Winter Wardrobe Essentials

Those that know me know that I’m really much more of a summer girl, I actually really hate cold weather. Which is why I went to college in Florida, and it’s just about this time every year when I say to myself “Why did I move back up north?”. Truth be told there are a couple things I really do like about snow and cold weather. One, as a teacher a two hour delay or a snow day are just as amazing as they were when we were kids. Two, I love winter fashion. And although it was a harsh jolt into reality after shopping the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale to wake up to snow this morning I was really excited to put on my flannel and Bean Boots.

Here are my top 5 winter essentials and where to find them.

1. Boots: I love my Frye leather boots and wear them frequently but for winter it’s really important to me to have a pair (or 2 or 3) of boots that look cute while also being weather proof. There is nothing worse than going out in the snow and getting your feet all wet and cold. This is why I love my duck boots. I actually have two pairs, I have the L.L. Bean Women’s Main Hunting Boot ($129 LLBean.com). They’re 10’ boots so they’re perfect when we we have a couple of inches of snow on the ground. I also have the Sperry Saltwater Duck Boot (On sale now for $99.95 Sperry.com) These a really cute, but are cut a little lower so they’re perfect for when the snow has already pretty much melted but it’s still kind of slushy outside. And then of course for a big snow storm I have my Sorel’s ($100-$250 Sorel.com). They are fur lined and come up almost to my knee so I can run around in a foot of snow and never feel a thing.

1. Scarves: There is nothing better than wrapping a big cozy scarf around you on a cold day. But there are a couple different styles you might want to keep in mind. Blanket scarves are great because they can take a simple outfit and turn it into a beautiful ensemble. I’ve had really great luck finding affordable ($12-$45) and beautiful blanket scarves on Etsy. Infinity scarves are also really great and very easy to style. Again I’ve really liked what I have found on Etsy. There are a lot of really talented artisan knitters who have shops on their, although typically a knit scarf is going to set you back a little more they are still pretty affordable.

1. Sweaters and Button Downs: Duh you need sweaters in the winter, but what I really love is a sweater with a button down collared shirt underneath. I always cuff the shirt sleeve over the sweater sleeve to add a little dimension. This looks especially nice with either a denim shirt or a patterned shirt like Vineyard Vines Oxford Stripe Classic Button Down ($88 VineyardVines.com) or their Little Gingham Relaxed Button Down (On sale now for 64.99 VineyardVines.com ). I used to love C. Wonder for sweaters, and I really wish that was still an option, but these days I buys find a lot of really cute sweaters at Vineyard Vines and J. Crew. I have Vineyard Vines Cotton V-Neck Sweater (On sale now for $69.99 VineyardVines.com) in almost every color. I especially love this sweater because it’s cotton and really can be worn well into the spring and even on a chilly summer night. In high school I was a huge fan of the J.Crew Roll Neck Sweater, I mean weren’t we all? Thankfully that trend has passed because it really wasn’t a flattering look on me, however now I’m really loving the more feminine sweaters available at J. Crew like the Cotton Jackie Cardigan Sweater in Dot (On sale now for $69.99 J.Crew.com) I mean who doesn’t love polkadots? This sweater also comes in a Bow Print ($89 JCrew.com) which almost trumps the polkadots. Their Classic V-neck Cardigan (On sale now for $59.99 JCrew.com) is also great for layering and comes in a variety of colors.

1. Statement Jewelry: This is something I really have to remind myself to put on because I often leave the house and then think about it later, but nothing dresses up a casual winter outfit like a sparkly chunky necklace. J.Crew has great statement pieces, but my personal favorite is Kate Spade. Not only is there stuff beautiful and fun, but they also often have great sales. My favorites right now are the Taking Shapes Collar Necklace ($168 katespade.com) and the Anchors Away Long Necklace (On sale now for $95). My absolute favorite necklace is a chunky gold chain I bought for $20 at a random store in Bethesda Maryland over ten years ago. If I could find that necklace again I would shout from the rooftops where to get it because it is really that great a piece and it goes with everything.

1. Leggings: Ok truth is leggings are a year round staple for me but I especially love them in the winter to tuck into my cozy duck boots with a nice pair of thick socks peeking out. These days you can basically get leggings anyway and you can spend anything from $15 to over $100 for a good pair. Lately I’ve been loving my LulaRoe leggings ($25). If you have not heard of LulaRoe it’s basically a cult for legging lovers like me. Some of their patterns are a little too crazy for me but others are really fun and pair perfectly with a neutral sweater. However, they also have solid color leggings that are amazing. The tricky part about LulaRoe is you have to buy them through virtual parties on facebook and typically the person selling them only has one of each pattern or color. I was extremely overwhelmed by my first LulaRoe Facebook party but now I’ve pretty much gotten the hang of it. I’ve also heard that there is another company called Abby & Anna who has great leggings for only $15. I have not gotten a pair myself yet but I’m invited to a party next week so I will let you know how it goes.

My style is pretty classic with a few trendy pieces thrown in. Some of my favorite winter pieces are a few years old now, but I do always love styling them in a different way to change it up.

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