Things We Love Thursday: THE WINTER COMMUTE

Contributed by Emma Callin

After reading the title of this post, you must think I'm crazy!  While I might be a little (okay, a lot) off-kilter, I assure you that commuting on public transit during our winters is not only do-able but can even be enjoyable with the right clothing.  As one Norwegian friend put it - we don't have bad weather, just poorly-planned outfits.  

Those who know me at all are familiar with the fact that I get cold as soon as the weather drops below 20 degrees - that's celsius, not fahrenheit - but I've learned to build my wardrobe to deal with that.  Layering is certainly key, but the right fabrics can make a world of difference when waiting for the bus when it's thirty below!  Fleece and wool are the first materials that come to mind, though soft, breathable under-layers of cotton and tencel are also important.  Below are some of the outfits I've been wearing (and commuting in) this cold, wintry week.  

This fleece tunic is definitely one of my favourites, and the embossed cable pattern makes it wearable around town and not just on the ski hill.  Pairing it with warm, winter-weight leggings makes this outfit unbeatable in the comfort department.  I like to wear this with ankle booties.

Tunic by MerMade, leggings by Nicole Bridger.

For added warmth and comfort I often wear a soft cotton or tencel shirt under a wool sweater.  While I have some sensitivity to most wool against my skin, I've found that 100% extra-fine merino wool doesn't bother me at all - which is exactly what the sweater below is made of.  And a patterned shirt paired with a bright colour always makes me happy when it's gray outside!  To go with the preppy look I wear flat oxfords.  

(picture from our Instagram - link in the sidebar)

Blouse by Allison Wonderland, sweater by Erdaine, jeans by Yoga Jeans, earrings by Toodlebunny.

A variant of the above outfit for a more conservative office environment (or in my case, a nice dinner out) is to pair a solid colour shirt with a sweater dress and winter weight tights (for example, my favourite merino tights).  I get a little extra warmth by wearing heeled tall boots too.  

(picture from our Instagram - link in the sidebar)

Sweater dress by Erdaine, blouse by Jennifer Glasgow, belt by Brave Leather, necklaces by Toodlebunny.

Another way to add warmth to a work-appropriate outfit is to layer a long-sleeved jersey t-shirt under a mid-weight cardigan or sweater.  The length of this cardigan helps me stay cozy and I wear it with black leggings, skinny jeans or cigarette pants when it's cold instead of the lace and tulle dress as shown.  To add some colour to this outfit I wear red ankle boots.   

(picture from our Instagram - link in the sidebar)

Cardigan, dress & belt by Dinh Ba, earrings by dconstruct.

While all of the above outfits include my suggestions for complementary footwear, I must clarify that I change my shoes when I get to work - you didn't think I trotted through the snowdrifts in 4-inch stilettos now, did you?  ^_~*