Top 5 Winter-Weather Essentials
With temperatures continuing to drop and snow already on the ground Monday morning in Minnesota, I thought I would write a little something up about cold-weather gear that is absolutely essential for really cold days.
When I say really cold days, I’m not talking about your typical 40 degree temperatures. I’m talking 20° and under. With snow and ice.
I hate to break it to you angels, but unless you live in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s only going to get colder. Not to worry, though: these five must-have items will keep you toasty all through our Northern winter! As always, expect to invest a bit more in quality pieces–I promise they’re worth it!
Thermal Shirts:
Thermals are great pieces for layering in winter months. Their long-sleeve, insulating waffle knits lock in warmth! Wear them over tank tops, under vests or hoodies, or under your favorite tees for added heat.
Don’t want to look like a little boy in long underwear? You don’t have to! Brands like Primp, Juicy Couture, and even American Eagle and Target carry adorable thermals. Comfy enough to wear to bed, but cute enough to wear to class, thermals provide the best of both worlds in cold winter weather!
Pick up a few solid thermals, one with embellishments, and one with a girly print and you’re all set for the season. Make sure to add cute accessories to keep your outfit from looking too utilitarian!
Hot Picks:
Product Information: Washed Thermal Knit, Forever 21. Aerie Thermal Henley Sweater, ae.com. Kew Velvet Trim Thermal Camisole, johnlewis.com. Primp Giraffe Thermal Long Sleeve, emoda.com. Audrey Lace Trim Thermal Top, Delias.
Leggings:
So I know you’re probably thinking, “Um, what? Leggings are NOT warm!” And you’d be right: they’re not. At least, not on their own.
However, on a really cold day, leggings function as totally cute long underwear that you can wear under your favorite jeans or pants. They work especially well under baggier/boyfriend-fit styles, and will help keep you toasty even if you’re wearing a destroyed pair.
When buying leggings to wear under pants, it’s a good idea to purchase the longest styles available in order to eliminate any annoying gaps of uncovered skin! Stirrup and ankle-length leggings are great choices for colder months!
Hot Picks:
Product Information: Thermal Stirrup Leggings, Saks Fifth Avenue. Aerie Leggings, ae.com. French Connection Mexican Leggings, Bloomingdales.Grey Burn Out Leggings, missselfridge.com.
Warm Boots:
Warm boots are always nice to have for colder weather, but when snow is involved, they are a downright must. Who wants to slush through their walk to class? Not me! Personally, I prefer my toes to be warm and dry.
The obvious choice for many college girls is a pair of Ugg boots–their fur-lined boots keep toes cozy, warm, and protected from the elements. They can be a little clunky, but I’m personally a fan. Promise not to wear them with skirts or dresses in any other season and you’ll be fine.
If Uggs aren’t your style or you need something more heavy-duty, the company Sorel makes great boots with waterproof uppers, removable lining, and rubber traction-enhancing soles for the coldest and snowiest of winter days!
Finally, Wellington rain boots can be another great option in slushy weather–just make sure to size up so you can wear an extra pair of socks or add a boot-liner for warmth!
Hot Picks:
Product Information: Ugg Sundance II Boots, Zappos. MICHAEL Michael Kors MK Logo Rain Boot, Zappos. Sorel 1964 Pac, Zappos. Sorel Suka, Zappos. Dr. Martens Nellie Wellington Boots, shoebuy.com. Ugg Classic Short, Nordstrom. Sorel Hoonah, Endless.com.
Down (or Synthetic Down):
Down jackets and vests provide great insulation and protection from the elements. Editor’s Note: If you’re an animal lover, synthetic down is a cruelty-free option that’s just as functional, too!
Down jackets can look bit puffy, but that extra insulation is just what will keep you warm! Down is a definite don’t in wet weather, however, as it gets soggy and loses all of its insulating power – that’s where synthetic is preferable. Look for pieces with water-resitent outer layers to stay dry!
If you find down jackets too unwieldy, try a down vest! Vests are great for layering with long shirts, or even over other jackets for particularly freezing days.
Hot Picks:
Product Information: The North Face Aconcagua Down Jacket in Knight Purple, The North Face. Esprit Fur Trim Down-Filled Belted Jacket, johnlewis.com. Nike Essential Women’s Down Vest, nike.com. Premium Down Vest, UNIQLO.
Wool:
If you’re looking to stay really warm this winter, wool clothing is a great option. From jackets to skirts to socks to scarves, wool picks are easy to find and provide great insulation. Unlike cotton or down, breathable wool has the ability to keep you warm when wet.
Worried about the itchiness? Try Merino wool–a finer-fiber variety made from the Merino Sheep–to get wool’s warming benefits without the scratchiness. Wool is incredibly durable and will keep you warm in the coldest weather due to its thick knits. If you don’t want to splurge on a 100% wool jacket, try wool socks, scarves, and hats for a similar effect. Wool’s great texture will look fabulous against any outfit!
