Dressing For Cold Weather & Winter...

[oceanharlot]

OK... so I'm going to NYC from Dec 28-Jan 8... and I've NEVER been anywhere cold. I've never even SEEN snow. Never been within 100 miles of it. No "slush", sleet... anything. Hello.. I'm from Florida and live in Hawaii.

SO I need help. WTF should I be wearing there?

So far, I bought

Missoni scarf - thin but fun
Green-Blue pashmina
grey and dark grey striped scarf
grey and dark grey striped beanie
black leather gloves
1- thick wool sweater - argyle
2- med weight cashmere sweater- pale pink, black
1- heavy weight cashmere sweater- blue-grey


so what else am I gonna need?

boots I guess... is suede ok?
a coat maybe... I dunno. What weight? Or can I just wear hoodies and a hat?

AAK! (sorry... had a Cathy moment there...)

do I need to buy an anti-frostbte kit? do they sell those?

 

[Mr. Lee]

Originally posted by oceanharlot@Nov 27 2004, 02:56 AM
OK... so I'm going to NYC from Dec 28-Jan 8... and I've NEVER been anywhere cold. I've never even SEEN snow. Never been within 100 miles of it. No "slush", sleet... anything. Hello.. I'm from Florida and live in Hawaii.

SO I need help. WTF should I be wearing there?

So far, I bought

Missoni scarf - thin but fun
Green-Blue pashmina
grey and dark grey striped scarf
grey and dark grey striped beanie
black leather gloves
1- thick wool sweater - argyle
2- med weight cashmere sweater- pale pink, black
1- heavy weight cashmere sweater- blue-grey
so what else am I gonna need?

boots I guess... is suede ok?
a coat maybe... I dunno. What weight? Or can I just wear hoodies and a hat?

AAK! (sorry... had a Cathy moment there...)

do I need to buy an anti-frostbte kit? do they sell those?

[snapback]441115[/snapback]​

My mom went to U of Hawaii. Aloha.

 

[oceanharlot]

Oh yeah? Thats where I go right now. UH at Manoa. Kickass!

 

[Mr. Lee]

Originally posted by oceanharlot@Nov 27 2004, 03:03 AM
Oh yeah? Thats where I go right now. UH at Manoa. Kickass!

[snapback]441119[/snapback]​

U like to surf? I got stuck on one of those yellow bike things you ride in the water and had to swim back to shore. What are those called anyway? I think we should all go to Hawaii as a group and get a discount. NY sucks because of the weather and it is so far from Hawaii. When I go again I will make sure not to move the lava rocks, it's bad luck.

 

[oceanharlot]

hehe! Those bikes are so funny. None of them over by me though, all that kind of hoopla is on the south side. We just have waves over here.

 

[foxinthesnow]

If its snowing you want a coat! You have alot of scarves, maybe more than you need. The pashmina can double ad a day and night scarf. If you layer up well underneath you do not need a super thick coat- the trick with coats is construction and material. Sometimes they have this thin lining inside I forget what it is called but it is super warm and looks like a thin fleece.

 

[softgrey]

that lining is called thinsulate...

and you def need a coat...no question...
and fox in the snow is right about layering...lots of thin layers...that way you can adjust according to temp...
if it snows...your best bet is a flat shoe with a rubber sole...can be a boot... and warm socks...wool or cashmere... if it's icy...you really can't do heels unless you just cab it everywhere...

if you get those thin silk long undies...they are a great layering piece...keep you warm, feel nice and don't add too much bulk...

hope your gloves are lined...and they say you lose tons of heat from you head...so a good hat is handy...

the temp is not the big issue...it's the wind...the skyscrapers act like wind tunnels and can really whip up the wind which will go right through your clothes...so think of things that will block the wind and keep in the warmth...

i got a faux shearling coat at a/x last year on sale and it is the warmest and best thing ever...they have a similar one this year you might want to check out...good because it can be sporty or dressy...

i also have a puffy down coat from land's end ($40 bucks!)...which is toasty warm and cute and sporty for the snow...

it usualy doesn't get bitter cold until the end of jan or feb...so you won't need the frostbite kit...

 

[paprika_hiccup]

Under-packing is the best excuse to shop

You're not planning to bring a coat with you? I wouldn't waste the space in your luggage. Get a really warm coat when you get here. I wouldn't even think that they would sell the kind of coat you'll need in Hawaii, but *scartch-that* I guess the internet makes that a non-issue. I would still recommend not lugging one to NY, as I'd suggest a longer length (at least the knee) wool or /alpaca or /cashmere/ or a blend, and that will be heavy and inconvient to carry both ways.

You'll also need a hat, which would be a good thing to bring with you to wear out of the airport.

As softgrey was saying, the wind can be ridiculous. Last year was a very cold winters in NYC, and a person's skin actually can get frostbite in less than 30 minutes of exposure, but I wouldn't worry about the kit unless you're planning on streaking Times square or something. There are obviously a lot of places with much colder temp., but the wind-tunnel effect of NYC streets makes it seem like the cooldest place on earth at times.

I would also suggest bringing along a pair of silk long-underwear. You can order them through most sporting-goods stores. They are the best- thin eanough to wear under mostly anything, super soft, and warm.

If you don't want to have to carry a heavy wool coat back to Hawaii, you could always invest in a heavier weight Patagonia fleece to layer under another, thinner jacket. I have a few, and them. My Bf just bought me a new one the other day that looks like corduroy. They are fitted and not "back-packy"/granola looking, like what you usually think of when you think of fleece jackets (at least I do )

 

[MJCouture]

You absolutely MUST bring a coat. I wouldnt even get off the plane here w/o one in late December/January. I never wear hats, I just can't deal with the hair issues, but I have a bunch of those cheap earmuffs that they sell on street corners here for like $10 (they wrap around the back of your head not the top so they dont mess up your hair). I would suggest bringing some kind of sheerling, leather w/cashmere lining, or very thick cashmere gloves as well. Your hands will freeeeze w/o them unless you have a coat that you can comfortable tuck your hands into for warmth. I would also suggest a good pair of big sunglasses that will block the wind from your face a little. I know people don't really think of that--but it really does help to not have gusts of 20 degree wind in your eyes. As far as clothing, if you are wearing jeans you may want to layer thermal or long silk leggings underneath, because like softgrey said--the wind will go right through any kind of breathable fabric. Cashmere sweaters is always a good bet, half of the city is walking around in them by mid-December, the ones you got sound pretty cute. For footwear I would not say you HAVE to wear boots--you could be fine if you wear cashmere/thick socks and sneakers or w/e. However, heels will really not work if it is icey or wet, something flat w/a rubber sole is probably best (again, like softgrey said). I think suede is a good idea as well, because the street will really eat up fine leather especially when there is salt and ice on the ground. Have fun!

 

[Purse Addict]

I'm from NJ and girl you gotta dress warm. It can be frigged walking/taking a taxi around the city. besides your fashionable boots, I would bring a pair of comofortable boots that you don't mind getting wet or an old pair of sneakers for if it snows. If you are only gonna stay in Manhattan, the snow on the sidewalks and stuff gets cleared pretty quick b/c there are so many people, but if you're planning on going into Brooklyn, Long Island, Jersey etc. the snow can be bad. If you're going to walk around Manhattan, don't leave the house with out gloves and a scarf. one time on a windy january day i had gloves on and walked 12 city blocks and i couldn't feel my hands when i got there.

 

[oceanharlot]

You guys rock!

Thanks so much for the help! I'm gonna go shopping next weekend for stuff I guess... We are always stuffed to the gills with winter clothes, because the main stores send them here, and its Hawaii so no one buys them. But its still limited I think, esp in the way of shoes.

