Baby, It's Cold Outside
By Broadside Correspondent Tierney Kain. Photo courtesy of Flickr user kelly.emma.
Some people like to rhapsodize about white Christmases, and plan snowboarding trips in winter wonderlands, and have snowball fights with Jack Frost. I am not one of those people. My parents tell me that even as a kid, I would stubbornly stay inside while the other kids went sledding. Even then, I was smart. Who wants to subject themselves to the cold and depression and biting misery that winter brings? The minute the season begins to shift from gloriously warm to unbearably cold, I start to feel the familiar depression. Goodbye, sunshine. Goodbye, flip flops. Goodbye, golden tan.
Just after I think I can’t possibly get any more depressed and just before I start looking at vacation homes in Aruba, I remember the one good thing about winter: winter clothes.
Tweed jackets, cashmere sweaters, woolen mittens and patterned scarfs. Artful layers and luxurious fabrics. See, I’m not dreaming of a white Christmas. I want a cashmere Christmas. Forget winter wonderland. Bring on the woolen wonderlands.
Don’t worry, Mason darlings. I know winter is a horrible season, but we can get through it (while looking cute) together!
When you’re schlepping your books to and from class, most people are only going to see you when you’re bundled up against the evil cold. In a world where first impressions are everything, it’s important to always look great. Don’t be afraid to spend money on something that you’ll wear every day.
“A lot of people are buying our double cloth coats in great colors like dark poppy and citron and bright berry,” said Julie Stark, client specialist for the new Reston J. Crew. I’ve been salivating over the double cloth Madeline coat in dark poppy, and the $300 price tag isn’t as horrible as you think. College students always get an automatic fifteen percent discount off their entire purchase at J Crew if they show their ID, and J. Crew will regularly have special sales where all coats are marked down thirty percent. What better way to stand out and beat the winter blahs with a gorgeous, happy-colored coat?
If bright colors seem too scary or happy, why not try a tougher leather jacket? The cropped motorcycle-inspired jackets can work with most styles—roughing up a harder look with black skinny pants or softening more feminine, floaty pieces. I love Gap’s new (Product) RED zipper leather jacket, and even though the $300 price tag might make you wince, you can reassure yourself that half the proceeds are going to fight AIDS in Africa.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love black just as much as the next girl. Some days, there’s nothing easier than to throw on a black skirt and black pin-striped vest and tie and be done. But, we’re already so dreary and blah during winter—the last thing we want is more monochromatic looks!
Designers from Michael Kors to Fendi looked as if they ran their models through winter greenhouses. Flower prints refuse to be confined merely to spring, and they will absolutely cheer you up during the gloomiest days. While Michael Kors Gardenia Sheath dress is merely a pipe dream for most of us, we can make due with Forever 21’s rose-printed dresses for an easy $24.80. Hey, at that price, we can buy two. Or three. Or six.
Other fun prints to try are tartan (or lumberjack-esque red and black flannel, for the non-Scottish among us) or lace, but be careful. As with everything else in life, don’t overdo it. Prints are great in moderation—the last thing I want to see is someone in head to toe plaid. Yuck.
Perhaps this is a more selfish suggestion than anything else, but I don’t understand the people who come to class in pajama pants and slippers. I’ve found when I’m sad, if I dress for how I’d like to feel, it inevitably happens. In this world of sloppy sweat pants and straggly ponytails, designers are finally saying enough is enough and taking us back in time. The 1940s were not only infamous for the Great War, but also for an impeccable era of fashion. We have people like Dita von Teese and Gossip Girl’s Blair Waldorf to thank for this return to lady-like aesthetic. Whether you’re more comfortable in a full skirt with a nipped in waist or a figure hugging pencil skirt, either way, your silhouette is bound to be classy and refined. H&M is filled with figure enhancing pieces—from sleek retro dresses to lady-like cardigans. I’m loving the little details I’m finding everywhere—like ribbon bows that are cute without making you seem like you’re recreating your second grade school picture outfit. It is in the details (whatever “it” is), and accessorizing is key to channeling the stunning sirens of the forties. Pearl necklaces and coordinating headbands and red lipstick will not only set you apart from the grungy college crowd, but perfect your look and elevate you to a stunning student-siren status.
Student Media Group:
Tags: