April Showers Bring May...Showers

Spring has come at long last to St. Petersburg — the ice on the Neva has fully melted and shows no threat of return, the grass is slowly coming back to life, and the sun shines for a glorious 16.5 hours per day (and counting).

The dress of the locals, however, has not greatly changed. Given the climate — 6 months of freezing, windy weather — one would expect St. Petersburgers to shed their coats at the first hint of spring, to joyfully soak in the 3 above-freezing months of the year. This is not so. Russians have an odd fear of catching cold at the slightest hint of a breeze, meaning that they have yet to exchange their bulky winter coats for something a little more appropriate. Take, for example, the average St. Petersburg woman (age not important). In January, you could find her shivering in a short skirt with boots, stockings, and a long fur coat. In May, you find her sweating in a short skirt with flats, stockings, and long heavy coat. Any explanations of this phenomenon are greatly appreciated.