Rain, rain, don’t go away! Not only will you bring May flowers but you’ll provide a plethora of puddles for my 6-year-old to dance in. How can I deny her that as we wax from winter to spring and the Uggs go into hiding?
Most parents consider Keen for summer days at the waterpark or well-trodden trails through their back woods. But Keens have been my go-to shoe for back to school and beyond. With fun colors, durable materials, water-resistant construction, Keen’s (should-be) patented comfort, and lug sole, kids really don’t need anything else on their feet except socks.
My little fashionista wears skirts and dresses even in snow. The knee-high boots not only look great with her clothes but I don’t worry about cold, damp, smelly feet like I might in those traditional rubber rain boots. I can thank the KEEN.DRY waterproof membrane and moisture-wicking fabric lining for that. The plaid-print flannel collar adds a touch of flare and helps prevent chafing. Finally, the side zip lets her don them herself which means there’s one less thing to do on our race to the car in the morning.
Uggs are cool but hot and they’re not made for dancing in the rain. Sage’s Keens are. The Darby is on closeout all over the web. Grab a pair while you still can. $66.
Ski resort fashion is playful but grown up. At this year’s Snowsports Industry of America trade show in Denver, what you’ll see for next year may surprise you. WE have color; we have prints; we have fun flirty accessories. What we don’t have on the hill for 2013/14 are a lot of loud prints and colors that assault your eyes.
Click the photo below to see what we saw on the runway:
It’s finally starting to warm up- if you can call a high of 20 degrees warm. But it beats -2 which is what Park City’s seen over the last few weeks. Several times I walked into the ski lodge to find little kids screaming for Mommy as their tiny toes began to thaw and the ‘pins n needles’ worked their evil magic.
This week in Park City I’m betting there will be enough moans and groans to rival the party cheers as thousands of Los Angelinos descend on the mountain town for the Sundance Film Festival and experience temps so cold their liquor stashes will freeze in the car.
Staying Warm
It’s pure science to get the right balance of comfort and warmth in the winter. You can’t just wear a cotton T-shirt and big puffy coat and call it good.
Starting at the feet, ditch the gym socks. A thick cotton sock is a pure sign of beginner. You don’t wear cotton socks in the mountains. Period. Wear a ski or snowboard sock in your after ski boot even if you’re aren’t on the slopes to keep your toes are toasty as possible. Chemical toe warmer packets are also a good idea but they don’t last very long in an oxygen deprived environment in the super cold. When they do die, yank them out or they will suck away any heat your own body is generating.
Lorpen’s Tri Layer Ski Socks use a Primaloft Eco next to skin layer to wicks moisture, a middle layer of merino wool for effective evaporation and warmth, and an outer layer of nylon knit on high friction areas for extra durability.
Most of the time the warmest boots are not the prettiest. But if you’re wearing a sweet pair of jeans or ski pants, no one will notice. The Greenbay4 from Kamik will keep your foot warm to -40 degrees.
For a more fashion-forward look that still retains warmth, I love my Sorel Joan of Arctic’s:
I can’t tolerate wool- even merino- on my bum – so on extra cold days I’ve got a thin layer of fleece between my and my Calvins. Polarmax makes everything you need under there.
Let’s start with the AYG 4-way stretch bikini brief. The poly and Spandex with Acclimate antimicrobial keeps your long johns fresh to wear throughout your entire trip. It’s a lot easier to wash these quick-dry, silky undies in the sink than your fleece pants and they don’t ride up.
Under ski pants I slither into the Quattro Fleece; under street pants it’s the 4-way stretch tight for warmth without the bulk. BTW, jeans are a ‘don’t’ in subzero temps. There’s nothing warm about them. Cords or a knit dress with fleece leggings will keep you warmer.
On top, I wear the Joy Fleece Sport Bra from Sportees under ski clothes and the Isis Sport Bra with street clothes (regular bras aren’t warm enough).
Over the bra goes either a wool baselayer like the Lifa Dry Classic top from Helly Hansen.
or, if can’t stand the itch, a synthetic cotton top from Sport Science. Feels like cotton, wicks like poly. I layer these with a street shirt of choice or a mid-weight fleece and top them with a wool sweater like the gorgeous Lucia sweater from Prana or the wool/nylon/poly Sera pullover from Sherpa Adventure Gear. Both sweaters have that thick wool feel on the outside but a soft, fleeciness on the inside so you won’t itch.
For ultra cold days, I’ve got my Obermeyer Kassady down sweater.
I seal the deal with a full down jacket and scarf (or fleece neck gaitor for skiing). Companies like Mountain Hardwear, Helly, Sierra Designs even Timberland make coats that are both warm and stylish.
Damn! Where are my Snoozies?? The temps went from 70 yesterday to 50 today. My toes are cold. Snoozies are like fleece socks with the tops lopped off and they are oh so cozy. They’re perfect for long flights, traveling and lounging. In fact, I’ve been known to hop in my car with them on after I slip out of ski boots. So long as you don’t plan to puddle jump or slush through snow you’re all good. No biggie if they get dirty because they’re machine washable and won’t shrink. Like any fleece product it eventually mats down but they still stay soft.
The bottoms have a little non-slip/grippy writing (that say Snoozies) so when I jump up to answer the door or the phone, I don’t wipe out on my office flooring.
I can wear them year-round (I work at home so the boss doesn’t care) and they’re lightweight enough for warmer days. Snoozies come in all sorts of designs and colors so you can display your unique personality with your feet. I picked the ‘stars and moons’ style. $12. Sizes S (5-6), M (7-8), L (9-10), XL (11-12).
I finally gave up on my Osprey Messenger Bag. I loved that thing. I even carried it around after a mouse chewed through the side mesh pocket. It held everything but, as others teased, it wasn’t very womanly.
I don’t do purses and I’m not sorry. My car is my purse and my shoulder bag is like the wallet in my purse. I’m a function over fashion girl. It became apparent, however, that I had outgrown my Flap Jack Courier.
Yes, my friends, it wasn’t big enough! I found myself often carrying TWO bags whenever I left the house. Granted, even in winter I have two bags- one for boots and the other for my laptop, money, magazines, mail, etc. But this coming winter I was facing THREE bags now if I didn’t do something quick. Enter the Ashley Tote from High Sierra. It holds my laptop in a padded sleeve, all of my paper junk and a set of gym clothes to boot.
The main compartment zips closed and there’s a little removable zippered pouch inside that I still haven’t used- too organized for me. Same goes for the zippered front utility pocket because there are four corner pockets that slide from top to bottom for things like my phone, pens, lip gloss, or water bottle. It has shoulder straps rather than a messenger chest strap but I rarely wore my Osprey that way so it’s not a huge deal. The handles are long enough that if I wanted to drape them over my head and across my chest I could. The bottom and back panel are also padded for extra protection. I would have liked the straps to be a little wider and thicker for those days when I’m really packing but otherwise I’ve found my match.
Not to mention, the pretty pattern addresses the femininity issue and now I’m back to two bags for the winter. Whew.
The Ashley comes in a variety of patterns for an economical $40. 1-800-323-9590
