As pretty as snow can be, facing brutally cold temperatures, seeing my skin turn a translucent hue of mucous green and watching night fall by 4:30 in the afternoon often carries my brain to a very dark place. I am a summer girl. I like sunshine, hot, humid, sticky air, and seeing beautiful people dilly-dallying the streets half-naked. Alas, I live in a country with four seasons and will not be leaving any time soon, therefore I’ve decided there is only one way to overcome the winter-blues and that’s to immerse myself in at least one winter activity. So, after almost six years away from the slopes I’m strapping on my fluorescent yellow 1987 K2 Batman skis and letting the cool winter air put a twinge of colour back into my booger cheeks while I bomb down the hills.

But what to wear? Here are some of the hot and practical fashion trends (yes they do exist) I’ve compiled to rock the slopes in style.

Snowsuit

 

One of the big snowsuit trends this year is the one-piece. Though I remember making fun of these not too far back, I have to admit that they really are the most effective ways of keeping snow out and the bod nice and warm. When it comes to winter clothing I always look for quality, durability and style so I tend to stick with reputable name brands such as North Face, Burton and Columbia.

My pick:

North Face Women’s Shugga one-piece snow Suit. The Shugga one-piece is pricy ($498.95) but North Face always offers lifetime warranties and is amongst the warmest of winter-wear out there. Some of the features include:

• Waterproof breathable HyVent 2L denim and fully taped seams block wetness
• 60/80 Grams of Heatseeker insulation in torso, butt, and knees for extra warmth where you need it
• Underarm vents and Chimney Venting System in pants (thigh and gaiter vents) dump excess heat
• Leg gaiters keep snow out on deep pow days
• Adjustable waist-belt for the right fit
• Lycra hand cuffs bridge the gap between cuffs and gloves

Boots

 

Whether I’m on the hill or cozying up at a ski lodge, sipping a yummy alcoholic beverage to warm my tummy, I like to walk around in a lightweight and warm pair of ski boots. Ski boots represent a considerable investment but they’re not the place to trim your ski budget. Look for a boot that provides comfort, but that keeps the foot secure. If the foot is not secure you will lose mechanical advantage while skiing.

My pick:

The Salomon Foil Ski boot. It’s gotten excellent reviews. Very comfortable, highly adjustable, lightweight, buckles easily and retains warmth.

Goggles

 

One of the most important pieces of equipment for any snowboarder or skier is a quality pair of ski goggles. They protect your eyes from the snow in harsh conditions and keep them from tearing while you are going down the hill. If you wear a helmet then look for a pair of goggles that are helmet compatible.

My pick:

Smith Anthem Goggles. They are the top rated and most popular ski goggles for women. The design best fits women’s facial features, which means no sliding off your face. The Smith goggles are helmet compatible and they come with a protective microfiber storage bag.

Gloves

 

I have incredibly bad circulation so a warm pair of gloves is an absolute must.

My Pick:

Marmot’s Randonnee Gloves provide excellent water resistance and can withstand repeated wet/dry cycles without cracking. Plus, they are twice as warm as many similar insulations, yet not as bulky.

Hat

 

No only do I have a profound love for hats, but also for men in diesel clothing. So, to at least partially get the best of both worlds, I’ve decided to marry hat and Diesel into one deliciously warm head-fashion accessory.

My Pick:

The Diesel Eyecapa Cap. This will definitely be my fashionable head warmer on the slopes as I am also mad about pompoms. Made of 80% wool and 20% nylon, I can be assured maximal warmth and a whole lotta style.

Isn’t it odd how the emaciated Lindsay Lohan’s and Nicole Richie’s of the world like to swim in large fabrics, while some of their more ample-sized counterparts seem to have no problem busting out of their crop-tops and low-waisted jeans with their muffin tops hanging out? The media and fashion industry cruelly make fashion victims of the impressionable and here are some examples of the grossly unflattering fashion missteps people make by either trying to squeeze into the wrong sizes or by drowning in clothes that don’t fit.

