It's Cold.

This morning as I write this post, the temperature outside is in the low 20's. So I can think of nothing more appropriate to write about than outerwear. It's obvious, I know, but I promise to include lots of pretty looks.

I've said before here on the blog that I love winter because with the outerwear look, you're essentially getting to put together two outfits every day. It's double the fashion! How can that be bad, right? So, today I just want to show some fabulous outwear pieces to jazz up your closet this winter.

For starters, get yourself something with fur. Faux or real, whatever you prefer, although real is always SO incredibly warm. I know a lot of people take issue with real fur for the cruelty aspect, but fortunately there is a LOT of really great faux fur out there right now. Shop around- you'll see what I mean.

If you're new to fur, go for accents of it as an introduction. It will seem far less overwhelming:

Fur by rtboo featuring American Eagle Outfitters

A fur collar, or trim on your cuffs, or even a fur hat will all add a touch of elegance and opulence to your winter outerwear. Even a scarf or head wrap added to a basic wool coat can completely transform your look.

My second favorite choice for this season is the quilted look. It's been around for a few seasons now, but it's more streamlined and sporty than ever. There are also some more sophisticated quilted options out there so you don't have to feel too dressed-down in them. There are poly-fil options as well as down and other feather options, so pick your fave.

Quilted by rtboo featuring a j.crew vest

I love how geometric the quilting can be- which, by the way, is another trend for this season- linear, geometric patterns will be everywhere.

What's your go-to outerwear look? Do you have a collection of coats and accessories, or do you have one classic staple that you wear just about every day? Leave a comment and tell me!

My Greatest Fall/Winter Weakness

If there is something I swoon for more than a killer pair of heels or a luscious handbag, it's outerwear. Coats, jackets, capes- I love them all. I adore the idea of creating a second outfit to cover up another outfit so as to have TWO amazing stylish looks at various points throughout the day. This is no small feat, of course. In order to be as stylish outside as inside, there need to be quite a few outerwear options hanging in your closet. If I run into an amazing jacket or coat while shopping, I will be hard pressed to walk away from it.

Give me drama in the form of a bold color or a bright print or a full, fur collar. Give me an hourglass silhouette with a nipped-in waist and a full bottom. Give me a sleek look with a slim trench or simple cape. Give me toggles, give me buttons, give me zippers! Give me wool, cashmere, and fur for the cold months. Give me denim, suede and silk for the warmer ones. Just give me coats!!!

Outweear 1 by rtboo featuring wool coats

Of course the red coat would be Alexander McQueen. I can't help my great taste, I suppose.

Outerwear 2 by rtboo featuring monki

Blue is a universally flattering color. Get yourself a coat in some fabulous shade of blue and do it now.

Trench Coats by rtboo featuring a trench coat

You don't think that you need multiple trench coats? Silly. You need at least three. The first is a casual, every day trench in a neutral color such as taupe or grey. The second is a dressier, black trench for those times when you need to look a little more polished. The third is whatever you want it to be- a bright color, a funky collar and/or belt, a crazy print- it's the trench you wear to stand out in the crowd. Everyone needs a coat that makes them stand out in the crowd.

Are you beginning to understand the depths of my obsession with outerwear? (And we didn't even discuss accessories...) Do you have a similar obsession yourself? Please share!

It's Not Spring Yet

Whenever we get to March, I start to dress as if spring has already arrived. By now, I'm so sick of wearing tights and thick socks and boots and scarves and heavy coats- all I want to do is starting pulling out all my spring-y sun dresses and flowery skirts and light, flow-y tops and sandals- oh my gosh am I dying for sandals!

Unfortunately, I live in the northeast, where it sometimes snows in April. My point is this: winter is not over yet. Spring is not yet here. I need to accept this reality and do my best to cope by wearing appropriate clothing and accessories until the temperatures actually begin to rise. Of course, if I had this lovely winter coat, that might ease the burden a bit:

Sovereign Style Coat, Modcloth, $259.99 (out of stock- BOO!) 

It may be winter white and a very warm wool blend, but the contrast detail on the coat just seems to be beckoning spring. Yes, those appear to be flowers in the design- and what says "spring" more than flowers? Even if I was crazy enough to buy a nearly $300 wool coat on the cusp of spring, it is unfortunately sold out for the time being. But with the pin tucks at the waist and the beautiful collar and buttons, I'm afraid if it was back in stock in my size, I'd be knocking that money out of my checking account so fast, Modcloth's collective heads would be spinning. 

Walking in Winter WonderWEAR

I feel as though I sort of glossed over my new coat purchase. I posted it amidst my Style Guides to the Holidays and my Holiday "Rate My Look" posts, but I really feel as though it deserves its own post. So here it is!

This coat is awesome. Here are the reasons why: 

1.) It is a more interesting print than houndstooth and yet remarkably similar to it, making it both trendy and classic at the same time. 

2.) It has an open neckline with a super dramatic collar. I love drama (in my clothes, not in my life). 

3.) It is the PERFECT length- it falls just above my knee, which is an ideal length for heels AND flats. 

4.) It also looks great with boots. 

