As a Canadian I feel it is my birthright to complain about the winter weather as much as I like. So here we go again folks…
It’s like the north pole here lately. -30 C. For those of you in the States that is -22 F. Granted, that is with the windchill. Without it is -18 or something. Either way you’ll freeze your bum off and anything else that isn’t covered in about 5 minutes. Quite literally.
My solution? Wrap yourself up in sweaters…from top to bottom.
Add a scarf, thermal tank top, boots and fleece lined tights.
And don’t go outside unless it is an absolute emergency.
People always ask me what we do here when it gets this cold. We make soup, light a fire, drink hot chocolate and stay inside.
Oh sure there are those crazies that “love” the snow and cold…freaks of nature if you ask me. They are often the ones that snowboard or ski. I tried that, but didn’t like it because I was too cold. Duh!
On the other hand I can’t cope with extreme heat either. When we were on vacation a few years ago in the Bahamas we had to run from one building to the next. We couldn’t stand being outside for any length of time. We weren’t able to spend any time on the beach unless it was in the evening or very early morning. This is the one area in my life where I could be considered a “moderate”.
Here are a couple other outfits I’ve put together on what to wear when it is freezing outside. I’ve left out the fleece lined tights, thermal tank or t-shirt and extra wool socks in the photos. Just know that they are there adding extra layers of insulating warmth.
Coat Turtleneck Skirt Gloves Scarf Handbag Boots
Coat Gloves Sweater Jeans Hat Handbag/Backpack Scarf (super sale!) Booties on sale!
Other things I like to do when it freezing outside…
Bake & Cook. Preferably cookies, muffins, bread and comfort food. I just made the most divine banana-sour-cream-oatmeal-peanut-butter-chocolate muffins yesterday! Seriously I outdid myself.
Eat. I’ve just made a bunch of goodies! They don’t get eaten by themselves folks.
Watch movies.
We’re trying to watch most of this year’s Oscar nominees before the big show and our party this weekend. So far my favourites are Boyhood and Whiplash.
Look after and baby my recovering pug. She has about 20 staples in her belly from her operation last week. We are calling her FrankenPug. It makes my stomach flip every time I look or touch her belly.
How do you manage to stay warm in winter and what do you do when it is too cold to be outside? Those of you living in California or Florida…ahem…please refrain from bragging. We all know you’re lucky bastards.
Linking up with Get Your Pretty On, My Whims Wednesday, What I Wore, Happiness at Midlife Throw Back Thursday,
What a stylish outfit! Very pretty. It doesn’t hurt that you have a great figure (says the gal shaped like a cylinder).
I think you should move south to New York. We’re wearing bikinis here now.
At -6 C you’re pretty tough to be out there wearing a bikini. Or is that just the crazies from Fashion Week?
Argh, I speak in Celsius and minus 30?! That makes me feel pain just reading it. I’ve barely been coping with 4 degrees over here – and am constantly wrapped in several layers of knitwear, fleece-lined tights and thermal things. I should really stop whinging about how cold it is here… I guess the fact that I *can* actually still venture outside to take outfit photos is more than you’re able to!!
Yeah…the time of outdoor photos here passed months ago. It’s a shame since about 3 years ago the coldest it got all year was around 4 C with just a dusting of snow. Global warming??? Not-so-much.
LOL at Ally’s comment – swimsuits in NYC! I don’t want to bike here today b/c it’s 55 degrees, brrrr. You look gorgeous, wow what a great figure! xox
I love the idea of head to toe sweater. Victorias Secret makes a sweater pant that I might look in to! Minnesota is the land of extremes, too. Today it’s freeze your face cold!
I know that kind of cold well.
Made me smile with this post. You definitely do have cold weather, but then you weather it so stylishly. I like your look here and I like the blue and black set as well (especially that skirt). We have our moments of cold and although we live in France and Switzerland near the Alps, we’re at a lower altitude, so it’s really not that cold here (not as cold as you by any means!). Still, we’ve got to bundle up. In addition to my coat, I always wear a hat, scarf and gloves. With my short hair a hat is a MUST! It seldom seems too cold to go out.
