After these past few weeks I think I’ll be giving away all my winter clothes (when temperature rises over 5 degrees C aka my comfort zone – it WILL rise, won’t it?). Even though I managed to build myself some esthetically valid ultra-layered cocoons (underneath which some light, summer-y chiffon or lace dresses were timidly peeking)  to prevent me from getting one of those epic flues of mine (I’ve got a child now – hah, more responsibilities, one would say, but that’s hardly my case, as I still find it difficult to take care of myself in any possible way- , otherwise I wouldn’t care less about having a flu or not- which is the main reasons why they just won’t go away!), I want the sun back! And a damn clean & dry sidewalk, thus theoretically ’harmless’ - it still has holes and the nights are dark and the street lighting is poor and the heels are hiiigh, hence.. my knees are bruised like those of a 5 year old. I know, pathetic enough. And what seems potentially even more disturbing is my inability to avoid this tiring, idiotic subject – the weather! Ok, it does prove that I’m just as unimaginative and routine-driven as everyone else, but it also makes me a hypocrite – I’ve been stating out loud my intolerance and moderate disgust towards that stupid gibberish on how cold it’s gotten, how much colder it’s gonna get or how many cm/ inches of snow are going to glue over the existing stubborn sheet of that otherwise quite charming looking snow (and all the incidents that these special weather conditions bring about). Sure, the snow does look quite charming - on postcards and Christmas cards, in photos posted by others on Facebook, or even on the other side of the icy window, when you’re in a decently heated room that allows you to parade around in a tee and dance bare-feet on the friendly floor – in all the above mentioned cases, admittedly, the snow might present itself as a magical, almost mystical thing. Now would probably be the time to admit that I’m just trying to play the ‘cool’ card right now, actually the first two or three snow falls every year nearly make me cry with emotion and childish delight. But even I have lost my enthusiasm and patience and started to wait for spring and for all good things to come with it. QED.

And no, I haven’t forgot about the second part of the story, namely the other few tips that might be useful to you – next winter, hopefully

Layer, layer, layer. I know, this was sooo predictable, but still. Layering is not the easiest thing at all. It requires quite some lucidity - I don’t recommend trying to do much layering before coffee, the result might not be so fortunate - , a satisfactory range of clothes in a variety of shapes and an increased attention to details and texture. There’s a whole story with a hell of a lot of points to be made here – which shapes, prints, textures and materials usually go well with each other and which don’t -, some more inventive tricks to be shared here ( the one that I wanted to highlight anyway, because you’ve seen it in the previous post, is wearing an underskirt - priceless when it comes to adapting some of your favorite dresses or skirts from your spring/summer wardrobe- ; you can find find some in vintage stores or even have one custom-made - they are easy to make and not costly at all, and for a super stylish effect you can decorate them with whatever material you might like – fake fur looks fantastic, but wool or tartan would look even quirkier and less obvious ). The rule that stands out as the most important (not only when it comes to layering, but also to the subject of styling, in general): improvise, experiment, play. Have the patience to try out even the combinations that might look ridiculous and incompatible in your mind. Of course, all these should be practiced within the limits of your personal style coordinates.

Over-size everything.  Well, not exactly everything. Style-advisers generally agree upon the necessity of maintaining a clean balance between volumes in any outfit. This means that, if you want to go for an oversized sweater, you should counteract the bulk of it by means of a body-conscious lower part – that is, you might want to stick to skinny jeans/ leggings, or a tight skirt, or if you go for a maxi skirt, you should wear something more structural, closer to the body, in the upper part. My advice is to forget about rules, if you want to have more fun. Over-size as much as you can, as long as it looks good and makes you feel outstandingly well. One more thing, I might add – especially if you’re a minion, like myself, be careful with the shoes. Too much bulk needs extra heel inches. Just the right thing to know:)

* Wearing Vero Moda coat, vintage United Colors of Benetton sweater, Zara jeans, Zara scarf, vintage earrings, UGG boots (like it wasn’t that obvious..)

Other than the fact that it almost feels like being in Siberia right now (not only because of the cold, but also the coat of snow that renders most suroundings unrecognizable and far more striking than usually), which is not a bad thing at all, if you ask me (less germs, more vodka, and hands stuck independently in pockets), my daily experiences are commonly consumed zig-zagging between the same predictable places. And that’s barely the problem, as we know that ‘places’ have the wonderful ability of being shaped by whatever it is that connects us to them, so they more or less change, in accordance to the emotional hole that we’re struggling to get out of at the moment. Not seldom do I happen to stop in front of a building or a bench in the park, feeling slightly confused, as if I had forgotten something really vital about myself, you know, the sort of feeling you have when you realize you’ve been working or doing something really pleasing and totally engaging for several hours, and it’s already dark outside, but that would have passed right by you if you hadn’t had the impulse to reconnect to the outer world by checking your phone to see what time it is, and then you remember that you haven’t had a thing to eat since breakfast; and although you were doing pretty well by that time, deepened in your world and whatever it is that populates it, you suddenly start to feel dizzy and your stomach begins to howl in an unflattering, horrifying manner; you start to worry, yet still in a false, pretentious way, but when you reach that white door and the scent of the food inside reaches your bony nose, you simply dive into it, like you would fictionally throw yourself in the Mediterranean after being held hostage in a Siberian prison. That’s how I feel when I regain a memory or an intense feel of the past that has long been hibernating somewhere in the dusty archives of my brain, with files and more files piled on shelves that reach farther than the eyes can see. These places have a special input to the shapes of my perceptions. The people around them have the honor of sealing the  deal with my devil – a disturbing overdose of bitterness, rage and humiliation caused my frail, almost negligible, capacity of not giving a fuck and feeling fucking goood with my amazing self. Wishing I hadn’t met them is out of question; I owe them everything (I suspect) I’ve achieved. I am tired and, most surprisingly, bored; the need for a fresh start (unfortunate choice of cliche words for what should mean getting hold of something completely new) bugs me beyond imagination, and scares the shit out of me at the same time. Even if I might end up doing something stupid (which won’t happen, but still.. the possibility stands), I need to do something I have never done before. I will take a huge risk and trust myself entirely to my own potential ‘awesomeness’. I will not succumb to the alluring possibility of letting myself helped by others and blame the lack of that help when something goes way too wrong. I am alone (not in a self-suicidal, clinically depressed kind of way, it should be obvious, but one can never be too sure, can one?), very much alone, and it’s really up to me if that gets to kill or fulfil me. Simple as that.

