Beating the Cold During Winter Appearances

One of the occupational hazards of being a titleholder in New York is making appearances during our cold winters! Over time I have learned a few tips for staying warm and still managing to look very put together! Here are some of my favorite tips, clothing items, and accessories.

Staying warm during a parade during my year as Miss Westchester 2012

My basic setup for winter appearances is simple: I layer a "warm gear" sweatshirt over a thermal shirt. I tuck the thermal shirt into "warm gear leggings." I wear fur lined boots with a slight heel, and then put a dress coat over everything. The dress coat is fashionable and appearance-appropriate--you can't even tell that I'm wearing all exercise clothing underneath!

Lululemon Speed Tight *Tech Fleece - These aren't the exact pair that I wear. Mine are actually two years old! That is why I can highly recommend them, in spite of the high price. They're incredibly warm and mine still look brand new. The tech fleece lining really makes a difference and keeps the bitter cold wind from being too biting.

Thermal Sweatshirt - Make sure you choose a specially-designed thermal sweatshirt for sports. Fleece will keep you pretty warm, but I find the thermal sweatshirts to be a bit warmer. They're also more breathable. Even when it's cold, you can work up a sweat and don't want to feel clammy. The sweatshirt I wear is from Under Armour, and I picked it up on a great sale at Dick's Sporting Goods. It was less than $30!

The piece that ties it all together? A fun jacket like this! I love jackets with a defined waist. I've had great luck finding pieces like this at the end of the winter season for a bargain. My favorites include a winter white pea coat with ruffles (classic!), a sleek dark pink coat (fun!), and a black and white tweed jacket with a hood (great for the colder days!). 

Knit Infinity Scarves - A good collection of scarves will help to get you through a winter full of appearances! Classic red (Christmas, Valentine's Day) and green (Christmas, St. Patrick's Day) will serve you well while keeping you cozy.

180s Ear Warmers - These keep your ears warm, but still allow you to wear your crown during winter appearances. My pair even features tiny rhinestones for a bit of extra sparkle. I picked them up at Kohl's and have had the same pair for years. They're very durable!

Leg Warmers - Leg warmers are one of my favorite winter accessories because you can pair them with both dresses and pants. When you match them with high boots, they are barely visible, but you can feel the warmth! I've been rocking my Pure Barre pair lately because of my exercise addiction, but there are SO many different styles and colors out there to try.

The following pictures are old, but I'm looking forward to making more winter memories as Miss Empire Star without freezing in the process!

I hope these tips were helpful for you!