With the freezing cold temperatures, layering sweatshirts on top of more sweatshirts is usually the move. However, layering isn’t always the most comfortable, let alone stylish. There’s no doubt bundling up makes us crave warm summer days, but there are ways to look forward to the cold days with a few simple tricks.
Photo from ccbeanie.com
1. Hats
Hats are the best way to dress up a boring outfit and are perfect for those bad hair days when you just ran out of dry shampoo. The best thing about hats is that in the winter you can get away with wearing a baseball cap, but VALLEY suggests wearing beanie style hats, especially the hats with pom-poms on it.
“I love wearing my pom-pom hats because it not only keeps my ears and head warm, but when I wear it I feel super trendy,” says Lainie Purugganan, a freshman biology major.
Here in State College, you have the benefit of having local boutiques and shops right downtown making it easy to go find dainty hats at stores like Metro, Collections and People’s Nation.
2. Snow Boots
Photo from sperry.com
Snow boots tend to be bulky, but at a school where it’s snowing every other day, they are definitely a necessity. There are other alternatives to your basic Sorel boot. Nothing against the brand, because they are known for their warmth, but they tend to be bulkier than what the State College weather calls for.
Brands like Ugg, Coach, Timberland and Sperry have created lightweight boots that make it easy to trek in the snow and make your feet warm without feeling like you have weights in your shoes.
“I love my Sperry bean boots because they’re super lightweight, stylish and get the job done in the rain and the snow,” says Ally Grill, a freshman majoring in speech pathology.
Photo from hm.com
3. Fingerless gloves
The name might throw you off, but fingerless gloves that have the attachable mittens are great for the cold weather because you’ll easily be able to use your phone without the hassle of taking them off. There are also gloves that have the “finger pad” on the pointer finger and thumb, but they tend to work slowly and not as efficiently.
Hallie Horowitz, a freshman nursing major says, “My fingerless gloves keep the majority of my hands warm, but my fingertips tend to get cold super easily. On the plus side, they allow me to use my phone and listen to music walking to class.”
Photo from macys.com
4. Fleece-lined leggings
Fleece-lined leggings will keep your legs warm in lieu of double layering leggings or sweatpants. Similar to sweats, they’re fuzzy on the inside, yet still super thin so they don’t feel like you’re wearing more than your average pair of leggings.
“I heard that McLanahan’s has these leggings and that they actually work. In fact, all of my friends bought them for the homecoming parade and were so much warmer than me while walking down College Ave,” says freshman Sami Tattoli.
Photo from shop.lululemon.com
5. Knee-Length Jackets
No matter the temperature, jackets that are hip length most definitely won’t keep you warm in Happy Valley in the dead of winter. Jackets that are just above the knee will keep your upper body warm, so you don’t have to layer up on bulky, itchy sweaters. If you tend to pass up on taking the blue or white loops to class, they protect your thighs from getting chilly.
With these five simple pieces, you’ll spice up your winter look in no time and feel warmer without the uncomfortable feeling of layering!
