I had big hopes and dreams for my trip to NYC with Poor Little It Girl a couple of weeks ago. You see, we had lots of amazing meetings planned with some of our favorite brands. And then Juno hit. And the city, I mean the entire city, basically closed down. So instead of getting cute and having drinks with friends, I wore this winter layered outfit for 3 days straight. The good news is, I now know how to dress for freezing cold temperatures and these Hunter boots are actually INSANELY comfortable to walk around the city in all day long. Coming up with winter outfit ideas has definitely not been my strong suit, but this casual look is perfection!
After this blizzard of a week in the Big Apple, I realized I actually do know how to dress for cold weather. When you’re properly dressed, you can take on any kind of weather and not be entirely miserable. Here’s how to do it.
Best Winter Layered Outfit Essentials
The important part about dressing appropriately for the weather is to have good layers. When it’s going to be freezing cold, and wet, you can’t just rely on a good coat. You need some good base layers, socks, and warm accessories. It’s also key to invest in quality items. If you don’t live in a cold snowy climate, you probably don’t want to spend a ton of money on a heavy coat. So layers are key.
I personally own one really good cold-weather coat and it’s this down puffer from J.Crew. I’ve had it for years and while you’d think I don’t get a ton of use out of it in Atlanta, I actually do. So if you’re looking to invest in one good coat, this is the one to get. Plus, they always have a sale. And you can easily make this coat even more warm and toasty with good layers underneath.
Down Coats Under $300
Buildable Warm Layers
To wear underneath your coat, you need good buildable warm layers. Especially when you’re in a city and exploring, you’re heading into restaurants and shops from the bitter cold, and you’ll instantly heat up in that heavy coat. So having a few layers you can remove and add are key. I like to start with a thin base layer that’s warm but doesn’t add bulk. I usually wear just a simple long sleeve cotton tee underneath my sweaters. It adds warmth, no bulk, and helps to keep the wind from hitting your skin when it goes through the knit of your sweater. Plus, they’re not too heavy and thick that you’re burning up. And if you’re like me and you’re super hot blooded, sometimes a sweater is just a lot for me even in the coldest temps, so being able to remove my sweater if I really need to, is nice.
Warm Accessories For Cold Weather
Nothing will make you feel cold and miserable than having your neck, ears and hands exposed to the cold weather. Always have a great scarf, a beanie or ear muffs and warm gloves. This will make your day so much less miserable. Once you have these accessories, you can really take on any kind of weather. For gloves, I usually just do regular knit ones. But if you plan on spending a ton of time in a really chilly destination, it could be worth investing in some leather ones. They’re incredibly warm and really keep the chill out!
Warm And Waterproof Boots
I am so thankful I finally got a pair of waterproof and winter boots for my cold weather vacation. You can kind of get away with a really really warm sock and rainboot if you don’t want to splurge on a new pair of boots. But for under $100, you can really get a good quality waterproof and warm winter boot to tread some snow in. Sperry and Sorel make great boots, and for a more fashion-forward boot, I love my Blondo waterproof boots. Just make sure to get good warm socks too! Below are some super cute waterproof warm boots that are all under $100.
