By Roxanne Buffone Google
Gearing up for winter events? Plan ahead and you can stay warm and fashionable in the cold at weddings, holiday parties and more.
For maximum warmth you will want to look at coats. Also if you will not be doing activities outside, save money and just wear your everyday winter coat. If you will be doing activities outdoors you can find a coat to compliment your outfit. In fact a nice long coat is a good wardrobe basic to wear at many formal events to come, a good investment. If you need or want at least part of your outfit to show look for a short coat to coordinate. Faux fur is warm, earth friendly and comes in many colors and lengths. Suede and wool have many options too. Will you need a hood? Keep that in mind as you shop. We lose most of our body heat through our heads. If you are going on a sleigh ride, on a ski lift, in negative zero temperatures, etc. you will need a hat or hood, or both. I’ve found hoods usually do less damage to a hairstyle than hats do. There are more options for head coverings at the end of this article.
For versatile and classic warmth choose a cape. A cape fastens around the neck and shoulders providing a quick cover with no sleeves to maneuver. Many capes also have a loose hood for added warmth with minimal hair disturbance. Capes have been worn for thousands of years, add a historical flair to your winter wedding, holiday party or event. Capes also come in different lengths. Choose a long floor length cape for more warmth and dramatic effect. Choose a shorter cape to allow your outfit to show and for more freedom of movement.
For minimal cover with some added warmth choose stoles, wraps and shrugs. Those made of fur or faux fur will add more warmth. A stole is a long rectangle or strip of fabric/fur that is worn over the shoulders or wrapped around with plenty of extra falling down the sides. A stole provides easy on easy off light warmth and elegant style, look like a 
queen. A wrap is shorter than a stole, long enough to wrap around the shoulders, arms and bust and attach together at the front. A wrap can cover the bare part of a strapless dress, so you can go outside without freezing. A shrug is like a wrap, but it fits tightly to you, usually has elastic or stretch and some have armholes. A shrug will stay put. Look like a princess and keep most of your dress visible with a wrap or shrug.
You don’t want to cover up? You must be young, LOL. There are subtle ways to keep warm. The hands are usually the first thing to get cold and 
make you uncomfortable. I did Walk For Paws in early October in the 50 degree weather, not used to the cold. We were fine with our jackets, but what would have made a huge difference was gloves or mittens. (My Siberian Husky loved it!) Consider bringing along gloves or a muff, even fashion gloves can make a difference. Also consider a head covering, as mentioned earlier we lose most body heat through the head. Add a hat to your outfit accessories, or add a 
removable accessory like earmuffs or an infinity scarf. Feet tend to get cold right after the hands, so look at fashion boots when shoe shopping. There are some great styles out there and then you can hide a pair of socks on your feet and look elegant too.
Hunting stores sell hand warmers and foot warmers, thin packets that keep your feet and hands warm. You activate them by shaking them and it provides heat for several hours. My husband fly fishes in the winter for steelhead trout in local streams along Lake Erie (I fish too!). The hand and foot warmers work great and are easy to take along to any winter activity. So go shopping in the the hunting and fishing department!
Don’t forget the best part of fun in the cold, coming in to the cozy indoors to a warm cup of hot chocolate…and a big chunk of bark for my winter friend! Sasha is 7 months old.
Winter advise from Sasha: Dress in layers! Husky’s have a double coat, there’s a warm dense undercoat and then a longer fine waterproof outer coat.
See our Pinterest Board: Winter Accessories for photos of this winter gear in action.
