warm & chic: how smart girls dress...

Each morning I typically wake up early and check my emails as well as my Facebook & Twitter feeds via my Blackberry while still lounging in bed (one of my many favourite things about finally switching to a smart phone). Last week, I spotted the following tweet from local radio personality Steph Downey:

I thought to myself, lying in my warm cozy bed, that Steph and her co-host (Jay DeLong) of K100's morning show must be on location somewhere...and chilly! I tweeted Steph, asking where they were stationed and joked that I was assuming they didn't just shut the heat off on them...well, apparently I was mistaken!

Well turns out the heat was indeed off because it was being worked on! Steph joked about me writing a post on how to pull off long johns in style...when suddenly I got a great idea for a blog post while making my morning coffee.

I asked Steph to send me a picture of her current office attire. When I've seen Steph out and about in public or at any particular event, she always looks quite stylish, very well coiffed and shows that she knows what works for her.

Given her usual sense of style, I had a guess that, even if sporting a parka and long johns, she'd be able to make the look work for her.

(Steph appologizes for the poor lighting and photo quality...you can't possibly blame the model so we'll just point the finger at Jay on this one.)

Steph's cute and cozy outfit inspired a post on how to make practical stylish (there is a time and place for long johns ladies!). When it comes to putting together any outfit, my number one criteria above all else is comfort. In New Brunswick and many parts of Canada, warmth is a big essential component of that this time of year. I often see girls quite under dressed for the weather. They not only look uncomfortable, but a tad bit foolish too!

The key to keeping looking great and staying warm around here is layers (and a beautiful coat paired with a cute hat and mitts when the weather is getting a little hairy). So, to help illustrate the point of how to be warm and chic, I asked a few of my favourite Canadian style bloggers to participate in this post!

Carolina of Closet Full of Nothing

Vancouver, BC

Carolina layers one of the season's biggest trends, a faux fur vest, over a red blouse (both from H&M) and coordinates it with a pair of leather gloves (Moschino) she scored from Winners. Pairing a faux fur vest with a pair of camper boots is a great way to stay warm.

Melissa of Miss Melissa

Vancouver, BC

Melissa layers it on thick with a tee (Gap), cardigan (Jacob), and beautiful vintage blazer. Tucking your jeans into your boots is a great way to keep those toes toasty!

Louise of Fifth Sparrow

Brandon, Manitoba

Louise makes this floral dress (BB Dakota) seasonally appropriate by adding a blazer (RW & Co.), ribbed tights (Smart Set), and equestrian boots she got from her sister! 

Kate of O My Heart

Fredericton, New Brunswick

I finally learned how to work ribbed "sweater" tights (without looking like long johns) when I saw Kate rock them in this look! She borrowed this warm plaid shirt from her boyfriend and belted it over a lovely skirt (Lush). To top off this lumberjack chic look, she incorporated a pair of wedge booties (Sam Edelman): the same colour, but a much more feminine replacement for a pair of work boots.

Nicole of Le Mode Du Jour

(Photograph by Patrick Leung)

Vancouver, BC

Nicole didn't just rely on her cup of tea that day to keep her warm as she walked about. She made these on-trend faux leather shorts (Forever 21) work in late November by donning a pair of patterened tights (Urban Outfitters) underneath and pulling on a pair of boots (Zara). She piled on a loose-fitting sweater (LYNNsteven) and faux fur collar (H&M) over her base layer (a top from Obakki) to stay warm in the chilly air.

So the biggest in-style ways to stay warm, but still look chic in cooler weather would be through elements such as tights, boots, faux fur, sweaters, blazers, and layers, layers, layers! But, of course, when it gets pretty messy or really chilly (or you have no heat!), a parka and a pair of long johns is never a bad idea. Being warm is always in style!