As you might have noticed, the title made it clear that I was intending to continue the previous post about winter styling and matters of greater importance than my schizofrenic, way belated pseudo-New-Year’s-goal-achieving-list. I was also going to share some thoughts that left me with an undesired ounce of discontent to deal with – the dissapointing 50-something New York shows that I’ve checked out by now. However, none of my intentions made it to the shore, but they will, eventually, once my mind gets its clarity back (and my fashion ‘mojo’ wins the battle with these excruciating images of BLACK clothes!).

*Wearing Vero Moda coat, H&M cardigans, Mango skirt, Miss Sixty underskirt, Atmosphere top, Zara bag, Bershka boots , vintage earrings

I’ve been hearing (and reading) an annoying lot of complaints towards this  bloody weather that has apparently shaped everyone’s lives here, in the past few weeks. I, for one, have always been a ‘winter’ kind of person. The cold, the snow, the longest, nearly polar nights – I ‘dig’ them, quite a lot. I’m also one to indulge in a substantial number of  blank winter days of depression and bitter-sweet nostalgia (some sort of self-induced mental hibernation - I can’t think TOO much, because I can’t stop FEELING so damn bad about everything) - followed by evenings and nights of reckless drinking, whenever the situation calls for it, or of otherwise watching True Blood or whatever, with a<n imaginary> bowl of popcorn or french fries in my lap. This year though, I’ve had enough of it. I miss sunny long days (I think I might have said it several times before, so it must be true, then) and bare legs – and high-high heels! Still… I couldn’t avoid softening up a bit when the snow and the arctic cold hit the Western part of the country, as well.  So here I am, celebrating. THE snow, and everything else. It’s winter, what the hell. It only comes once a year. Like Christmas, but significantly looonger.

However, let us jump to the point. That is, how to dress up these days without looking like a shapeless pile of fluffy cloth(e)s. That is, if you care a bit about how you look (these days, or the days after). That is, if you care a bit about fashion. Sure you do, or else, why would you be here, anyway?! ( I might sound slightly  cocky and condescending, I’m guessing it relates to the huge amount of coffee I’ve had today. Or to some decisions I’ve made that caused a healthy ‘boom’ in my otherwise meager self-confidence. Oh, and did I forget.. the music I’ve been listening to: BRMC (if you guess what the initials stand for, then I should take you out for coffee some day – I really need to find out about some more good music to listen to, and not from pitchfork or last fm) ).  Lots and lots of (sidenotes) in this post. You know, I’m really not that talkative in real life.

Finally, the point:

1. Invest in key pieces: a furry coat (fake fur, mind you!), furry boots, a big , warm, bag  ( to keep your belongings safe from freezing, and maybe even keep you warm – hold it tight to your chest, in an elegant, proper Prada-like way, and you’ll get what I’m talking about). I’ve avoided furry things, generally speaking, for a long, long time, but now, that I’ve bought my first fake fur coat, I’m already searching for another one and I am unlikely to stop there! Also, try to go further in the ‘boots’ section: sure, UGGs are alright, but also all-boring. And not even that cosy, anyway! (I’ve tripped on ice while I was wearing mine..Oh boy, for a second or two, I thought I would never get to write on my blog ever again – or do anything else, for that matter! My go-to pair boots for winter are these, from Bershka (they are looking worse and worse, I’ve over-worn them) – crepe or rubber heels/ platforms are the most practical and leg-flattering choice, especially for gals like myself, who hardly ever take their heels off!

2. Wear a lot of thick, wool skirts, in longer lengths - there’s a consistent range of thrift and vintage ones to be found practically everywhere: in small stores, at the flea market, on the web. They actually make wonders when it comes to looking quirky and sophisticated, without having to threaten the integrity of your health.

3. Accessorize as much as you can - big earrings, necklaces, brooches – they all look fabulous next to knits -, and the usual scarves, shawls and gloves, which can complete an outfit, when chosen carefully. Hats are optional, and only for those with a decent and balanced face shape. Not for me, that is.

The next few tips are soon to come – in the following blog post! Stay tuned!

* wearing so many things, that I’m not actually sure I remember all of them. Let’s see: Zara coat (latest purchase, one I absolutely adore!), Bershka boots, Zara bag, vintage skirt, Miss Sixty sweater (the pink one, underneath the dark grey one), United Colors of Benetton sweater (the dark grey one), Pull&Bear waistcoat, Bershka headband worn as a snood, random leather gloves and vintage jewelry.