That kind of cold is bearable. I agree that hats are great for keeping warm. I think you must own a nice collection. You must share them one day on your blog : )
Seriously, I don’t know how you can stand it. We had a couple of severe winters a few years ago when I think, the coldest it got was -8 and that was bad enough. How you manage to look so glam and remain so cheery is beyond me, I’d be a sobbing wreck.
Spicy food, a large rum and coke, a roaring log fire and some quality viewing is the way to go. xxx
Having grown up in Alberta and Saskatchewan I know what to expect…but the older I get the less I can tolerate the cold. Also we have been spoiled in Southern Ontario for many years, basically since I moved here from Alberta some 15 years ago. It’s only the last couple of years that we have been in this deep freeze. Normally only the prairies or northern Canada get this cold. More and more I want to escape for 6 months every year. That is why half of Canada actually lives in Florida or Arizona for the cold months of the year. Well…the half that can afford to anyhow. They have a name for them…snowbirds ; )
I know will find this hard to believe but I really miss winter. I miss the clothing and the snow and cozy feeling of snuggling up inside on a cold day. Perpetual sunshine is overrated.
I think we all want what we don’t have : ) If you lived through one polar vortex winter that lasts for months on end I think that would last you a lifetime.
If it’s only zero I’m fine. You can still go outside and enjoy it. I can handle that kind of cold. Anything below -5C is a problem for me. I literally cannot go outside without a balaclava covering my face. Otherwise I get welts that last for days. Even if there is a wind and it is just zero I can get welts on my face. I’m a sensitive gal.
I grew up in Great Falls, Montana where it would regularly be the coldest place in the nation. Snow would pile up so high it was difficult to open the door and the wind could knock us on our butts. I look back on it fondly, believe it or not. I honestly think that living in a perpetually warm climate makes your brain a little mushy. I own exactly one coat and zero boots. So sad. I love winter clothes. It must be something in my DNA. Hey, Alberta was just to our North. We used to get your tv stations!
I lived just above you : ) I could have waved to you.
I would never ever ever go back to Alberta. -20 to -30 C is normal there for winter. I’ve been there when it was -45 C with the windchill. Literally nothing works when it is that cold. Nothing. It is AWFUL.
I would never do well as a Eskimo.
I think the ideal temperatures are in Victoria where we used to live in BC. It only got to around 5 C in winter, zero when it was really cold. Very little if any snow, and flowers all year round, with very moderate temperatures. Nothing too warm and nothing too cold, but still 4 distinct seasons. It was like Goldilocks found the perfect place to live.
I lived in Quebec City, in Quebec, renowned for record snowfall. We lived in a 4 story apartment building with a balcony. We could have slid down from our balcony to the ground level the snow was piled that high. I’m not even joking. Thankfully we only lived there a couple of years. They used to have to put sticks with red markers that were 8 ft high everywhere that there was a road, driveway etc for the snow plows. Otherwise the snow would be too deep and no one would even know there was a driveway or road there.
-46C. Wear as many layers as you can. Carry on…
I salut you.
MERCI. Here on the Prairies we love your blog. We have 3 thrift stores, and one small consignment place. My 3 friends and I have very different taste, know our labels, and delight in our finds. Thanks for being an inspiration to us!
So happy that you are enjoying some of my thrifted finds : ) One thing I find about thrifting is it forces you to be creative and also think outside what you normally might wear. I think it is great that you and your friends have different tastes. That way when you find something there is no fighting over it ; )
I was born in Saskatchewan, Arcola, to be exact, lived in Portage la Prairie for a bit, and then lived for about 10 years in Regina. My grandparents were from Lloyminister and lots of my extended family live in Edmonton and Calgary.
I’m with you–us Minnesotans can handle the cold, it’s in our blood. But it’s just too darn cold lately. I’m living wrapped in sweaters & blankets & still feel cold. I think it gets to the point when you just need spring. Period. Stay warm!
