Like I said before, I'm no Elsa. The cold DOES bother me. And so far, this winter has been pretty harsh. And it's not even officially here yet! Long Island doesn't even get seasons anymore. We just go from summer to winter and back again. We haven't seen a spring and fall in years. Thanksgiving this year was brutally cold. And we haven't really had any nice days since then. I've slowed down my trips to the city for the winter season too since it's pretty cold to walk from place to place as well as the activities available slowing down. 

Regardless I still usually try to make one city trip every December to take in the holiday lights and decorations. I've done it since college days. New York City is always beautiful for Christmas. I'm excited to be seeing The Nutcracker ballet later this month with my best friends and sisters.

So despite hating the cold, I still have to live with it. I'd move elsewhere but I'm really too lazy to re-study the exam material to get my pharmacy license in another state. As well as having to deal with another state's own natural disasters (i.e. forest fires and earthquakes in California and hurricane season in Florida). You're going to have to pick your poison no matter where you go. Plus if I'm being honest, I'm really lazy about getting up and moving my entire foundation elsewhere. I love my house and my closet room and don't want to have to redo it all over again so soon. It's a headache. Maybe one day, but today is not the day.

So in short, if I have to stay where it's cold currently, I might as well slay where it's cold. 😉 

I actually don't own a lot of warm winter clothes or much of a "fall/winter" wardrobe.  I rarely wear pants or long sleeved shirts. I transition my wardrobe through the seasons by little tweaks like adding a cardigan, tights and boots. Some people go from day to night wardrobe changes. I do seasons. Layer on the accessories!

So how do you keep cute while braving through North of the Wall? Here are a few staple pieces I have in my wardrobe. 

1. A pretty peacoat for holiday dresses - I'm not a fan of down jackets or puffy coats. Let's face it. They're ugly. You'll never convince me otherwise. I don't give a shit how warm they are. It's the same argument with Uggs. Idgaf. You won't catch me wearing them. But there's something about a beautiful double breasted coat with elegant gold buttons that just does it for me. It's a classic look and always stylish. I've yet to find a beautiful one in pink but my go-to colors for winter coats are white, black and red. They work for almost every outfit.

2. Scarves for warmth and style - Like I said. I don't own a lot of winter clothes so I layer on the accessories. I have different scarves for different looks and outfits. I do find that solid colors work better than patterns to stand out. Although if you do prefer a pattern, keep it simple and not too busy looking, unless your coat/rest of your overall look is a solid color, then a busy print may make for a nice statement. You can't go wrong with anything though. I love all types of scarves from circle to long to square to keffiyehs and more. And there's so many ways to wear them and style and tie them. You can't go wrong. They can serve to be warm as well as make an outfit extra cute. It helps me a lot too because I'm not a fan of turtlenecks.

3. Some stylish badass boots - I LOVE boots. I can probably wear them all year round, honestly. Ankle, over-the-knee, combat, whatever. They can really add the finishing touch to any outfit. My trick to wearing heeled boots in the winter is a good pair of fuzzy socks. They help to cushion the pain from heels as well keep you warm all day. I own too many black boots though so recently I’ve been trying to branch out into other colors to incorporate into my style.

4. Tights - My alternative to wearing pants in the winter. I stay wearing dresses and skirts all year round through a good pair of warm tights. And luckily there are a lot of options for winter. My favorite are fleece lined tights as they are not only warm and thick, but nice and soft to wear. I also love patterned and printed tights as well, my favorite being the mock stocking, although I’ve yet to find a good pair that won’t run. They are so cute to wear during the holidays though, especially with a cute bow design. You can find a lot of these on Amazon with different prints and designs for decent princes.

5. Earmuffs or a pom pom hat - Never underestimate the importance of headgear. Cold ears are negligible at first but after a while, it gets really uncomfortable. And there’s a lot of cute options. I bought a pair of cute bunny ears earmuffs earlier this year and I love wearing them finally for the cold season. I also have a cute pink fluffy hat I wear in the winter. A pom pom knit hat is a simple fun way to add cuteness to your look as well.

6. Cute holiday bag - I firmly believe in carrying an accessory that not only serves its purpose but is also fashionably cute. Otherwise, why carry one at all if it’s going to be ugly AF. Waste. Form and function. Because something is “comfortable” or “easier” is no excuse. It’s 2018. Cute accessories are not hard to find. Cute accessories that fit your style and aesthetic, maybe, but it’s still doable. I transformed a Betsey Johnson bag into a Sailor Moon bag easily by super gluing a crystal brooch mirror locket onto the bow. And with this season’s selection of sequins, glitter, and extra-ness, you’re bound to find something. Or maybe the problem is too many somethings and you don’t know what to narrow it down to. Can’t go wrong either way.

These photos are over the course of the past 4 years and I didn’t realize til now looking back that I’m heavily influenced by the color red. I didn’t mean for it to end up that but red is such a classic color and pulls everything together. It’s beautiful how it’s so simple but makes a bold statement. I also love the obvious pop of color it adds to a look.

I’m excited for tomorrow. Following tradition, I’m headed to the city to spend time with my girls and hopefully get some new holiday photos taken. Christmastime in the city regardless of the cold, is always beautiful and the lights are dazzling.

What’s your winter staple for pulling together a cute look? Let me know in the comments. Or if you use any of these tips or styles for inspiration, tag me on my Instagram so I can see!