Yankee Cold Weather Experts (and Homeslice)

[Smittie61984]

I'm going to school in central Illinois and I'll probably be living in Chicago later with no end date. I hate the cold and God hates me. Proof he hates me is I was born in San Antonio, TX in 1984 and a few months later 12" of snow. So I know Illinois is in for record cold coming up.

I've found Illinois is cold as hell but I think our nuclear science department keeps a miniature star in all of the buildings because it is hot as hell and stays hot as hell in the buildings. I got a nice patasomething jacket which I like but I realized I'm going to lose my legs to frost bite before I get to class. I would wear long johns but as mentioned shit gets hot.

What solutions are there to surviving cold in comfortable pants in class? Do they make "wind proof" jeans? I thought about a peacoat but it only goes to your knees. I like the idea of a trench coat but A) I'll probably be tased daily B) As cool as the early 50s were I think they've gone out of style since (Homeslice, advice here?).

I'd probably not want to spend more than $400.