A large part of having a great time skiing lays in how comfortable you are. Being comfortable is one of those little details that doesn't take too much work, yet makes a huge difference in the day's skiing experience.

Different parts of your body require different types of layering. First come the legs, which should be dressed in a breathable, yet warm garment that also gets rid of accumulated sweat. Cotton and flannel really are not the best choice since they trap perspiration, instead of dispersing it. The more tight fitting the pants, the more heat is retained.

Also, a nice pair of wool socks does nicely. Tube socks are mostly cotton, and whatever sweat your feet give off, quickly becomes cold and uncomfortable.

Retaining heat in the heart area is very important, because your heart is what pumps out the warm blood. So, properly dressing around the torso and upper body is essential. There should usually be 2-3 layers of shirts. There are several different options for this area of the body. One is a long-sleeve Under Armour shirt, with a sweatshirt over it. Under Armour plays a huge role in eliminating sweat, and the sweatshirt helps keep heat. Sometimes people will opt for Under Armour with a ski vest over it, since the arms tend to heat up rather quickly. On extra-cold days, a fleece layer can be worn as another layer over what you already have on. Whatever it is you end up wearing for a shirt, be sure to make relatively light-weight, yet warm.

Now comes the most expensive -and most important- layers of them all: the outer layers. The outer layers will play the biggest role in retaining heat. There are two different styles of jackets to choose from: the insulated, which protects you from pretty much everything cold Mother Nature chooses to whip up, and keeps you really warm. Or, there's shell jackets that won't keep you as warm, but still protect you from most of the elements.
You will also need snow/ski pants, and these should also be as light as possible. Some snow pants are somewhat baggy, and these tend to be thicker, heavier, and more water-proof. The other type of pants is more skin-tight, which are not as thick or heavy, and actually are very light-weight, however, they tend to not be as water proof.

Now it's time to accessorize. If you don't wear a ski helmet (which is recommended), you should get a nice, thick hat that covers your ears and all of your head. If you DO wear a helmet, a light, thin hat can be worn under in really cold conditions. Be sure to get ski goggles as well. Eyes are some of the most painful things to get cold, and you'll want to protect them from the wind and snow.
Either gloves or mittens can be used, but mittens tend to keep your fingers warmer, since the fingers are closer to each other. In gloves, your fingers might get a bit colder since each finger is separated. However, gloves usually provide a better grip on things.

Never go skiing under-prepared. Like everyone says, you can take stuff off, but you can't put stuff on when you don't have it.

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