Fall and Winter Must Haves
How to stay warm when you aren’t in scrubs.
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Fall view over the Eagle River Nature Center. Photo credit: Michael O’Brien, my amazing father.Fall has officially hit in the lower 48, and up here in Alaska, winter is upon us. Seriously, it was 25 degrees the other day. Talk about being happy I have remote car start on my vehicle. For those of you who are traveling to more northern climates, the weather is for sure going to be turning chilly. Even though I wear the same three sets of plain black scrubs at work, when I’m out and about, I want to look cute. This is not a fashion blog. However, I do want to make some recommendations for your trip to the great white north or whatever northern climate your travels may take you.
Black and White photo taken of Denali National Park during our Alaska Railroad adventure. Click here to read about our trip!For those of you who know me personally, you may know that I have been using a capsule wardrobe system for several years now. It really came out of necessity when my husband moved in, and I realized that I couldn’t take up all three closets in the house with my clothes anymore. Before I was in the medical field, I worked retail. As you can imagine, I accrued a substantial amount of clothing items. When you are unpacking the trucks, everything is available in your size and you get super good discounts on the clothes you are selling. It doesn’t help that certain retailers will give you a clothing allowance to buy said clothes. As such, I had way too many clothes in my closet. To fit three closets full of clothes into one closet, I decluttered and adapted a capsule wardrobe. When I made the decision to become a travel RT, the capsule wardrobe system really helped me narrow down what I want to bring with me. Having core basics that I can then fill in with a few season specific items is a great system when you have limited space in your suitcase. I’m not going to tell you which specific items you should buy as style is highly personal and you should follow your heart when it comes to the pieces you pick. But, I am going to give you a guide to make good choices, good WEATHER APPROPRIATE choices.
A good coat will keep you warm and dry on rainy days. The coat in the picture is perfect for a day spent in Whittier, one of the wettest places in Alaska.Outerwear Basics
I shouldn’t have to go into too much detail with this category. Hats, gloves, scarves, boots, coats… what more info do you need? I have found that a chunky knit hat is a necessity when it comes to fall and winter dressing. In the fall, it’s cute with an oversized sweater and boots. In the winter, it’s functional and lets you keep your ears and head toasty warm. I prefer a slouchy style, but pick one that you think is adorable and wear it. Click here for a slouchy winter hat in the style I like mine. For me, glove choices are pretty easy. I like a hobo glove style so that I can still have use of my fingers, but then I can cover them with gloves when I’m cold. This is what I like to wear. A cute scarf will help keep your neck warm, but lately I have been really enjoying the use of gaiters. They aren’t as bulky as scarves, and they are super easy to pull up over your nose and mouth when the temperatures drop, or you are spending a lot of time outside trying to get that perfect Aurora Borealis picture. I have this one, but feel free to shop around for one you may like better. As always, I keep backups of all of these accessories in my vehicle. In some places, it can be a long time before you can get help and you will be happy to have extras when the temperature drops.
Coats
To me, coats fall under two different categories; functional and warm, or cute and short-term. Functional coats are absolutely a must if you plan on being outside for long periods of time. They keep you much warmer than the other type of coats, but they may not be the most attractive. Personally, if I’m left stranded in temps in the negatives, I want a substantial coat to make it through. The warm and functional coat that I have is this one from Carhartt, but there are plenty of good brands out there. Coats from the cute and short-term category are good for being fashionable, and walking from the car to the store/restaurant/indoor destination. I have a couple of these for when I want to go out with the husband, and will not be outside for very long. Again, fashion items are personal preference, but I would go for one like this. It has classic lines, and is long enough to cover most of your legs.
Layering like this will help keep you warm in the fall/winter time. Though, ripped jeans will be less warm than non-ripped jeans. Photo Credit: @dannygLong Sleeve Turtlenecks
In the summer time, I prefer to wear cotton t-shirts, but when winter hits, I like a nice long sleeve turtleneck. If you get one that is slimmer on the body, they can very easily layer with sweaters or button-downs. I have a specific color pallet I like to stick to, which makes mixing and matching easy. Since most of my sweaters/over shirts are black and cream, those are the color turtlenecks I stick to. I have one in cream, black, and white to round out my selection. I found this one from Duluth Trading Company to be incredibly comfortable as it has a high cotton content.
Warm layers are a necessity when you are out watching the sunset in the fall/winter time. Photo taken at Point Woronzof Park, looking towards the north toward the Alaska Mountain Range.Sweaters/Button-Down Shirts
Say it with me… sweater weather. While the style is up to you, I find that heavier, baggy sweaters are the best for warmth. The sweater I wear the most is this one from Organic Basics. I know that not everyone has the money to be throwing out one hundred and fifty bucks for one sweater, but since I wear it all the time, my cost per wear on this sweater is down in the three cent range. I have had this sweater going on three winters now, and it is still something you find me wearing multiple times a week. I also enjoy wearing oversized flannel shirts. Yes, flannel. I’m a Montanan, that’s just what we do. This shirt from Duluth Trading Company is thick and warm. It’s a great layering piece with the turtle neck I mentioned earlier. I also like this one from H&M. They are so cozy and will keep you warm when you are out and about.
This view is going to look vastly different in a few months when everything is covered in snow. Photo credic: Michael O’Brien, overlooking the Alyeska Ski Resort.
Bottoms
Jeans, trousers, skirts, and leggings are all good choices to bring with you on your trip. I typically bring many pairs of leggings because I use them to work out in, as well as layer under skirts, trousers, and jeans. They work as a great base layer and will keep you warm when you spend time outside. Skinny jeans are currently considered out of fashion, but I’m still going to wear mine with tall boots during the winter. Straight leg jeans look pretty good with short booties, and they are easy to wear leggings under due to their relaxed nature. I am a sucker for a faux-leather skirt, which is a great piece to wear when you are going out to dinner or want to look extra cute. I also recommend a longer, midi length style since it’ll be warmer than a mini.
You don’t want to miss out on spectacular views like this because your feet are cold. Make sure you have warm socks so you can enjoy Resurrection Bay in Seward, AK.Socks
If you asked my husband, he would tell you that my feet are cold year round. This is especially true during the winter time. Thick, cozy socks are a must for wearing around the house, and they are functional for when you are wearing tall boots. Personally, I like to wear the Darn Tough socks for everyday and hiking. They also come with a lifetime guarantee, so if you wear a hole into them, you just send them to the company, and they will send you a replacement pair. Highly recommend. You can click here for a link to their website.
A foggy day out on Mad Sally Lake.Whatever you want to do to dress for cooler weather, make sure it makes you feel good. Super cute options are always available, but for the super cold, I recommend you go for function over fashion. I am looking forward to this winter. My mission is to get some great northern lights and night time sky pictures. Luckily, I’ll have all winter long to figure it out so you don’t have to.
As always, happy traveling!
Kat