'Face the Cold Front'

December in Central Park

The flurries and near-freezing temperature struck as I reached the top of the escalators at the World Trade Center Path station. I let out a deep groan. The first sighting of snow and the 33-degree chill was what I expected to be only the beginning for New York City.

“I am not dressed for this weather,” I said to myself.

I turned to see one commuter pass by wearing a puffy parka. Another commuter carried an umbrella, as if an umbrella would stave off the chaotic flurries thanks to New York’s wind tunnels.

An umbrella wasn’t what I needed, I thought, but I definitely needed to rethink the jersey dress and sheer black tights that I was wearing.

As I braced myself for the windy walk up Hudson Street, I made a mental list of some must-have winter accessories:

Snow boots that can withstand snow, sleet and rain

Starting from the toe up

Come the New Year, those sleek and sophisticated leather boots purchased in the beginning of the season will start to look faded and worn. Melted snow and salt will be the major cause of the damage.

My best advice?

Carry your nice pair of boots separately and wear them only indoors during bad weather. Invest in a pair of boots made especially for snow. You’ll get a lot more use out of your “real boots” and save loads on trips to the shoe repairman.

C.P. Company mittens ward off the cold

The Perfect Pair

It surprises me how anyone could ever go through the entire winter season without gloves. Unless you want dry, crackly hands this holiday season, your best bet is to get a good set of gloves. Knit or cashmere, long or short, plain or embellished, mittens or gloves, the perfect pair is just around the corner.

For those that have a history of always losing a glove, opt for mittens that string together (see above C.P. Company gloves).

**More must-have winter accessories in the next post.

-S. Gonzalez

*Photo courtesy of flickriver; bloomingdales.com; yoox.com