So its looking like I need to get cracking

 

[Fairfax]

Dressing for the cold/winter

What are your thoughts on going out during winter (but mild - 40-60 degrees) wearing:

sleeveless tops?
strappy shoes?
bare legged skirts?

all of the above would be covered with a cute jacket/coat, and of course the party will be warm inside....... I want to be cute and chic, but don't want to look out of season or silly.... I just HATE winter clothing and don't know where to draw the line...

Thanks!

 

[orlem]

I have no trouble avoiding all three, but I don't think you should have to adhere to the seasonal rules if you're comfortable. I live at the north pole so I have to be careful not to freeze. Almost every day of winter, I have on a skirt with tights or hose, pumps or close-toe flats, and layers of tops under a cool sweater. When I go out I fine-tune it so that the layers include more lace, velvet, tulle, and so on until it's dressy enough. I do have one pair of winter heels that are not exactly strappy, but definitely don't qualify as pumps. When I wear those I feel okay leaving my legs bare.

 

[Luna]

strappy shoes in winter... eegads. I did that once in january.. hahaha.. my toes.. my poor toes!

 

[Fairfax]

cold is not my concern.... it is really just looking good/chic that I care about... here it doesn't get THAT cold and when it is, I certainly don't think about these items!

Just thinking of a party tonight and I want to impress due to new crush and his friends being there....

 

[Luna]

So if you're going to be inside.. then strappy shoes shouldn't be a prob.
Strappy shoes in the winter are just another reason to pamper your feet with a pedi.

 

[BabyJ]

One thing that bothers me in the winter...

People who want to wear open toed shoes...but not outside so they bring two pairs with them. I don't get it! If you toes are going to freeze don't wear those stupid shoes in the dead of winter in Montreal!

Just because its winter doesn't mean you have to cover yourself up completely. When I go out, I'll wear a mini skirt, with a nice top *even a dressy tank top if it looks right* nice long boots and a coat. The reason i don't care to be in tanks and mini skirts is because I have a car! The most I will be outside is....walking from my parking spot to the place I am going. When going to Xmas parties and things of that sort you hope there is valet parking or have someone drop you off in the front.

Whats really annoying? People who do wear the mini skirts and then complain that they are freezing while waiting for a bus to come along. If you are going to be in the cold for long periods of time, I don't recommend bareing all.

Just make sure you dress up for your climate and things of that sort.

 

[utopia]

Originally posted by Fairfax@Dec 3 2004, 05:09 PM
What are your thoughts on going out during winter (but mild - 40-60 degrees) wearing:

sleeveless tops?
strappy shoes?
bare legged skirts?

all of the above would be covered with a cute jacket/coat, and of course the party will be warm inside....... I want to be cute and chic, but don't want to look out of season or silly.... I just HATE winter clothing and don't know where to draw the line...

Thanks!

[snapback]449546[/snapback]​

hmm...I will wear a sleeveless top or dress in the winter for a special occasion - i.e. a party or ball...yes, I wore a strappy little lolita style dress (from maxstudio's summer collection) to a ball that happened to be outdoors in the late scottish autumn. I got to the point that I was so numb from the cold, I couldn't feel the cold. strappy shoes just don't look right to me in the winter. I prefer a heavier, more 'solid' type of shoe for winter - like a pair of round toed heels or peep-toes...to me strappy shoes look cold and therefore don't seem very appealing to look at in the winter.
so yeah, only for a special occasion...I am too cold natured to sacrifice my warmth for fashion.

 

[clavdiachauchat]

Winter Proportions

I've never started a thread before...

BUT, I am interested in everyone's thoughts regarding winter proportions, especially coats.
How do you wear you winter coats with boots, skirts, trousers, etc.
Anything you always avoid
How you do scarves, hats, gloves
etc.

These are some coat proportions I like (from Celebs in Coats thread, London streetstyle thread, style.com (2), Celebs in Coats, style.com)

It seems I prefer a coat-as-dress proportion

 

[The_Ida]

I love wearing skirts with my coats. It's so pretty when you can see the skirts hem under the coat. And I can really pull it off because I have the smallest feet ever. I'm almost too cute B)