Editor’s Note: Again, if you’re an animal lover, there are great cruelty-free wool alternatives out there, too. A few examples include cotton flannel, polyester fleece, synthetic shearling, and Tencel— a breathable, durable, and biodegradable wool substitute. There are tons of options out there, so shop around!
Hot Picks:
Product Information: Fringed Wool Scarf, Gap.com. Miriam Sweater, Abercrombie and Fitch. Juicy Couture Button Detail Wool-Blend Gloves, Nordstrom. Smart Wool Cable Socks, REI. Logan Solid Wool Peacoat, Delias.
What do you think?
What do you think? What are your cold-weather staples, girls? How do you stay warm (and cute!) in Winter?! Let us know with your comments!
Posted on on October 29, 2009 / Filed Under: Shopping / Tags: Boots, Coats, Cold Weather, Fashion Tips, Jackets, Top 5, Winter, Winter Boots
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Hannah
aw, i love all your choices. these are all going to be definiatly needed. & i never thought of wearing leggings under my jeans so i wasn’t so cold. that’s brilliant! && i love that wool coat from delias!
great job.
Christi
What a great post! I too went to school in Minnesota (UST) and it is quite a challenge to try and stay warm AND somewhat stylish. What great example items you given us. :)
Katie
FINALLY someone has posted fashion ideas for those of us who live in cold weather. It definitely is a challenge to keep warm and stylish. I hope there will be more posts like this in the future.
Luinae
Other then the fact that you just suggested we wear UGG boots (!?!?!?), I’m totally with you! It get super cold up here in Canada and all of those things are totally essential.
B.
Than you SO much for this! Seriously, all the outfit ideas that have been posted recently have been really cute, however, they aren’t appropriate for late fall michigan weather! I see you live in Minnesota, so you understand. I love this blog and I rely on it for fashion inspiration, but at this time of year, I can no longer wear those cute skirts and short sleeved tops. Thank you thank you thank you. And I would love to see more! :)
Lalalina
Love that purple vest with the faux fur….if only the retailer was in the U.S. Hey Uggs are ugly but you can’t deny that they keep you warm. By warm I DO NOT mean that they should be warn with leggings as pants and a long shirt:)
Sam
Great post! As a Southern girl, I don’t have to deal with super cold weather, but I still found many of the tips helpful. Leggings under pants are a good idea. I typically wear tights underneath my jeans when it’s really cold. They aren’t as warm but they fit better underneath my pants. But if it somehow gets below 20 degrees (which happens here maybe once per winter in the dead of night) I might wear them as long underwear.
I’d also like to point out that synthetic down is great. I own a real down coat and I love it so much that I decided I needed a down blanket. I quickly realized that I couldn’t afford a down blanket, so I bought a synthetic one. It’s just as warm as my coat.
Also, perhaps you could write an article on how to find winter clothes that are completely synthetic? I am horribly allergic to wool and I have such a hard time finding coats, jackets, sweaters, scarves, etc. I’m also allergic to sheepskin, so some boots, like Uggs, are out of the question. I know a lot of girls have moral objects to wool, down, and leather (three popular choices for winter) so I think a post on finding winter clothes without those would be fantastic.
Emily
Fitting post for the transitional fall into winter weather. A few days ago, wrote a post on how to dress in cold weather, check it out: http://emilypanda.wordpress.com/2009/10/28/dressing-for-cold-weather/
JulieAnna
Hey there! Great post – just wanted to let all of you cold-weather fashionistas know that you can purchase Sorel boots directly from http://www.sorel.com now. The new site just launched!
Breanna
Oh my, I hate UGGs. I’ve been searching for a pair of winter boots for over a month now and I found no more than three pairs of not-terribly-ugly leather boots, with fur lining, thick sole and stuff, but they were way above the maximum I can spend. I must say I’m starting to think that I’ll end up with either something ugly (but warm) or pretty (and not warm and not waterproof). While I already have a few pairs of pretty not-really-winter boots, maybe I should consider buying a pair of terrible, warm and waterproof leather UGG(ly)s?
Claire
Another option for animal-lovers when it comes to wool — unless they’re completely opposed to wearing animal fiber — is to find (or make! Knitting is a very useful hobby to have) gloves/scarves/etc that were made from wool from family-owned farms.. they tend to be kinder to the sheep :)
Paula ♥
This really helps, even though I live in FL and it rarely goes below 50 degrees around here. You have some awesome ideas.
Leia
Excellent article!
carrie
This is a really good post, i’ve been meaning to get some thermals, now i know exactly where to go. I have to say though, i couldn’t wear any of the puffy jackets. I’d rather be cold than look like a big purple marshmallow. wool pea coats are definitely the way to go.