5.) The silhouette is as flattering as a coat can get- cinched at the natural waist and bust, fuller at the bottom, and, as I already mentioned, the perfect length. 

6.) It is black and white, so ultimately that makes it a neutral, but as I've already mentioned, the print is interesting, so it's not boring black and white, it's exciting!

7.) It fits me like a dream. 

8.) It only cost $29.99 at Daffy's. 

I wore this coat out to meet my friend Tim for dinner (remember his Live Project Runway blog posts?). When he complimented my coat, I thanked him and said, "Isn't it a home run?" 

"No," he replied, "It's a grand slam."

I quite agree. 

Winter in New England

Last year was one of the worst winter's I've seen- the area in Pennsylvania where I lived actually got more snow than the area I used to live in New Hampshire. And that's saying something! The difference between how PA handled the snow versus how it is generally handled in NH is remarkable. In PA, everyone just stays home, waits for the snow to stop falling, then waits even longer for the handful of plows that will then go out and start to clear the roads. In New Hampshire, the plows are out as soon as the snow starts to fall- they plow, salt and sand throughout the storm, so that the roads don't accumulate too much snow. The main roads, of course. Back roads are handled later, but still swiftly. Also, the definition of "cleared roads" is vastly different in PA than it is in NH. As someone who has spent the majority of her life living in New England, the difference was a major shock to me and something I never quite got used to.

Anyway, now that I'm back in New England and the weather is starting to get colder, I've been pulling out my warmer clothes to wear. I packed all of my outerwear in a large wardrobe box and I keep procrastinating on un-packing it. The only jacket I have unpacked is a spring/fall weight denim jacket. It's not going to cut it much longer- eventually I'm going to need a warmer coat and that means I'll either have to unpack that box, or I'll have to go shopping. Given how many jackets and coats I own, shopping seems ludicrous, until you see these coats:

Chocolate and Coffee Coat, Anthropologie, $398

Curtsey Coat, Anthropologie, $298

Craftsmanship Capelet, Anthropologie, $118

Big City Blues Coat, Modcloth, $129.99

A Fresh Coat, Modcloth, $107.99

I am such a sucker for beautiful outerwear. It makes my heart ache. You think I'm being dramatic, but it's true.

I love my puffy coat

I just finished shoveling my walkway, steps and around my car and I realized how difficult snowstorms might be for me without my fabulous down parka. I look like a marshmallow in it, but it does the job. Anyway, it reminded me of this post from early last month about stylish puffer coats. In light of this curent storm, I thought I'd link back to it. Enjoy!

The Puffy Coat

Isn't it funny how quickly trends come back, or at least how quickly they seem to come back? I remember when I was in elementary school, the trend for winter coats was the long "puffy" quilted coat. Of course there were short versions as well, but I just remember that coat as being an iconic image from the 1980's. Fortuntately for us, the new 2010 versions are a lot nicer. It's been very cold and windy in PA lately and if I didn't already have plenty of warm winter coats, I'd be heading out for a "puffy" ASAP. I actually own a "puffy" but it's more of a marshmallow style than anything else. It's a down-filled, quilted ski parka and I love it, especially when I need to be outside shoveling snow or- you guessed it- skiing! However, it's not a particularly fashionable "puffy." "Puffy's" and "Puffers" are so popular right now, lots of stores have a separate "Puffer" category on their online shops, so they are very easy to find. If you're shopping online and don't see a "Puffer" option, search for "down," "poly-fil," and "quilted." Down filled puffers will be the most costly, but also the warmest. "Poly-fil" will be far less expensive in general, but also less bulky. "Quilted" refers to the top stitching on the coats- it hold the filling in place just like quilting on a blanket holds the layers and filling of the blanket in place. To make it easy for those of you considering investing in a "puffy" this year, here are my picks.

Target's are without a doubt the least expensive, but there are plenty of stylish and affordable options out there:

Mossimo Black Women's Fur Trim Parka, $39.98- originally $79.99 (Target)

Merona Women's Long Hooded Puffer Jacket, $28.00- originally $40.00 (Target)

Sonoma Life & Style Quilted Jacket, $52.50- originally $150 (Kohls)

Women's Frost Free Hooded Coat, $29.99-$44.99- originally $79.50 (Old Navy)

Calvin Klein High-Neck Puffer Coat, $79.99- originally $280 (Neiman Marcus)

Emily Long Puffer Coat, $129.99- originally $198.00 (Tommy Hilfiger)

The key to selecting and wearing any puffer is making sure that you don't get lost in the coat. That's exactly the problem with my marshmallow puffer coat: I look like a marshmallow. It also happens to be a short puffer, as opposed to the ones pictured above which are all the longer style. My advice: choose a puffer that is not too bulky and that has a belt or some type of emphasis at the waist. In pretty much all puffer cases, you've got the horizontal quilting working against you. Notice on the Calvin Klein puffer pictured above that the pockets are angled in toward the waist so that even though there is not a belt to emphasize and cinch the waist, the pockets help create the illusion of a narrow waist with their diagonal placement.

Happy Puffer Hunting! Leave a comment to tell me your opinion of puffers and puffies. Do you own one? Love it? Hate it? Tell me all about it!