, expel mpoisture from the inside, & repel rain & snow from the outside. You can get many parkas including Gore Tex, though it is pricey. If not then go with a high quality parka, some by Columbia r great & do not cost as much, u can get good deals on campmor.com. For shoes u will want boots, & I'd recommend insulated ones that r also waterproof. Scaft, any will do, really. Gloves, go with insulated, or again preferably Gore Tex. Socks, u can get insulated ones, but really any will do as long as ur boots r of high enough quality.
l do not live up there, but l live in the Northeast where it tends to get somewhat cold, & also go skiing all over the country quite often. Good luck in the upper midwest!

Crazyhorse is wrong about the Gore-Tex.

Gore-Tex is a great waterproof/breathable material used to make winter coats that will keep u warm by keeping u dry & by keeping the wind from carrying away body heat but it has no insulating qualities whatsoever. It is a great option for an outerlayer in wet or snowy conditions but u will have to rely on other garments for ur insulation.

For insulation u have a lot of options. As a previous poster stated, stay away from cotton as it is the worst insulator especially when it is wet (and no matter how cold u may feel ur body is always producing moisture). Good, wicking base layers made of wool, silk, poly-materials or any other advanced fabrics work great. A fleece layer is also very good to have especially if u can afford a windproof fleece. For outer layers, the warmest insulator, in my opinion is Down. The key to staying warm is trapping air around ur body & that is how down works. Another great insulator is Primaloft One, which is a very light & warm. The benifit of Primaloft over down is it handles wet conditions better than down will, but if it is sub-zero temps you're dealing with it should not be too wet. For cold toes, again avoid cotton. A good wool sock will work wonders but do not put on more than one pair. This is a common misconception. If u put on two or more pairs of socks u can actually make ur feet colder as u will constrict circulation & good blood flow is a key element to staying warm. Last but not least, do not forget a good, warm hat. Most body heat is lost through ur head

Check out this website:

http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/category/category.jsp?id=cat601085&cmCat=MainCatcat601085&navAction=jump&cm_re=store*left*cat601085

Cabelas is more known for hunting & outdoor sports like that, but they carry a wide selection of high quality clothes for the elements. The link drops u right into women is clothing.assuming u r a woman.

l am guessing u wo not be spending much time in the cold.just walking around outside ur house, to ur car, to ur job & the store, etc. So u really do not need to get too fancy. A good quality coat, hat, gloves (or mitts) & boots will be most important, & some sort of face covering. You might want a scarf, l never liked them personally, but my concern is skiing, which is different from ur concern.

You will want to dress in layers, several high quality, thinner sets of garments, instead of one thick garment. This is good for several reasons, but for u it will be nice because ur work place might be sweating hot, so u can peel of a layer or two after arrival.

Make sure the hat u get covers ur ears. Some don't.

For a below-zero winter, the specific clothing u should have is extremely warm clothing such as coats, socks, scarves, hats, pants, boots, mittens, & gloves. Also, u should have some thermal, long-sleeved underwear; tops & bottoms. These items will definitely keep u warm when winter comes, & they will also prevent u from frostbite & hypothermia.

Other tips to stay warm:

1. Find warm, cozy shelter.
2. Build & sit by the fireplace.
3. Cuddle up with someone by using body heat.
4. Drink hot beverages such as Hot Cocoa, Coffee, & Tea.
5. Turn the heater on.
6. Take exotic hot showers or hot baths.