Baggy In All The Wrong Places

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems the only explainable reason for skinny celebrities to wear such unflatteringly large garbs must be to hide an eating disorder. Either that, or a baby bump. But with their alcohol and drug consumption, we sure hope not, as the pregnancy would surely be a cause for medical alarm.

Solution: If you have a skinny bodytype and don’t want to accentuate your bony structure you can still wear tailored clothing. In fact, baggy clothes may highlight your inability to fill out clothing.  If you’re looking for an alternative to the skinny-pant try a flared or boot-cut instead. Layered clothing is also an asset to skinny women. Pairing a sleeveless cardigan with a fitted tee is a good example. Belts are another way of adding shape to your body.

Tight In All The Wrong Places

Where to begin while trying to avoid ejecting part or all of the contents of the stomach through the mouth, usually in a series of involuntary spasmic movements? These outfits go beyond the realms of trashy.  For what not to do, consult the above photo. Big can be beautiful, but let’s tidy up the packaging a little. Lacing ropes tightly up and down your pudge is no good way to attract attention. Also, even the nicest of asses should leave themselves to be discovered, rather than flag themselves at onlookers against their will.

Solution: I’m not at all suggesting that fuller figured women hide themselves from head to toe. Most men enjoy something to hold on to, but it would be nice if they also felt comfortable bringing you to a restaurant. Finding a bra that fits is key. Most decent lingerie stores have women who will measure and fit you. Keeping the girls up where they should be will make the rest of dressing easier. Go for clothing that is tailored, but not form-fitting. Purchase skirts and dresses that go to the knee, and avoid the skinny jean. Pants should be boot cut or slightly flared and go all the way to the ground. Avoid round necked and extremely deep ‘V’ cut tops; instead opt for blouses, three quarter lengthed sleeve tops or a wrap top.

Hips Don’t Lie

Curves are one of the most beautiful and defining traits of woman, but for those packing in a lot of extra badonkadonk, form-fitting attire that looks like it has been painted on to the skin is not the way to go. Also, structured corsets squeezing your upper half don’t help either. Detailing on the hip itself is another no-no, because it leads the eye to what you’ve now made into a problem area.

Solution: For bigger hips, bring the attention upwards. Wear shirts with texture, detailing or other accents. Look for a boot or straight leg pant, steering very clear of the skinny jean which will only amplify the pear shape. If you need to wear a belt, stay away from the bulky loud ones. For dresses, seek out ones with a high, umpire waist which will detract from the hips and bring out your bust.

Inedible Muffin Tops

 

Mmmmmmany women are leaving the house with untucked rolls nowadays. Yes, we love a low-waisted jean, but not if it reveals a tire of belly and back-fat. These are the things that make a curvy body look wrong, when curvy women are so right.

Solution: Get a nice pair of moderate to high-waisted jeans. Wear your shirt tucked in, or long, past the waist of the jeans. Avoid crop tops or shirts that show your skin whenever you’re reaching for something. Pants you have to pull up or shirts you have to pull down are only a struggle and a bulge revealer.

 

Sausage Rolls

 

Some people think that squeezing oneself into a tight body stocking is a good way to seem slim. A slim Jim is more like it. If you have to lie down on a bed to get your pants up, they are too tight.

Solution: Skinny jeans can be fabulous. The key is to find some with a good amount of stretch to them so they aren’t cutting off your circulation. Non-stretch jeans will also stretch out more and not go back to their original size as easily.

Peek-a-butt

 

We all have one, but some of us feel more like sharing than others. This semi-exhibitionist trend is beyond me.

Solution: Guys, pull up your pants and purchase a belt.

 

Tall Tees

 

Shirts like these are great paired with such eloquent expressions as ‘”hey brah” and “dude, your kicks are tight”. They aren’t, however, good for second dates or respect.

 Solution: Long shirts only make you look shorter, which for a man is not ideal. Tall Tees if they must exist at all are, as the name suggests, for tall people. Crop it. Stop it.

