Did everyone survive the holidays? Christmas morning was a real banger. I woke up to a DM from a friend who notified me that there was a “wall of ice” forming over our office door. Long story short, I am currently working in an office that is being gutted and dried out due to a pipe freezing and bursting. If you need a visual, picture Elliot’s house in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial when the government comes and practically bubble wraps the place.
I was recently asked to write a piece on winter dressing and style and I wanted to share an excerpt because 2023 feels like the year to reframe challenges into opportunities (or at least that’s what my therapist told me).
Before my frontal lobe fully formed and my style confidence solidified, I would bemoan the thought of winter dressing. I believed those sun-kissed Californians really had it made. To be able to roll out of bed and throw on an Indian cotton dress or better yet – just a swimsuit and leave the front door seemed like such a dream. Growing up with Duluth winters, on the other hand, had me tallying my wool sock supply each morning or (God forbid) having to sit down on my bed and wrestle black tights on if I dared to wear a dress in mid February.
It wasn’t until my mid 20’s that I started to realize what living in a state with distinct seasons meant – a major fashion opportunity. Most people only get New Years to reinvent themselves, but a Minnesotan gets Spring, Summer, Fall and a long ass Winter to dabble and rotate a closet of different moods. We get to test and try the 9 wools of the world and can tell you which are good for wet snow, sub-zero temps, and a rare balmy 30 degree day in mid January. We get to explore the art of layers, footwear, and the many ways to wrap a scarf.
Just because you live in a place that might require a snow shovel to leave your house does not mean you need to sacrifice style. When I use the word “style” I do not mean fashion. Style comes from within and shows the world a glimpse of who *you* are. “Style is something that is complimented in the checkout line” as Tibi designer Amy Smilovic writes.
You can read the rest of the piece over on The Great Northern Festival’s blog where I also recommend a few of my go-to winter necessities.
Cheers to a New Year and to a more solidified frontal lobe,
Kate
