Marabou bolero, ice skating scene skirt, and staying warm in the winter

A Winter Wonderland

As you can see, last week it snowed at our house! When I saw in the morning that the white was still covering the ground, I ran around like a crazy woman trying to get myself put together to shoot a blog post. Snow is unpredictable here in Washington; we never know whether it will actually snow, whether the snow will stick, whether it will stay around, or whether the rain will wash it all away in five minutes. I was ecstatic when I finally got this outfit on, went outside, and found that it hadn’t begun to rain yet as the forecast was predicting.

Of course, by the end of this photoshoot, the rain had set in and I was scrambling to get detail shots. I covered my camera with a coat and just kept pushing because oh, this jacket!

I’ve had this gorgeous vintage marabou feather bolero (jacket? vest? coat?) for quite a while. When I was pregnant with Evie, a friend’s mom started to clean out her house and gave me about four bags of vintage. Most of it was far too small for me, her having been a size 2-4 when she wore all of those things, and me being a size 10 on a good day.

But amongst all of the beautiful and tiny vintage were several vintage furs.

Helene brought up the subject of vintage furs the other day, and I quite agree with her. While I am not an activist or vegan, I do think it’s a complete waste to make new furs when there are so many vintage ones out there. Why let a vintage fur rot away when what’s done is already done? I have no problem buying or wearing vintage fur, as I believe not only is it silly to protest wearing a 60 year old garment, but also the way things were made then were such an art form compared to the way things tend to be made today. This bolero is so meticulously put together and made to last!

Along with the gorgeous jacket, she also gave me these earwarmers, which are vintage rabbit fur ear warmers. And I can tell you right now: my whole self has never been warmer! There really is something to be said for vintage furs versus modern faux garments. As unpopular as it may be to say so, real fur is so much warmer and more worth wearing. I will be in search of more vintage furs for my winter wardrobe (nothing new, though! I am adamantly against new fur!) because it was 30 degrees Fahrenheit out and I came inside sweating!

The Weather Outside is Frightful

Staying warm in the winter can be especially challenging when you’re a vintage and dress lover. I have heard many complaints that fellow dress lovers generally give up in the winter, citing tights to be just not quite warm enough. And I’m here to share my tricks for keeping toasty when the weather outside is frightful (I couldn’t resist!)

First, double or triple layer your tights! I generally always wear at least two pairs of tights in the winter, plus a nice thick pair of socks if I’m in my boots (which is almost always.) This keeps my feet warm, my legs protected, and it adds some nice support besides! Sure, it’s a little trickier to use the bathroom when you’re so swaddled in nylon, but the warmth is unreal! I would even dare to say double and triple layer tights are warmer than jeans!

Second, don’t forget to wear good undergarments. Thermals are nice, but even a good slip and a petticoat will keep you feeling super warm. I find that when I’m in double tights, socks, a slip, a petticoat, and a skirt, I rarely feel the cold winds.

Third, wear undershirts! This really has nothing to do with whether you’re wearing a dress or pants, but many people forget you can still add invisible layers when you’re dressed up. Unless your dress’s sleeves or neckline prevents it, just add another top beneath and you’ll be feeling much toastier.

And, fourth, of course, wear a good, sturdy, thick jacket. I have three vintage coats — two of which are faux fur, one of which has a real fur collar — that keep me warmer than anything else I own. Once you add up the tights, the socks, the petticoat, the slip, the two tops, the skirt, a cardigan or a sweater, and a jacket, you will feel nothing when the wind blows.

Add a scarf and a nice warm hat or ear-warmers, a good pair of gloves, and you’re set for almost any weather coming at you.

Of course, I do live in a milder climate, where our winters rarely dip below 20 degrees Fahrenheit so of course I cannot attest to this working in every single climate all around the world. But I am willing to bet that all of these layering techniques combined could do just as good of a job combating mucky weather as your standard jeans and a coat could.

Often, when the weather is terrible, I’ll tote around my “pretty” shoes in my bag to put on upon arrival, and wear my rainboots until we’ve arrived at our destination. Not only does this keep my nicer shoes spotless, but it also allows me to walk around longer and keeps my feet super dry. Plus, my rainboots are floral. (as seen in my last post)

What do you do to stay warm?

Vintage bolero, gift (similar here and here and here) | skirt, self-made | tights, Target | boots, Amazon | earmuffs, gift (similar here and same here) | bag and gloves, vintage/thrifted (similar here and here and here) | Sweater, traded

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