Dress Your Best in a Polar Vortex

          With the freezing weather upon us midwesterners, it is time to layer up and bundle up. Layering for warmth can be a major struggle, not because it is difficult to layer, but because it is difficult to not feel like the Michelin Tire Man. Scratch that, it is hard to escape feeling like a jumbo size marshmallow or an overstuffed, Chipotle burrito.

          But if you have the right layering techniques, you can dress your best in any polar vortex. 

         The first step is to make sure you are wearing long boots. The longer the boots, the warmer you are going to be. 

With these brown +Steve Madden boots, or any long boots, you can pair them with long socks or leg warmers for extra warmth.
 I paired my +Hunter Boots socks with my black, Chooka rain boots. These socks are comfortable, affordable and warm. If you plan on buying hunter boots, think twice. You can save your money, by buying a generic brand of rain boots—that work just the same—and buy the socks. The Hunter socks are $30, and Chooka boots are a little more than that. If those prices do not sell you, I do not know what will. 

Now pay attention closely, this is where the anti-burrito tips come in. If you want to look chic and warm, pair a vest with your favorite sweater. My vest is by Laura Scott, and you can find them at +Sears  for $15. To finish off the look, add a pair of stylish gloves.  +Urban Outfitters  is a great place to look for unique and stylish gloves. 

For additional warmth, add an infinity scarf. Make sure not to double loop it, because the collar on the vest is already prominent.

Warning: Double looping may cause you to turn into a burrito, and we do not want that. 

We all love our leather jackets, but during the winter they are not an option. They simply are not warm enough (blah blah blah). We always tell ourselves this, but you can do it. Amanda has come to the rescue to show you the right way to wear them. 

Remember that comfy sweater from before? Throw that on, put a flannel over it, and your leather jacket is now an option. You can even add a beanie to accomplish a grungy look.

Now there is no reason your leather jacket should be hidden away in your closet. 

Once you follow these simple techniques, 99.9% of the time you will not look like that overstuffed burrito. The other .1% are the days, where it is simply too cold to attempt to look chic. But it is important to not let your wardrobe get sucked in winter's dull and dreary black hole. Just because the warm weather has given up, does not mean your outfits should too. When we look good, we feel good, and we can kick winter's butt right out the door when we stop using it as an excuse.

Photos by +Alicia Avellaneda