6 Practical Ways to Prepare for Winter

Well, it seems we’ve skipped right over Fall and are in full blown Winter here in New York City. I’ve lived here for 12 years and I’m still never quite prepared for the unexpected switch from Summer to Fall. It was literally 80 degrees one day and 55 degrees two days later. I spent 6 hours last Sunday switching over my Spring/Summer clothing to my Fall/Winter clothing. I’m now left with 11 large sized laundry bags of stuff I need to donate immediately and lower back pain. I also did a clean sweep through everything I own and decided what to donate and throw away. Yall, I pulled out a pair of cheerleading shorts from 2001 and I knew I was doing life wrong. My closet is now so much more organized and now I have a more refined inventory of clothing that I actually wear. So I’ve listed a few easy ways to prepare for colder weather seasons and of course the closet sweep comes in at the top of the list.

CLOSET SWEEP

Right now, yes right now, is the perfect time to go ahead and switch out those Spring/Summer clothes for Fall/Winter clothes. Take stock of everything you own and if you haven’t worn it in a year, go ahead and donate it or throw it away if it’s falling apart, is ripped or has holes. It’s refreshing to start with a fresh wardrobe and see what you actually have. I re-found so many great things in my wardrobe and also made a ton of space by donating gently used pieces. Now that I know what I have, I know exactly what I need to invest in. If you have a lot of luxury or designer items that you no longer love, make some money by listed them on The Real Real,(here’s $25 credit to shop and they also give you a Giftcard for upwards of $100 when you cosign 10 items), Poshmark or Vestiaire Collective to make some serious cash. I’ve made well over a few thousand dollars cosigning 10 items every season with The Real Real. They also make it super easy by doing pickups too. 

INVEST IN COLD WEATHER ACCESSORIES

It never fails, every Winter I lose my favorite skully, or scarf or gloves. Nothing is worse than walking along with the wind howling at your ears, freezing your nose and hands off in 30 degree temperatures. I love a good neutral beanie that’s wide enough to throw over my large havana twists or afro. A knitted cap is a little thicker so provides more warmth. My favorite scarves can pass as a down comforter. The softer and thicker it is the better. I’m also a huge fan of circle scarves that can be wrapped around my neck and head for double the warmth. Speaking of warmth, a great pair of gloves goes a long way, whether they are stylish and chic or just basic enough to get the job done. Last year, thankfully I partnered with Kelvin Tech Styles who provided me with a stylish heather grey self warming coat. I LOVE THAT COAT and have worn it faithfully on any day less than 50 degrees. Oh speaking of tech accessories for winter, hand warmers are definitely worth the investment. An honorable mention goes to my favorite super durable pair of UGG boots that are ultra warm, track well in snow and are water proof. 

GET INTO HEAT TECH CLOTHING

I touched on this a bit in the above section but there are plenty of ways to look chic and stay warm. I’m heavily invested in Uniqlo’s HeatTech Collection which generates heat from your body. I absolutely love their long sleeve teeshirts for everyday workwear during the Fall and Winter.  They are less than $15 and come in every color, so I stock up on them every Fall and they get me through Winter fabulously. They also have heat tech leggings that are thin enough to wear under your jeans (also less than $15 so I buy 4 pair every Winter). They also have the chicest heat tech turtlenecks to help bring your Summer dresses seamlessly into Fall & Winter. 

MOISTURIZE YOUR SITUATION

Unless you don’t mind turning into a scaly, ashy mess and attempting to emerge as a snake instead of a butterfly this Spring, I’d suggest you heavily moisturize daily in the Winter. Stay ready, so you don’t have to get ready, Right?! For my body I love an indulgent body cream and the Truffes Blanches Dibble Body Cream from & Other Stories smells amazing and gets my skin right. Another favorite to protect me from level 10 Ashiness is Diptyque Rose Rich Butter.  Last but not least is the classic Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Hydrating Lotion with Frankincense & Myrrh. It’s specifically made for dry skin and is perfect for New York winters. For moisturizing my face I use only two products: Chuda Healing Hydrating Cream and Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre. Both are amazing for cold weather seasons and instantly plump, hydrate and soften delicate facial skin including under eye and neck skin. 

Photography by Rose Lazard || Editing by Monroe Steele

GET THE LOOK

Na-Kd Sweater | BlankNYC Faux Leather Pants | & Other Stories Two-Tone Booties | JW Pei Vegan Bag | Annie Costello Brown Earrings | Bobbi Brown Lip in Burnt Cherry


CHANGE UP YOUR SPACE

Fall is beautiful with the changing leaves and colors but Winter is pure devastation and brutalness. Everything is bare. Everything is cold and dank. Can you sense my strong dislike of Winter? LOL. That’s why I tend to brighten my space in Winter with colorful throws and decorative textured pillows for my couch. I also invest in greenery. A bright and lively house plant goes a long way when everything outside is dead. This is the time when I go crazy with amazing smelling candles like these crackling candles from Woodwick and these extravagant and ultra decadent candles from Byredo and Diptyque. I also usually invest in a new comforter for my bed. I know I’ll be spending more time in my apartment and want it to smell fresh, new and comfortable until Winter is over. 

CONQUER YOUR TO-DO LIST

The time for procrastination is over. There are merely two months left in the year. It’s time to buckle down and cross off all the things on those to-do lists for the year and start fresh in 2019. Who really wants to enter the New Year with a mile-long list of things to do? I’m spending the rest of the year putting together Fashion Steele Magazines next issue which drops in January as well as fortifying my workout routine so that my summer body will be ready by April. I also need to get my passport renewed because ya girl loves to travel and it expires next year. It’s also a great time to plan your travel for the upcoming year! Thank goodness my list is pretty short but all of these things involve some work and effort. Go ahead and get started and be done by Christmas so you can sail easy into 2019 ready to start working on new goals. 

What are some things you do to prepare for Fall & Winter?

SHOP ALL MY WINTER ESSENTIALS

Need the perfect moisturizer, booties, sweater or coat for Winter? I’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you need.

xx

Monroe

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2 Comments

  1. October 22, 2018 / 10:55 am

    New Yorkers never seem to have a real spring or autumn. It’s either hot or cold. What can we do. Btw, I luuu…uuvveee those booties

    • monroesteele
      Author
      October 22, 2018 / 1:47 pm

      Haha I’m still never prepared. Thanks for reading and has I’m in love with these booties as well. & Other Stories has some great cold weather options too.

      x
      Monroe

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