layers and jackets and hats- oh my!

Totally snowed in. Got to love New England weather.

But this particular storm comes with some a little extra- not only were the weathermen correct in their predictions (New England weather forecasters giving accurate information? Go on!) but I have the honor and privlidge of being snowed in at home in little ol' Cranston, Rhode Island. How does this pertain to style? Don't worry, I'm getting to that.

When a blizzard strikes the city, commuters become concerned about the slippery conditions outside, but not nearly as worried as those who live in suburbs. One of the advantages of renting an apartment, condo, or even penthouse is that.... guess what? You have the luxury of being without a driveway. Perhaps you're one of the lucky ones with your own parking spot on the side of the road, but not so much a 100-200 foot driveway, just waiting to be turned into an ice rink.

In the city, all you really need to worry about is a heavy set of snow-worthy boots and the ability to push open the front door of your building (assuming you're not from an after school tv special, in which college dorms are depicted to have doormen- but that's a rant for another day). You need no be concerned over shoveling for hours, finding you (white) car hidden beneath tremendous mountians of snow, cleaning off that very car, unfreezing the locks, warming the engine, shoveling the walkway/sidewalk in front of your house (a fact little knownst to me) and deicing any cement steps which may be attached to your house. Oh, those fun times homeowners spend shoveling away when others are snuggled up under fleece blankets, on a diet of green tea and oreos while watching reruns of the Gilmore Girls.

It's days like this which I am eternally happy to reside in the city, knowing that the little task of shoveling, deicing and even warming is the task of my(hopefully responsible) landlord. I can dash out the door (attempting not to fall) and make it to my class in only a few seconds longer than it would take me on a snowless day. When relying on a car, however, it can take anywhere from 30-45 minutes extra.

So enough about cars- moving onto clothes. The reason I went on a little rant about living in the suburbs was to highlight the the pros of snow in the city- but now onto the cons. When living in an area where you are forced to either walk or take public transportation everyone, one must prepare for the absolute worst. It is a guarantee that the T will be running five minutes later than you could fear, and not a single unoccupied taxi will be available for at least eight blocks. My suggestion is to remember one simply rule above all the others: LAYERS!

Layers will be the one fashion tip that will save you this winter, guaranteed. We have all been there in the past, and we all know the dreaded heating story (technology these days, huh?). When faced with a long walk, one will usually pile on insane amounts of clothing in hope of keeping warm. Two or three sweaters, two pairs of pants, a few layers of socks and long underwear underneath it all seems like the ideal outfit. However, once the destination is reached, the room will quickly begin to resemble a sona to anyone in that amount of clothing. It is understandably awkward to begin stripping yourself of these huge sweaters and pairs of jeans in the middle of class, so most people will just sit and bare it the duration of the event.

My advice is to dress in light layers. Focus on a few lighter shirts under layers of sweaters which can unbutton, unzip and be slipped out of in a matter of seconds. I'd say to stick with one pair of pants, but try pairing them with a tall pair of boots and heavy socks. Thanks to today's quirky fashions, one can simply roll the jeans practically up to their knees once they are inside, helping to reduce the claustrophobic feeling for one's calves inside the boots. Layers of scarves, hats and even mittens are also lightweight accessories that never go out of style. Any scarf, no matter the size, will beat those chunky turtlenecks!

The number one most important item in your winter outfit will unquestionably be your jacket. Like it or not, this will be the one accessory that will save your from the cold more than anything else, and therefore will be a staple of your wardrobe throughout the entire winter. Regardless to contrary belief, not all winter jackets will make a woman look like an oddly colored marshmallow. Again, thanks to current trends, there is a slew of styles to chose from, all cold weather compatible. Take a day to go to the mall and pick yourself out a god one, one which will go with any outfit and be suitable for any weather condition. Trust me, it will be worth spending a little extra money. The jacket should be the bun to your hot dog, the roll to your hamburger, the bacon to your scallop- not just an optional condiment.

One of my (many) pet peeves is the idea of wearing high heels directly after a snowstorm. I just see no need for it, and impractical does not even begin to define it. More often than I care to admit I see females strutting around my campus, trying to maintain balance and a sense of togetherness when wearing a perfectly impractical pair of shoes. Speaking from personal experience, I find it hard enough to walk in my beloved pumps on a perfectly sunny day, much less one in which the ground is covered with a solid sheet of ice. And let's not forget the booby traps known as "slush puddles," cleverly disguised as fluffy mounds of snow by the side of the road. One false step will give anyone a fabulous case of frozen foot for the day, not exactly an experience I care to remember. A pair of heels would be cold in any case on a snowy day, and will protect you far less than a sturdy set of boots. So save the popsicle foot and triple axles for the ice rink- comfort is your main concern today.

My advice? Stick with any boot with any combination of waterproof and fleece features. For example, last year's Ugg boots. With a flat, rubber sole and fleece lined insides, this appears to be a perfect weather shoe. Being a must-have item from last winter, almost everyone owns some variety of the boot, and would not be particularly upset to get a little more use out of it. Not to mention it is extremely comfortable and still fashionable to pull off with almost any outfit. Another good choice would be the trendy multicolored rainboots from this season. The boots usual go all the way up to one's knee, and have the sole purpose of being waterproof. Paired with a thick pair of socks, these could also suffice as the perfect snow boot.

This is where my little rant goes back to the idea of living in the suburbs. Being back home in Cranston, I have not had to worry about dressing for survival when going out to brave the cold. In my case, the only thing I have to worry about when dressing in the morning is having an extra pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt to go out and shovel out my car. Once my transportation is set, I have the ability to change back into whatever I would like, throw on a jacket and and, with the amazing power of a heated car, only have to worry about being outside for a total of a minute.

While I have been extremely lucky for this length of the snowstorm, all good things must come to an end. I am planning to jump on the commuter rail first thing in the morning and head back to the city. If there is anything that living in New England has taught me, it is to always expect the unexpected, even on a simple commute. So much for my "fashionista first" attitude- time to layer up!

If you don't like the weather in New England, just wait a few minutes. - Mark Twain