When the weather turns cold, many people think fashion must be sacrificed for function. (Not true!) If you know how to select the right cold weather gear, it’s possible to stay warm and stylish. Having been born and raised in Northern New England, extreme temperatures are a way of life for me. All of the following items are my tried and true picks to keep the chills away without looking like a marshmallow.

Layers

The ultimate key to cold weather wear is to dress in layers. Often, I’ll layer a sweater over a camisole or tee and top both with a coat. If I begin to feel too warm once indoors, I can remove a layer without sacrificing comfort or modesty.

As for long underwear pieces, suits, and vests, I don’t even bother. Maybe if I was dog sledding in Alaska? (Yeah, right!) Seriously though, I’ve never needed that much fabric. It constantly bunches up and is completely impractical—for me, anyway. Ditto for snowsuits and pants, unless you’re under 10.

Hats & Scarves

I love a matching scarf and hat set made of knit, fleece, or cashmere. This is a great way to add pops of color into your wardrobe, especially if you mostly stick to neutrals. Any of your signature colors will work; I love pink and purple. The only color to avoid is pure white. I once lost a white hat while playing in the snow and couldn’t find it again after it disappeared.

Every store seems to have great sales on winter items in Jan/Feb, so now is a great time to stock up.

Gloves & Mittens

Mittens and fabric gloves look cute, but I find they’re totally useless in the cold. If you live in a more temperate region, it might work, but not for arctic air.

My favorite gloves are black leather lined in cashmere. Buy one size up for the most comfortable fit, as they do shrink over time. (Leather manufacturer’s caution to never get them wet, but that’s really not possible when coming into contact with snow, slush, and freezing rain. If they do become soaked, simply lay them flat overnight and let them dry completely before re-wearing.) A good pair can last for a decade. I’m still wearing some I found on 80% off clearance at the Wilson Leather Outlet in 2001.

Gloves with embellishments like rhinestones and fur trim are much less practical than plain. If you can afford and will wear several pairs, it’s fine to mix it up, but go for plain black if you only need one.

Socks:

I find that my feet must be kept warm or I’m always freezing—regardless of how many other items I may be wearing. (Conversely, when it’s summer, I have to keep my feet cool!) When I wrote about hosiery, I mentioned my all-time favorite trouser socks. When it’s simply too cold for them, I turn to fleece. Wool socks are another good option, and many folks swear by pure merino. Personally, they itch me like crazy and I can’t stand them! (To each her own, right?)

Ear Muffs & Headbands

These are awesome for anyone with sensitive ears. If it’s windy out, I swap my hat for one of these chill chasers. Look for anything in super-soft fleece or cashmere. Unless you generate a tremendous amount of natural body heat, don’t skip head and ear protection.

Coats

I’ve written rather extensively about coats in a prior post. Unless it’s zero degrees, I wear a medium-length wool coat in black or beige. Anything below freezing, I pull out a parka. Parkas have a bad reputation for packing on visual pounds, but the trick is finding a slimming style.

Best Parka:

Narrow cut, longer length, single-breasted, with a belt. Black, brown, or gray will be the most practical. I love ones that feature a detachable hood.

Worst Parka:

Short, square cut, double-breasted and in a weird color. Don’t buy anything this unattractive!

I’ve seen incredible deals on cute parkas at the Gap and Banana Republic outlets. If you want a parka that lasts a lifetime and isn’t as a trendy, L.L. Bean is the way to go.

Boots

Another subject that I’ve blogged about before. For daily winter wear, I prefer a black leather riding boot with a flat heel. If it’s very snowy, I’ll put on my beloved L.L. Bean boots. Bean boots aren’t the most glamorous, however, they are the warmest, safest, most comfortable choice when trekking in snow and dealing with ice.

Supposedly, Bean boots are very in demand for Hipsters right now. Sales have tripled and many styles are on back-order. I find this funny, because I’ve worn them since I was little and was introduced to them by my dad, who was the furthest thing from fashionable!

My favorite is the standard tan boot, 8 Inch, no insulation, found here. (You can vary the insulation yourself by switching from light to heavy-weight socks if necessary. The non-insulated boot can be worn year-round, which is a big plus if you like hiking.) They’re worth every cent of the $109 price tag.

Always remember the 3 keys of winter dressing: Stay covered, Stay warm, and Stay dry. Everything else is optional!

What is your favorite cold weather accessory?

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