I agree. Feb and March are the worst months of the year for me. Hopefully this year Spring will show up early…not like last year when it showed up in June!
I bow down to you, Suzanne … first of all for that fab outfit (that skirt!!) … then for even caring what you wear in weather that cold! I’ve never been in below 0 weather and I can’t even imagine how cold that it! Yay for eating and watching movies … two of my fav things for sure! Don’t forget to stop by Friday to share your fab with FUN FASHION FRIDAY!
OXOX
Dawn Lucy
http://fashionshouldbefun.blogspot.com
Love your sets, black and blue my favorite, and all of your advice is sound,
That is how I dress to walk my one franken pug, okay she is a shih-tzu, (hugs to your healing baby)
with under layers and over layers.
However, monday, I went out with only a wool skirt, no tight, a light cashmere coat and a knitted hat, I am toasty warm…
thank you Uber, they took us downtown to Soho to see Miu Miu, was informed that the leather coat my friend wanted, was sold out internationally, but they had one white one in Spain, or some such…
NONSENSE?
waited while we dined out, and then we flew back into the warm carriage, and got home snug as a bug.
Divided by 2, it was worth every penny. The temps here were brutal too,
I LOVE NEW YORK!
so that is just another coping mechanism….i thought I would share.
Staying home is super nice, too. That is what I am doing tonight.
Now i have to get all of my layers.. it is almost time to walk my dog….
xx, Elle
http://mydailycostume.com/
I agree a warm vehicle makes life bearable in the cold. As do heated seats : )
Bummer on the coat for your friend.
Did you ever get my package?
And that is why I will never live anywhere cold, I would never leave the house and die freezing to death. This is great layering without bulking. I hope your baby is on the way to recovery – that sounds painful. I am like you can’t stand extreme heat either. We were in Las Vegas a few years ago during summer and was only able to hang out at the pool from 8am -10 am before it got too hot, I could to even walk without my flip flops because the cement was burning hot.
Alice
http://www.happinessatmidlife.com
Hope to see you Thursday for TBT Fashion link up.
I couldn’t imagine you here Alice during winter. LOL You’d be wearing that down lined sleeping bag I had on the blog a few weeks back! ; P
We were in LA one year for one of my trade shows and decided to go to Disney. It was over 100F that day and I didn’t have a hat. I did not do well. I spent most of the day feeling nauseous.
What a cute combo with the skirt and scarf. Love those patterns together.
We’ve been sunny lately here in Seattle so I set out without my winter coat today and I was so sorry! It was freezing. And on top of that we turned the heat all the way off last night so I’m still freezing waiting for the heat to warm up in the house. My favorite thing to do to keep cozy is relax on the couch with my favorite furry leopard print blanket and wear wool socks and a thick lambswool sweater. (doing that right now). Brrrr
Oh, my! I hope your pug is recovering fine!
I love that you find skirts and things in such unique shapes; don’t think I’ve ever seen one shaped like that before.
It is very unusual and from Korea. It is asymmetrical. I wasn’t sure of it at first but then when I put it on it I liked it.
How is it indoors? I mean, are the houses warm or do you need to bundle up in warm clothes indoors? In England I’m always freezing indoors (no double-windows, usually, heating only intermittently) but love the so-called ‘ winter weather’ outdoors, it’s quite warm and mild. Except if it rains (because then it really rains…) Or snows. Then it’s a total chaos, everything stops and people get a day off… They call it a ‘snow day’. Quite funny, actually, except if you have to travel (I once waited on the plane for 4 hours because Heathrow was closed due to a snowstorm). To be honest, If I have to cope with snow and cold, I’d rather do that in Finland than in England (in Finland the infrastructure can handle snow and cold). In (southern) Finland it’s seldom that cold, around freezing, can go down to -10, even -15 at times. This year we’ve been knee-deep in slush so far. But indoors you could be wearing a bikini…
Yes we have great heating and air conditioning in Ontario and most of Canada. We get extreme cold in winter and extreme heat in summer. You could walk around in a bikini, but I don’t (most of the time anyhow! ha ha) . We keep our heat in the house at 21 C but often I find I still like a sweater when it is colder outside. Especially on the lower floors by the fireplace where there can be a draft.
