As the temperatures drop and we all give up our hopes of a mild winter, those of you new to the northeast may be wondering, what do I wear?! How do Vassar students manage to look hipster-trash chic while also not getting hypothermia!? Well don’t you worry your pretty little head—I’ve got your Vassar Winter Fashion Guide right here.
Do: Have one coat that looks hipster-hot and does absolutely nothing to keep you warm. You’ll need it until about February when you will actually turn into an icicle if you don’t pull out that giant puffy winter coat you surely own.
Don’t: Sacrifice your looks for warmth. Your appendages can take it.
Do: Wear leggings as pants. Comfort is imperative through this Arctic freeze and I’ll be the first one in line to tell you that leggings ARE pants. If you’re really worried, wear a long shirt, but I think we’re all past the time where we feared panty lines and camel toes. At least I am… #jadedsenior.
Don’t: Wear sweatpants to class. Again, your social standing is at risk here! Winter is where we separate the strong from the weak!
Do: Find your perfect winter lipstick. Something bright, but not too bright. Maybe a dark red or berry shade. Classic red is always good.
Don’t: Use MAC’s Ruby Woo. That’s mine.
Do: Again on makeup, wear it. We all look washed out and sickly, but that is no excuse for looking washed out and sickly! Pack that bronzer on! Perfect the winged eyeliner. Crying because the wind is so cold is no excuse for runny mascara.
Don’t: I mean, if you don’t like makeup, don’t wear it. These are just suggestions, tbh.
Do: Stock up on sweaters. This is a given. I can’t believe I have to write this one down for you!
Don’t: Think you can get by on your long sleeve t-shirts. We’re talking negative temperatures here. If you’re hard pressed for finding warmth, check out the Free and For Sale page. I’ve got some great stuff I’m selling. (Please buy it.)
Do: Wear hats, gloves, mittens, scarves, ski masks. All at once.
Don’t: Carry an umbrella when it’s snowing. You look FUCKING ridiculous.
Do: Form a relationship with the spider in your shower. Name them Trevor.
Don’t: Form a relationship with the cockroach in your kitchen. Have standards.
Do: Buy more boots than is actually necessary. You’ll be wearing them into late March, because despite that one week of warm weather we’ll get, winter is never over. I recommend you have a functional pair for when it snows and you have to ice skate to class, a cute pair that has a bit of traction for when you’re out on the weekend and want to look super hot but also not die, and a pair of Chelsea boots because fashion.
Don’t: Keep wearing your Converse. We all know your toes are freezing and you slipped like eight times on your way to class.
Do: Continue to wear dresses and skirts with tights. Once I got so sick of pants that I wore dresses for a good two weeks in below freezing temperatures. True bravery. Worship me.
Don’t: Wear shorts. Please, straight boys, we get it. Just don’t.
Comment editedHello Maddy, Loved your item on “Do’s and Don’t’s of Winter Fashion”. I have a niece from California that just moved to Spokane to attend Whitworth College and I’ve been trying to provide some fashion advice. Californians may have a sense of fashion…for California weather but they tend to be clueless when they move to a climate with weather extremes. (Californians are generally babies when it comes to weather. They can suffer through 36 months of drought and then it finally rains and everyone says “This is good, we need the rain.” but if it rains two days in a row they start griping “Geez, when is this rain gonna stop. My god!” [I grew up there so I can do a bit of California bashing] Honestly, if it’s under 68 degrees they’re freezing and if it’s over 72 they need the air conditioning on. Weird craziness.) anyhow, I’ll forward my young niece your article and hope it gives her some cold weather insight.
Keep up the good work.
Best,
Rob B Vogel