In addition to holidays and hot chocolate, the winter months also bring a unique style challenge. Campus bars and frat parties are still sweltering hot inside, but we can no longer walk around wearing just our sequined minidresses (unless you’d like to have a permanent cold for the next few months). In Boston, freezing winds whip through the buildings on our campus and these days, it takes a whole lot of determination to bundle up and head outdoors. Yes, you do have to bundle up! But don’t fret – there are ways to stay warm without sacrificing your fabulous style every weekend.
Cold Weather Closet Essentials
With help from the HC team, I’ve put together a list of essentials to keep you warm all winter. Many of them you probably already own but just haven’t thought to combine with your blank tank and stilettos. Looking cute while staying warm is all about creative layering and stylish accessories.
- A cute pair of gloves, a hat and ear muffs
- A stylish (but warm!) coat
- Thick tights and socks
- Scarves in fun patterns and textures
- Heeled boots and booties
- Small, resusable hand warmers
- Thin cardigans and sweaters to layer together
The Look: A Minidress
Short dresses are a closet staple for most college girls. You don’t have to worry about matching a top and bottom – you just slip on one piece and you’re good to go! Unfortunately, when the temperatures start to drop that easy process gets a little bit more complicated. The most important body part to cover when you slip into that dress is your legs. When the temperature dips below 50 at night, it’s time to add a pair of tights to the ensemble. If you’re farther north, Cara Chase, the owner of Apparel Therapy, suggests investing in an extra thick pair. Her top three favorite go-to retailers are Hue, Spanx and Wolford. They’ll keep your legs covered but won’t distract from your ensemble – plus dark tights are flattering for any body type!
Product Information: Charlotte Russe, Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, American Eagle
If your dress also exposes your shoulders and chest, throw on a pretty scarf and wrap it around your neck a few times. Colby College Sophomore Kassy Sullivan agrees, explaining that scarves are “so easy to throw on and they instantly add to any outfit.” If you pair “a fuller scarf with a sexier dress [it] ups both the warmth and class factors.” Cathy O’Brien of BayAreaFashionista.com agrees: “Instead of wearing a necklace, wrapping a fabulous scarf around your neck can add warmth and style on a cold day or night. Sparkle is huge this holiday season and many wool scarves can be found with metallic accents woven into the scarf or sewn on.” She also cites Old Navy as a favorite retailer for fun scarves (that won’t break the bank).
Product Information: Charlotte Russe, Forever 21, Urban Outfitters
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The Look: Sky-high Stilettos
Heels are the go-to footwear choice for many girls on Friday and Saturday night, and for a good reason. Wearing heels enhances your posture and, for a lot of girls, can simply make you feel more confident. I know that your Steve Madden strappy sandals are so cute, but losing a couple toes to frostbite isn’t. It’s important for your health to keep your feet as covered as possible in the winter weather – and much safer if you’re walking around in snow and ice! However, this doesn’t mean that you need to wear snow boots out to the club on the weekend. Chase suggests getting your shoes (whether they’re flats or heels) waterproofed. There are a lot of do-it-yourself waterproofing kits that are inexpensive and definitely worth the trip to the store.
HC Intern Alexandra knows the perfect compromise, “Wear booties! You can put on fuzzy warm socks so your feet stay warm but look hot!” Look for closed toe knee-high boots or ankle boots that have enough room inside to wear thick socks underneath. You may feel a little silly tucking your jeans into high socks, but I promise, we all do it!
Product Information: All styles available online from Forever 21
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The Look: Ballet Flats
Not a heels type of girl? Then chances are that your go-to for the weekend is a pair of pretty ballet flats. Flats are really versatile because you can pair them with basic jeans, or with tights and a skirt for a night out. But when the winter chill sets in, they do almost nothing to keep your toes warm! If you’re walking around in snow and slush, those pretty flats will also be permanently damaged and stained – before you even get to the bar.
If you’re pairing your flats with a dress or skirt, go with the same trick as with minidresses: thick tights. Things get tricky when you’re wearing your favorite denim out at night though. Most of us don’t have the luxury of hopping in a car and avoiding the cold weather, so the trick is to figure out how to strategically keep your feet warm until you reach your destination. Like with the stiletto boots, thick wool socks are an affordable winter survival essential. Wear them with your flats too! Sure, you’ll look a little silly on your walk over to your friend’s house, but once you get to the party you can just stick your socks into your purse until the end-of-the-night trek home.
Product Information: All styles from Gap
The easiest way to avoid the pitfalls of wearing your delicate flats out in winter weather is to find a pair of durable boots that is still cute and stylish. O’Brien advises that rain boots are “great for staying fashionable” and suggests a pair of Hunter wedge boots in black – stylish and they’ll match almost everything!
The Look: A Slinky Tank
Probably the most popular night-out look is a cute tube top or tank with a pair of jeans. The good news is that a tank and jeans is one of the easiest looks to make winter-weather appropriate. Legs covered? Check. Feet covered? Check. And keeping your arms warm is easy when you use creative layering and cute accessories!
If you don’t already own a cute winter coat, it’s time to invest in one! “Your coat is going to be the focus of your outfit, so go colored and feminine” suggests Chase. The next step to keeping warm is to layer underneath your jacket. My favorite trick is to invest in a few thin zip-up sweatshirts or cardigans that fit underneath your coat, without looking too bulky. After you’re all bundled up, add a hat as a finishing touch. O’Brien explains, “Most of our body heat escapes through our heads, so a fabulous hat can add style while keeping your body warm”. Her favorite for casual looks? This adorable sparkly beret from Gap.
Product Information: Forever 21, J. Crew, Charlotte Russe, Forever 21
The combination of a thick jacket and thin layers underneath, and all of the tips above, is the perfect way to stay stylish, cute and warm all winter long!
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More Tips from the HC Team
“Places like H&M or Zara have really cute jackets and coats that don’t cost enough to be completely devastating to lose. My friend actually has a coat from H&M that she says is super warm and I was shocked because it looks so expensive!” – Adriana Vetrano, Campus Correspondent, Skidmore
“I wrap up in a really warm scarf (black wool goes with everything), nice gloves (you can get basic leather gloves for pretty cheap) and I am loving the socks-with-heels trend from Prada’s A/W ’10 collection; it’s the perfect way to keep my legs warm when tights aren’t enough!” – Annie Askew, Contributing Writer, Northeastern University
“Thick socks make a big difference! And you can double up leggings if it’s really cold.” – Rachel Peck, Contributing Writer, Barnard College
“I wear leggings under my jeans when it’s really cold, I always wear a cami (every little bit helps) and socks! Knee socks always, they are gorgeous under boots and even with men’s wear shoes and chunky heels!” – Jordan Grier, PR Team, University of Pittsburgh
“I love using scarves and cute gloves. But once you arrive at your destination holding these accessories can be annoying, so I double up on tights. It makes a huge difference in warmth and isn’t noticeable.” Rebekah Meiser, Contributing Writer, Ohio State University
“I often wear two pairs of tights when it’s super cold out! I also wear these earmuffs that wrap around my neck so they’re discrete and don’t mess up my hair but keep me very warm!” – Nikki Fig, Editorial Intern, Emerson College
Sources
Cara Chase, owner of Apparel Therapy
Cathy O’Brien of BayAreaFashionista.com
Members of the Her Campus Team