While frigid  winter temperatures might tempt you to wrap yourself in sweats and a heavy coat, it is possible to be both fashionable and warm. Some of this year’s hottest trends include boots and knits that will keep you toasty while ensuring you look stylish. Don’t let the wintertime blues get you down, update your look and feel great!

Coats

Throughout the chilly Canadian winter months, your coat will be the first (and often only) glimpse many people get of you. It is worth spending a bit extra to buy a coat that fits you perfectly. A coat made of French or Italian wool will probably last you at least 3 years, which means you will get your money’s worth even if the price tag is a bit steep. Classic colors include brown, black and gray, but why not try something a bit different? Today’s coats are available in animal prints, plaids, and vivid shades of red, pink or orange, Canada Goose jackets come in blue, white, brown and green, or for the less conspicuous you can wear g star jackets in various grays, beige, or black colors.

Enjoy a return to a classic shape by purchasing a cape, capelet, or cloak. These traditional styles are enjoying a fashion resurgence and are a great staple in cold weather climates. You can easily layer them over your clothing to help provide additional warmth. Depending on the style you choose, your cape can add an elegant, gothic, or quirky touch to your regular attire.

Winter Shoes and Boots

The models walking the catwalks this season are sporting knee boots, lace-up boots, and ankle boots.  All of these styles work perfectly in cold weather climates and are a quick way to update your look. If you enjoy a more daring style, mimic the models and choose above-the-knee boots or even thigh high ones.

On days when you feel like regular shoes, try cut-out shoes or fringed and tasseled ones like those sold by Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin. Menswear-inspired lace-up oxfords are also hot this season, in addition to being practical for cold weather climates.

Cashmere and Knits

There is a reason that cashmere sweaters, jackets, coats, pants, and scarves remain fashionable year after year. Cashmere is thin enough to be great for layering, but it is also strong and warm. You can safely stock up on cashmere at department store sales since it is virtually guaranteed to remain in style season after season.

Chunky knits with a lot of texture play a starring role in this season’s fashions. These warm knits offer exceptional warmth as well as fabulous style. And lest you think chunky means clunky and dowdy, consider open-weave knits that reveal a hint of skin. The easiest way to wear these knits might be in accessories, but they also make great sweaters or even dresses.

Denim

While skinny jeans have been seen everywhere throughout the last several seasons, this winter they have finally made the leap into a fashion staple. They are a great way to slim down the look of a heavy item such as a knit sweater or cape. Balance is key to wearing skinny jeans and they should be worn with flowing tops, such as this season’s tunic or babydoll styles.  Skinny jeans also look fabulous tucked into your knee high boots or worn with sexy ankle boots.

Women have rediscovered the slimming effect dark denim offers for their hips and thighs. Dark denim is also a great way to add a more professional or grown-up element to your basic jeans look. If you are interested in a more casual jeans look, the weathered look is extremely fashionable this winter. Jeans with rips, stains, and holes are everywhere this season, but you also find more classic jeans with subtle weathered details.

Accessories

The hot color for your accessories this winter is purple. You can find purple bags, jewelry, wallets, gloves, and scarves everywhere. Why not incorporate a number of hot trends and splurge on a fantastic pair of purple gloves? The gloves will keep you both warm and trendy throughout chilly Canadian winter weather.

Scarves are an easy and fun way to add warmth and style to your look. Colorful hand-knit scarves are very “in” this season and can be left plain or adorned with pompoms. Designers such as Burberry, Marc Jacobs, Givenchy, and Diane von Furstenberg offer signature scarf designs. Plaid is all the rage this season, and a scarf is a great way to add a bit of plaid to your look.

Handbags adorned with metal accessories such as a chain handle are extremely trendy this season. A chain handle handbag will stylishly take you from a day at the office to an evening on the town. Studded handbags continue to be the hottest way to embellish your handbag, but fringe and sequins are also on trend this season. Try a brown, tan, or black suede bag to add subtle bohemian accents to your look.

A hat is a great way to have some fun with your winter look and protect your head during the cold winter months. Faux fur accents are everywhere this season, in styles ranging from high fur-topped hats to ear flapped ones. Knitted or velvet berets continue to be seen on all of the runways, and you can choose to accent yours with feathers or sequins.

