When I found out that I was going to school in Boston, I knew I was in for a few major changes. The most obvious would be that I was going to be living thousands of miles away from my West Coast home, in a completely new city. The second and equally as obvious change would be the drastic shift in weather conditions. So long eternal sunshine and “chilly” 60 degree days! Hello, sporadic downpours and 22 mph winds!
I was well aware of what I was getting myself into when I made the decision to switch coasts. Despite the copious amounts of cautionary tales and eyebrow raises I received, I knew that in the end, it all came down to my heart and what it wanted: apparently it wanted to see leaves change, blizzards blow, and pretty little flowers pop up in the warmer months to make every bit of struggle worth it.
With the infamous winter months just around the bend, I have compiled a little list of cold weather necessities that experts and rookies alike should definitely triple check. Most people think bundling up requires turning yourself into a giant marshmallow who waddles down the streets. In some cases that’s true, but staying warm does not mean you have to drop all your sartorial senses and go full-on Michelin Man! Here are a few pieces that serve double duty as both cozy and chic.
Jackets
When it’s time to break out the old winter coats, jackets, and puffers, you may find that your old wears might be a little worn. Pocket holes and flimsy hoods just won’t do when the temperatures begin to dip. If there’s one lesson I’ve learned so far from being here it’s that you need a few outerwear pieces to rotate between. “Cold weather” is on a spectrum, and some days require a little more (or less) bulk than others. Get yourself a few pieces that are built to last, adapt to the varying degrees of chilly, and make you look stylish like the ones below.
A fuzzy, green faux fur coat for the early winter months when you can get away with wearing light sweaters, the forecast doesn’t predict rain, and life is good:
A light puffer to wear when it looks like a lovely, sunny day, but SIKE, it’s actually 34 degrees and starts aggressively sprinkling out of nowhere. Oh, New England always full of surprises! (Side note: this puffer also comes in powder pink!):
An insulated parka for when playtime is over and the real deal storms start rolling in. This is the closest thing to marshmallow you’re going to get, but hey, at least the charcoal grey color makes it a little more fashionable:
Scarves
The easiest way to elevate your winter look is to top it off with a comfy, cozy, and of course, cute scarf. This seasonal essential will protect your neck from the biting chill while giving your outfit that extra something.
A preppy checkered scarf is a quintessential East Coast wardrobe staple. The red and green colors on this scarf will smoothly transition with you into the holiday season, which is a nice little bonus. Someone queue up Mariah Carey:
Sometimes a classic wool scarf is all you really need to stay warm. A nice fireplace and some hot chocolate helps too, but when those are not as easily accessible this should do the trick:
For maximum toastiness, look no further than this luxurious blanket scarf. This is your chance to walk out the door and still feel like you’re in bed. Plus, the unique stripe pattern and icy blue color of this scarf make it the perfect addition to your winter wardrobe:
Beanies
While these may not be everyone’s favorite cold-weather accessory they really are life-savers. Despite the occasional hat-hair and silly feeling you get knowing that a pom-pom is sprouting out of the top of your head, beanies are pretty great. That’s mostly because they keep you from feeling like your ears are about to freeze off.
Beanies don’t always have to feel dorky. The blue-green color of this one from The North Face makes being warm look good:
Correction: I officially take back every negative thing I ever thought about pom-poms because this monochromatic black beanie proves that they can actually be really cool:
If you’re more of a traditionalist and prefer to stick to less whimsical headgear then this maroon beanie is meant for you. It’s also cashmere, which definitely scores it extra points in the cozy department:
Gloves
These are by far the most underrated winter accessory of them all. You don’t realize how much you need them until you pull your hand out of your lovely insulated pocket to check your phone. The rush of cold air that hits your hand as you quickly try to scroll through notifications is complete agony. To avoid this dilemma, get some tech-friendly gloves.
This simple grey pair is made of warm wool and have three touchscreen sensitive fingertips. To be fair, that’s all you really need.
If you want your hands to be completely sealed off from the elements then these hardface tech gloves are just what you’re looking for. Their banded wrists make sure that there’s no chance any rain or snow will sneak up inside them.
Most gloves are pretty straightforward, no-frills, and lack variety. These fun touchscreen gloves are here to switch things up a bit. Their festive patterning makes them oh so fun, and the perfect spunky addition to your winter look. :)
Winter is most certainly coming, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing! I admit that looking at the forecasts in the morning sometimes frightens me (especially when I spot a few negative numbers), but I’m not going to let something as simple as temperature send me running for the sunny shores of the West Coast. When I zip up my fluffy coat and fasten my scarf every morning I like to think of myself as dressing the part in some big, imagined winter production.
With all of the cute winter clothing out there, I have plenty of options to make myself look good even when my main goal is to cover every inch of my body in some kind of insulating material. The key is to layer and never forget the power of great accessories! A good pair of gloves, a nice beanie, and a scarf to tie it all together (sorry, I had to), makes winter dressing seem not so boring or unattractive after all. Bundle up, friends, because it’s about to get a little chilly around here!
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