The “It” Girl

Young women who attend school in New England have practically a mandatory daytime attire for going to classes, running errands, etc during the colder seasons. Uggs boots, a North Face fleece and a LongChamp bag is a very typical outfit for a New England gal. Although this is the norm for cold or chilly days, it really is not the smartest garb to be dressed in to be protected from the weather.

Not waterproof or sturdy, but worn everyday!

Uggs are not waterproof, and although they can be sprayed with anti-water stuff, they are really not supposed to be worn in the rain or snow. Still, New England girls swear by them and continue to wear them day-after-day despite the constant rain and snow. And although it is many people’s belief that they are not the most attractive of footwear, they are comfy – despite the fact that they run big and are somewhat difficult to walk in. Uggs often cause girls to shuffle their feet while walking to keep the floppy shoes on.

The year-round, all-weather magical fleece

North Face brand is fantastic and makes super cozy fleeces to keep people warm and toasty. The only issue with The “It” Girls wearing these North Face fleeces is that they wear them almost year-round. A thin layer of fleece is not a sufficient cover from the biting winds and blizzards, however many girls insist on keeping up appearances and wearing them to avoid the dreaded parka-look!

I can also guarantee that if you gather 10 New England young women, at least four of them will be sporting a LongChamp bag.

LongChamp foreva!

The next time you’re in New England on a cold day and hear someone shuffling their feet and shivering behind you, I can guarantee it will be the New England “It” girl.

New England Winters

As someone who moved here from the South, I was definitely unprepared for the New England winters. New England’s beautiful rolling hills, mountains and jagged coastlines are unfortunately a consequence of retreating ice sheets from prehistoric times, and during the winters most of New England becomes a giant ice sheet. I’ve lived here for four years now and have still not figured out the winters. Although it undeniably has something to do with global warming; it will be 45 degrees and sunny one day, and a painful blizzard the next.

Regardless, you can bet that winter in New England will bring some bright, brittle mornings and evenings with temperatures well below zero with a bitter wind snapping at the frozen branches of the spruce trees. I still have not found an appropriate, comfortable and equally attractive pair of winter boots (mostly because of how ugly they are and my vanity), or a really practical coat (or the dreaded parka). One of these days I will have to give in and sacrifice my trendy good looks for comfort and health, but maybe I’ll wait until I’m done with school for that.

Here are some tips I have discovered on surviving a New England winter that helped me and will hopefully help you:

1.) Layer – get used to the pit stains, but wearing lots of layers is a proven way to stay warmer during the winter.

2.) Insulate – People can benefit from insulation in our homes, jackets and, easily forgotten, our hats. Up to 50% of heat loss can be from an uncovered head.

3.) Stay hydrated – in cold weather you lose a lot of fluid just inhaling dry cold air and exhaling warm moist air. Drinking lots of the right liquids is important. Caffeine is not really good for you in cold weather. Alcohol is technically a no-no since it is dehydrating, however ask any college kid about the benefits of a drunk jacket on a freezing Saturday night. Pregaming the cold is a quick fix as long as used responsibly.

4.) Use public transportation – when it is snowing or has just snowed, consider taking the bus. Driving in the snow is a hassle. You have to warm up the car, sweep the snow off the car, then scrape ice off it every time you want to go somewhere. Contrast that with just stepping onto a bus that’s already warm, and that’s driven by someone with considerably more snow driving experience than you. And it’s more eco friendly!

Thanks to the stupid groundhog we have a lovely six more weeks of winter. Stay warm!