Being Stylish & Warm. Yes, There Is Such A Thing!

{Photo via Tommy Ton}

Okay, so it is really hard to be fashionable and warm at the same time. As a true "Mainer" (born and raised) I have been battling this for YEARS and there is no getting around it. Fashion is not designed with cold temperatures in mind. I flip through fashion magazines and I see beautiful people wearing short skirts and killer shoes with bare feet and legs and I think to myself that I would be a not so pretty shade of purple if I were wearing it that way! The temp has to at least be 55 to 60 degrees for me to even dare to wear bare feet and legs out doors. Do you feel the same? Does it make you all confused when it's time to get dressed when it's freezing cold outside? Join the club. There is no way around it. You must dress for the weather. Trust me, frostbite wouldn't look so good on you. Here are a few key pointers to looking stylish when the weather is not only cold, but downright FREEZING. It actually was -11 degrees last Sunday morning here in Maine! (That means it was actually BELOW zero for all you southerners and west coasters who have never heard of such a thing.)

#1) ALWAYS HAVE A SUPER COOL COAT. Right now I am loving and actually somewhat drooling over this Moncler Lucie New Pop Star down coat. You wouldn't feel anything but warmth while wearing this baby.

#2) OWN A PAIR OF SUPER WARM BOOTS. These Pajar Canada Tobogan boots may be homely and you most certainly wont be wearing them all day. But boy won't you be happy to put these warm puppy's on after a long day of work when you go out to start your car or wait for the bus.
*STYLE TIP ~ I wear my practical boots to work and put my pretty ones on when I get there. Just because it's a boot doesn't mean it should be worn out in the snow. The salt destroys leather and suede and it's impossible to remove. 

#4) On those days where the temps are in the 30's you may want to opt for a super cool wool coat like this one from Soia & Kyo whom I believe have the cutest outerwear I have ever seen in my life! 

#5) A super warm glove like these by UGG are a necessity in the bitter cold. And if you are a princess who doesn't have to move her hands and chip the ice off her car then I would definitely go with a muffler like this one below from ASOS:

{I told you I was a dreamer.
I <3 this!}

#6) A chunky knit scarf like this one from Shop Bop by Paula Bianco that you can throw on with anything is very important. Get one in a neutral color so that you won't have to worry about it clashing with whatever look you have going on.

#7) A super beautiful wool fedora like this one by Maison Michel. I would die to have this colorful creature!!! Instead I have a pretty little beanie that keeps me a little warmer {from Talbots} and it doesn't blow off my head when the wind howls. 

So the morel of this story is that I am just as confused as you when it comes to dressing warm and being fashionable. (The only thing that actually keeps me toasty is my fleece robe from Victoria's Secret and I can't wait to throw it on over my long sleeve tee and yoga pants the second I get home from work.) I just make sure that I am layered up when I go to work and then bring a change of shoes along with an extra cardigan, hat and mittens for extra warmth in my Tory Burch tote bag. 

So, # 8 is.........

#8) A really cool tote bag that you adore to carry all of your shoe changes/extra layers in. My choice is this one by Tory Burch:

#9) It is just impossible to get through the winter with a great pair of tights. Sometimes wearing tights and a skirt can be even more cozy than wearing pants! (depending on the heaviness of your tights) I love these two looks on the ladies above. Totally cute! They almost look a bit little warm! (especially the model on the left ;)