When I lived in England I found the moist cold to be very cold. Bone chilling cold. We have a dry cold here.
Sorry Suzanne as an Aussie,even living in the coldest state I find it hard to get my head around the idea of that cold,no wonder you are well and truly over it.Never the less ,you do it with such style,your home must have serious heating.
Yes our furnaces are important : )
When we Brits whinge about the weather, we haven’t got a clue- you have the real stuff!!!!! Love what you’ve worn- cosy and lovely! I love blanket skirts. Please tell me abotu that beautiful corner you are standing it- have you put butterflies and flowers on the wall!??!?! That is amazing !!!x
I have a little post about my wall here…
http://suzannecarillo.com/butterfly-floral-wall-treatment-home-office-decor-ideas/
I love that skirt! I’m trying to not lose my mind, but February is being really rude with all this horrible cold weather. It’s making me quite crabby. I’m jealous of your trip to Cuba. I don’t do well with winter. It’s true.
I think you and I are living in the wrong place : )
You mix soft, earthy tones really well here. I love the multi-directional lines in the skirt and the scarf is perfect. <3
– Anna
http://www.melodicthriftychic.com
I have been trying SO HARD to stop complaining about the weather, but it is soooo fricking cold!!! I find it very hard to breathe when I’m outside which means that if I don’t have to go out, I’m staying in. Unfortunately, my apartment is on the cool side so I never feel really warm. I grew up in the snow belt, so I’m used to lots of snow in the winter, but not this biting cold.
I like the shape of the skirt you’re wearing, and the black and blue outfit is something I would wear. I find it warmer to wear a skirt with fleece-lined tights and leg warmers then wearing pants.
Your muffins sound absolutely delicious! I made scones this week and had to bring them into work so I wouldn’t eat them all. Netflix has been my savior this winter! Hope your baby’s tummy heals quickly.
I hear you on the weather. And just in case we weren’t sure we got another foot of snow today.
I’m sitting in front of the fire now. The best place to be in this weather.
I agree with you about skirts being warmer than pants where worn with fleece lined tights.
Zoe is doing well. We are calling her our “golden child” now that we have spent so much $ on her.
I am glad I am coming to Canada in summer. Your country is definitely not for me. I am exactly the same… moderate temperaturewise. Preferably 20/21 degrees C.
It amazes me that you even bother to dress up so elegantly. I would be in big floppy trousers and big warm sweaters with down jackets. Even in The Netherlands, where it is usually a little bit under or over 0 degrees C in winter, I wear my big coat (as in my post of this week.
Laughed over your ” just made a bunch of goodies! They don’t get eaten by themselves folks”. Bad! Just after eating so much on your holiday. This is going to lead to disaster.
Greetje
Robert left for Ethiopia today, so I’m going to have to freeze lots of what I made. Normally when he is home it is quite easy to get through what I’ve cooked or baked.
You’d like Canada for 8 months of the year. Beyond that you’d be uncomfortable. When we first moved to Ontario the coldest it got in winter was around -5 C. One winter it was above zero the whole time and we had no snow. These past couple of years though have been horrible. BC (where you’re coming) has temperatures almost exactly the same as The Netherlands. They rarely get snow and right now it is 10 C.
What does BC mean? I thought I was coming to Vancouver….
BC is British Columbia…the province where Vancouver is located. Canada has 10 provinces and 3 territories. We’re BIG. We are the second largest country in the world with regards to land mass.
Bloody hell that’s cold!! Really, really cold!! I must be a baby, because even though it only really dips to around freezing here, I have to layer up with thermals, boots and such. I would be cold in just one jumper, put it that way! And yes, I can’t stand the heat either, if it gets close to 30c then I have to sit still in the shade. x