I’m a firm believer in wearing dresses in the dead of winter…because I like dresses and I’m not going to let something like Mother Nature stop me from wearing what I like. But the real expert on the subject is Delightfully Tacky, so I asked her to give us some tips and tricks.
-The Clothes Horse
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Greetings my fellow Chictopians! For those of us situated in the Northern Hemisphere, winter is descending upon us (if it hasn’t already). As I live in Alaska, I have been in the throes of winter for almost two months. Despite the cold, I’m determined to continue wearing skirts and dresses throughout the winter months. In this endeavor, I’ve learned a few tricks to keep warm, and I’m here to share them with you all the way from the Last Frontier!
Layer
Obviously. Layers are pretty much a basic concept for fall/winter outfits. Wear a camisole under your top, then a cardigan or other layer over your top, then a coat. Multiple layers, no matter how thin they are, capture heat and keep it close to your body. They allow the air between to contain your body heat, so don’t underestimate the power of layering.
Leggings are your Friend
I think a lot of people believe that leggings are colder than wearing jeans or pants. I’m not convinced that is the case. I wear two layers of leggings and it feels no colder to me than wearing a pair of jeans. If you’re wearing jeans, throw on a pair of leggings first, or thermal leggings. For 15 years of my life I loathed leggings. When I was a wee lass I loved leggings and then for years I hated them. Now, I swear by them. I love that they allow me to wear tights in the cold. Throw a skirt or dress over leggings and people might call you crazy, but it’s not any colder than people wearing jeans.
Take advantage of great winter coats
It’s important to have a great coat. All through the summer you don’t get to wear this article, so rock it out during the winter months. A coat is one of those investment pieces. If you’re going to spend a lot of money on something, get a great coat. For me, the concept of a cute coat was totally beyond me until until a couple years ago. Mostly because 90% of people here in Alaska just wear a big puffy parka, Northface jacket, or their snowboarding coat. There are so many cute and warm coats out there. If anything, a great peacoat is always a safe bet.
Keep your feet toasty with cute boots
If you’re tromping through snow, good footwear is essential. Heels are kind of out of the question, though you can throw on a pair of socks with your heels, or wear a pair of booties. I would not recommend anything with a significant heel if you’re doing a lot of walking through snow. Boots, though are a must have. There are a lot of styles of boots out there right now, which is nice because you can choose a pair which really jive with your own personal style. Short, tall, over the knee, leather, suede, heels, flats, black, brown, and we even have a pair of fuschia boots at the boutique I work at! How fun, right?
Wear your hair down
This might seem like a weird tip, but for me, it’s a must. Wear your hair down. Really. I never wear my hair up in the winter. Never. Maybe I’ll do it half-up, but even that I don’t like doing, and I’ll tell you why. Most of your body heat escapes through your head, so wearing your hair down keeps that heat in. If you pull your hair up and tight against your head, it removes the layers of hair where heat can be trapped. Plus, pulling my hair away from my face always makes my ears freeze. Granted, my hair is actually like wearing a fur hat on my head since it’s so enormous, and I realize that not many people have my kind of hair, but I still think that wearing your hair down is a solid way of staying a little warmer.
Keep your neck warm, and chic!
Scarves. Simple. Cute. Basic.
You can wear them wrapped, knotted, belted, layered. Plus, infinity scarves are so great, since you can just toss it around your neck and it never falls off! There are unlimited styles out there to match with any outfit. You can wear a scarf as an integral part of your outfit, or just as a temporary addition for when you brave the chilly outdoors.
No need to be frumpy in the cold. Most people up here in Alaska dress for function, completely foregoing any sort of style whatsoever, which I think is such a shame. For me, style seems to infuse my life with a creativity. I was so shy as a younger person, and being a stylish person in Alaska certainly draws attention. Attention which I was not comfortable with when I was younger. Now it kind of rolls of me like water off a duck. Be fearless, go out in the cold, and go out there with style!
