Why do adults in Ottawa wear snow pants on the bus?

Adults wearing snow pants. It’s not something you see often—unless you live in Ottawa, apparently, where frigid and sloppy weather is all too common. Maclean’s writer Shannon Proudfoot remarked on the phenomenon this week and how it undeniably takes away from the capital’s cool points. The tweet was met with laughs, agreement and disdain as Ottawans came together to defend wearing the toasty and practical—albeit noisy—trousers. Here’s a selection of the best reactions:

https://twitter.com/sproudfoot/status/1085165803782033408

https://twitter.com/sproudfoot/status/1085887271637635072

https://twitter.com/sproudfoot/status/1086327935773007872

All this talk in #Ottawa of adults wearing snow pants has masked the much more insidious problem of socks in sandals, which today graced the front page of @OttawaCitizen @RobynBresnahan @sproudfoot pic.twitter.com/O1uB0Vk22n

— Matthew Pearson (@mpearson78) January 18, 2019

To be fair, a lot of people wear cars to work.

— Watcher on the Walk (@2feetbad) January 15, 2019

I will ::swish swish:: in my snow pants with extra vigor now that I know it bothers the delicate sensibilities of the upper class grown ups.

— Mx. Ya-ya Page (@ybpages) January 15, 2019

That doesn’t bother me nearly as much as the women who wear running shoes with skirts. Not trendy sneakers, but actual shoes you’d wear to run a marathon.

— Laura Payton (@laura_payton) January 15, 2019

Snowpants are the best. You can legit wear pyjamas under them

— Victoria Kellett (@kiakahafolks) January 15, 2019

I walk on average 25 minutes on downtown sidewalks to work everyday. If I didn’t put snow pants over my dress pants, I’d need to have them cleaned every day because of snow/slush/salt. (Not to mention, those pants are not exactly warm in -30 weather). Snow pants are there to stay

— Hugues B.-D. (@huguesbd) January 15, 2019

Blasphemy. Adult snow pants is a part of our heritage.
Also, nothing like a canal skate followed by a hot whiskey in a pub in snow pants.

— Dylan Smith (@Dylonius) January 15, 2019

Swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish…

— Unimpressed is Yoda (@Acadian_Is_Yoda) January 15, 2019

Snow pants may be dorky but they R warm & practical! Also the BEST part of being an adult is finally being ok with being dorky, wearing whatever you want and not trying to fit into someone else’s definition of “cool”! Prime time for snow pants!

— Maja (@ClothsKnksCurls) January 15, 2019

There are two months of the year where what little style we can muster as a municipality is superseded by “not dying from exposure while commuting.”

— David Hicks (@ALL_CAPS) January 15, 2019

I wore snow pants on the bus in Ottawa! Not cool ski pants, dorky snow pants. I was embarrassed for 5 seconds the first time then I saw a woman rocking a 70’s one piece, red ski suit. Carrying a briefcase. Fantastic.

— Just Kathleen (@KitKat70169329) January 16, 2019

A down side to wearing snow pants when commuting in winter is when you get to work and realize you left your pants-pants at home.

“If yoga pants are now appropriate work attire then snow pants have got to be good! Can we turn the AC on and open a window?”

— Aries (@adgelessness) January 17, 2019

I’ve rarely, if ever, seen adults in snow pants on transit in Calgary. I used to transit a lot through the hellish winters and never did it, but now that I’m older and smarter I probably would.

— Michelle Butterfield (@mmmbutters) January 18, 2019