Here we are! The first newsletter of 2024! Doesn't it feel like NYE was a billion years ago?
After a snowless Christmas, it's finally starting to feel like winter around here. As I write this, cotton ball-like snow is falling, and the horizon on Lake Superior is nonexistent. My winter wear is now a necessity, and various wools are in rotation (including my new hat that a friend knitted for me!). The winter wardrobe lends itself to complexity as you balance practicality and fashion. Recent purchases included investing in some everyday boots that can handle snow and a knit two-piece ensemble that can be layered depending on the activity.
Minnesota winters pull you into living rooms, cozy bars, and corner booths. Not only is each outing an opportunity to combat the 4 pm sunset; it’s a great excuse to get dressed up. What you put on may ignite a future conversation. A compliment may lead you to sharing your favorite place to shop or a covetable piece you inherited from your late grandmother. Other times, it can bring camaraderie and create a magnetic effect of pulling people into your orbit who share similar tastes. I remember bringing my daughter to her first day of kindergarten, both of us feeling anxious with the newness of it all. From the parking lot, I spotted another mom wearing a similar ALL KNITWEAR hat that I also happened to be sporting. It immediately sparked a conversation and eased the tension of the unknown. It’s amazing to me that such a simple thing—a knit hat—can be the catalyst for a future friendship.
As we embrace the winter wonderland that has finally descended upon us, our wardrobes become more than just a shield against the cold; they are storytellers, conversation starters, and if you’re lucky - a connector of friendship.
Thanks for being here,
xxxKate
