Suzanne Carillo

I must admit I was in a bit of a panic trying to figure out just what to wear to NYC for our little trip.

I find big cities like London, Paris and NY hard to pack for. No matter what we inevitably wind up walking much further that we anticipated so comfortable shoes are normally my top priority. The temperature in NY was -15 C with the windchill so suddenly dressing for warmth trumped comfortable shoes. I just wanted to stay warm and I figured out how I was going to do it…

Voilà!  The wearable sleeping bag! Oh yeah! I know you’re asking yourself, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

Added bonus for a germaphobe…you are completely isolated from the outside world!

Then I woke up from my dream nightmare and remembered ah…hello! I’m a Style blogger. I have a certain image to maintain.

There will be no looking like a disturbingly euphoric Tellitubby binged out on ecstasy just because I can’t handle the cold.

Although I’m sure no one would have even noticed.  New  Yorkers are so blasé.

Once we were walking out of a subway station and a guy was taking a BM (that stands for bowel movement…fyi) right there at the bottom of the stairs. Everyone just walked by like it was part of the scenery.  Me, I’ve tried to erase that from my brain for about 18 years now, but obviously I need to scrub harder. (I’m happy to report we haven’t seen anything like that since. My husband had to go to India to see that again. Lucky guy!)

Back to what I actually wore for in NYC during winter.

What does one wear when faced with super cold temperatures yet trying to maintain some sense of style dignity?

Here are my top 6 tips for stylish dressing for cold weather…

1.  Fleece lined tights – These can even be worn under pants for an extra layer of protection. Be warned…sometimes they can make your butt itch. Just sayin’. I’d rather have an itchy butt than freeze to death though.
2.  Cashmere or wool – These are your best friends. I personally find cashmere to be even warmer than wool and less itchy, but either one will breathe and keep you warm.
3.  Faux fur – I try not to wear real fur.  Faux furs are almost as warm as real fur and they look swishy.
4.  Scarves, hats & gloves – These accessories are necessary if you want to be outside over a long period of time. Yeah I know you risk hat hair, but it is better than frost bitten ears. Scarves are fashionable and oversized blanket scarves can be wrapped around your body or neck.
5.  Layers – Just adding an extra layer of a thermal tank top underneath your sweater will provide additional warmth.
6.  Long Coat– You want a coat that will cover your bum. I like it when my coats hit around my knees so that my boots almost meet my coat.

So without further adieu I give you my outfits I wore to NYC…all fit into a carry-on…including an extra pair of boots! (Yes I’m proud of myself. First time ever.)

Outfit #1

I wore fleece lined tights with wool knee high socks in my boots for extra warmth. The cardigan is cashmere and really warm. The dress is a warm knit fully lined.

Outfit #2

This pug is seriously cramping my professional photo shoot.

Look #3

Isn’t that Anthropologie skirt fab? I got it on super sale.

I added the jean jacket on top as an extra layer. I actually found this outfit very warm and was happy to strip off some layers.

I wore this faux fur lined coat over everything with thermal lined gloves and a hat.

So there you have my outfits for a 3 day get-away to NYC in the dead of winter.

I was prepared to wear two pairs of fleece lined tights but didn’t need to resort to that in the end.

What are your suggestions for keeping stylish in cold weather?

Linking up with the lovely Patti over at Not Dead Yet for Visible Monday and the talented Anne over at Spy Girl 52 Pick-me-up Rachel the Hat at Passion for Fashion

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