by Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Dec 19/97) - Northerners are confronted with a basic fashion decision each winter -- look good or be warm.

It's a tough call for those who see the only sensible outerwear choice, Sorels and a parka, as a denial of their right to self-expression or just plain ugly.

This is the crowd that uses DiscMan earphones to keep their ears warm on windy days, people who risk major bodily injury to wear four-inch platform shoes on icy sidewalks.

"It's better to be warm," said very fashionably dressed 18-year-old Cheryl Dixon. "But I have a vehicle."

"She never walks anywhere," noted friend Dave Scantland.

Fiona Wray, 19, agreed with Dixon's approach. "Be cool and get rides everywhere," was her solution.

Scantland said he was a perfect example of sensible winter dress.

"I've got full-body long-johns, a long-sleeve shirt, sweater and jacket," said Scantland. It should be noted Scantland was also wearing jeans, suspiciously fashionable-looking jeans.

Just as a warm car opens up new horizons for the fashion-minded, proper winter wear has its own advantages.

"If you dress warmly enough, people can't recognize you," noted 27 year-old Megan McCluskie.

Though his dress indicated otherwise, dapper contrarian Alex Debogorski said fashion and warmth go hand-in-hand.

"If you dress warm, you look cool, like me," said Debogorski, sporting a heavy parka and sweater, rubber boots and jeans.

Debogorski noted he was missing a pivotal part of his fashion statement, his "famous" wool hat, now held together with safety pins.

"I've got a bunch of young sons, and whenever we're walking down the street the girls always look at me first. If you dress properly, and have a hat like that, they always look at you first."

Summer Sawchuk, 18, said the ultimate solution requires no compromise, if you're willing to travel.

"To be warm and cool, that's the best. And to do that you need to go down south and shop."

Though others would beg to differ about the shopping advice, few would disagree with the goal of combining cool and warm.