Lena Michelle
honestly, i think uggs with skirt + stockings is cute!
am i the only one :(?
Ella
I like uggs! They are so versatile and i love that I can wear them around the apartment or around campus! I think uggs with a skirt and stockings can be cute… but not uggs and nike athletic shorts. every time i see that i giggle :)
loved the article. i live in oregon so its always cold AND wet. nice job!
georgienyc
great great post – love the all-weather boots. my favorite is this wrap. i prefer big soft ones to wrap up in, indoors and out
http://www.what2wearwhere.com/blog/post/2009/09/29/What-to-Buy-This-Week-Nordstrom-Wrap.aspx
Anna
Love this post! I have been wearing leggings under jeans forever, thanks to my Mother, they keep you warm and comfy! Because I live somewhere quite cold, I wear woolen sweaters under my down coat, and it keeps me warm. I’d also suggest HATS HATS HATS, the ones with fur under are the warmest, it keeps me the warmest. And GLOVES, the thin ones last for fall/spring, but NOT in winter, if you don’t want clunky snow ones, gloves like these —> ttp://www.faqs.org/photo-dict/photofiles/list/4975/6557winter_mittens.jpg work well too, or wool ones. I have a fabulous pair with fur lining and several layers of material that keeps me warm! h
Kath
Great article. I’m glad to see that this site has been posting winter fashion tips that apply to midwest winters! So many sites/magazines seem to ignore those of us who still want to look cute when it’s sub-zero.
Becca
Great article. I am dreaming of cold weather! It’s still 89 degrees here in Florida!
angelina
this is great!
Jackie
This is probably the most useful article yet! Thanks so much, very appropriate for this weather!
Emily
this is great! i totally agree about the UGGs.. they arent exactly the latest fashion, but they are the best option i’ve found for extreme MN weather. They keep my feet warm, dry, comfortable AND I dont have to worry too much about slipping and falling on icy sidewalks and what not (here in mankato, putting salt on the sidewalks so the ice will melt seems to be a mystery to many landlords and businesses.. haha) thank you for the advice on winter wear! i’m almost scared to see what winter will be like, considering how cold and icky the weather has already been! it was SO COLD the weekend of U of M homecoming! brrrrr i had to buy a gophers hat just because i forgot my own winter hat at home! :S
Adam @ Cheap Halloween costumes
This is a nice blog which gives a selection of winter costume. When I went through this blog I feel like having one of them for my girlfriend. If I have to go from the thermal shirts I will go for Primp Giraffe Thermal Long Sleeve for leggings Aerie Leggings for the warm boots Michael Kors MK Logo Rain Boot and so on. Hope there will be more posts like this in the future and love to check more on it for my girl.
Meghan
I am so glad to see a post about cold weather essentials, especially as a resident of Chicago. However, it makes me sad to see that animal products are always presented first, even though synthetics are acknowledged as an option for “animal lovers.” I wish that everyone would consider these products, even if they don’t believe they are an animal lover. Please look into how cruel these industries are to animals- even if they aren’t killed, they are not given any quality of life at all.
rozya
i think down is good option for winter. but i always have a problem about what’s inside down.
i think if a jacket in it, it really puffy, but pullover is so not cute. what to wear in it.
uh…cold weather!
Renee
great choices! I love layering tops in winter and ugg boots but personally I dont think wearing leggings under pants would be comfortable.. I love wearing them on their own but of course the place I live does not get too much cold:)
dancerina
great post! i recommend alternativeoutfitters.com for synthetic/vegan boots (i have a pair of vegan uggs that are much cuter than the original)
Niala
Great List, some additions! The Burberry rain boots, and jackets by Triple Fat Goose (made with down and seriously heavy duty warm).. they’re on the site if you like (makatto.com) and Burberry boots are obviously on the Burberry site, but may be cheaper on Ebay or Amazon. Stay warm snow bunnies!
aleyson
this post is perfect! more tips on how to wear bulky coats, please!!! i live in the mountains now and its freezing! i’m going to get some more thermals as soon as i can….thanks!
Bridgette
I have recently fallen in love with the warmness of Uggs/Wanna Be Uggs. In Michigan they are perfect. Good choices all around :)
Sigríður
I’m from Iceland and as the name suggests it is often ice cold here.
But the thing I wanted to discuss is UGGs. I love my UGGs, I feel like I’m walking on clouds every time I wear them. And I wear them with skirts and dresses.
I often wear short skirts, warm tights or leggings and my UGGs. Then I feel warm and cute. But that’s just my style.
But if you google “celebrities in UGG”, you can see some are wearing UGGs with dresses and skirts.
I’m just saying :P
Magga
I’m from Iceland too and i looooove my uggs and i wear it with dresses and skirts, i guess that’s an icelandic thing ;P
jojo
In the cold winter the ugg tall boots with trench are my first choice.