Growing up, I remember going through my mother’s old pictures and seeing those amazing vintage shades, high-waisted bell-bottoms, beautiful long hippie dresses and strappy Jesus sandals she used to wear, pleading “Why Mom? Why? Why did you give it all away?” Now, that I’m all grown up, I walk into a store like American Apparel and wonder if they went fishing through my give-away bags when I was a kid in the 80’s. When it comes to fashion, everything comes back in cycles. What’s “new” is really just an evolution and tweak of what’s past. Here’s a post for all you 80’s kids who like me, are probably regretting all those e-Bay opportunities you must have missed seeing hipsters strut around in our old gear.

Remember these?

Slap Bracelets

 

I used to have a collection of these self-harming accessories, including my very own New Kids on the Block one. They were popular among pre-teens and teens in the late 80’s but were eventually banned from schools after many students suffered wrist injuries. Now that enough time has elapsed and people have forgotten the potential dangers of  arm jewelry that once splayed open a kid’s artery, slap bracelets are back!

Jelly Bracelets

To go with their giant hoop earrings, girls used to wear jelly bracelets up to their elbows. Mine went about half way, on one arm only, and glowed in the dark.

Fishnet Gloves

 

My mother would never let me leave the house wearing a pair of these, but the hooker-look was certainly as fashionable then as it is now.

Off-The Shoulder Sweaters

 

 

Colorful Wayferer Sunglasses

 

Flip through the pages of Nightlife or Vice and you’ll find scenesters love to hide their coke-blasted eyes behind a pair of Wayferers. My pair was neon pink and black and I used to wear them while playing my Sanyo synthesizer.

Nerd Glasses

 

Flip through the pages of Nightlife or Vice and all of a sudden that kid who used to get pointed at, or pummelled for wearing those enormously awkward, thick, plastic-rimmed glasses is a sexy, love-getting machine. The nerds finally got their revenge.

Scrunchies

 

Though the elasticity of scrunchies was sometimes debatable, I loved them because they were gentle and didn’t rip out the fragile hairs from my scalp. Scrunchies have now made a comeback, continuing to help ponytails stay high and off-centered.

Gem Sweaters

 

Gaudy, grotesque and utterly glam. For those of you have never had the privilege to see Leslie Hall sing about her gem sweaters check this out:

Leg Warmers

 

 

Certainly practical when wanting to keep those shins warm, leg warmers bring back another fond 80’s memory. Anyone else use to layer their socks?

Animal Print Leggings

 

Animal print tights used to be a girl thing. That trend seems to have extended to some guys now too.

Tapered Acid Wash Denim

 

Now, this was probably one of the most shocking comebacks I thought I would never see again. Stripping the color of the top layer of denim, acid wash jeans were sincerely hideous, but when I slipped into my skin-tight pair of acid-washed Guess jeans with zippers at the bottom, I was a rockstar. Can’t say I’m glad to see these again though.

Kid Bikes

 

Not sure how or why it is cool to ride around on your kid sister’s bike, but I’ve seen some of the baddest looking guys do it.

BMX

 

BMX will always be rad.

Peewee’s Bicylce

 

I know you are but what am I?  Unlike Peewee’s awesome bike, which could fly over rooftops, I’ve seen bikes like these being sold for over $600 with but one measly speed.

Keds

 

Now worn in white to better amass dirt.

 Converse

 

Reebok Freestyles

 

Let’s get physical.

Jellies

 

Snap-Crotch Bodysuits

 

Personally, I was never a fan of the wedgies I’d constantly tug at in snap-crotch bodysuits. Guess I’m alone on that one.

Parachute Pants

Parachute pants have been all the rage in Europe for at least five years and are slowly beginning to infiltrate the North American market. Perfect if you like the diaper look.

Cycling Shorts

 

I lived in cycling shorts, though I preferred the black neoprene ones with thick neon stripes running along the sides.

Adidas Tennis Shorts

 

Stirrup Pants

 

Any other 80’s fashions that have made a comeback, you can think of?