How To Dress for and Survive When the Weather is All Over the Place

Happy Monday guys!  We’re currently in NJ spending a few days with my family, and I’m kiiiind of excited to get snowed in and spend some quality time in front of the fireplace, with a good book and tea!  Although, Tuesday is one of my days off (yay being a piano teacher and having a strange schedule…), and I’m a tad bummed because it always seems to snow on the days that I don’t work!  But oh well, I hope some of you get off!

While a day in will be great, I am SO ready for spring.  I’m pretty sure most of you are feeling the same way as well, just based on the comments I’ve been getting over on my Instagram. 😉  Not only am I ready for the freezing winter weather to leave, I’m ready for the up and down weather to end!  (Cue Katy Perry singing “you’re hot then you’re cold, you’re yes then you’re no, you’re in then you’re out, you’re up them you’re dowwwwn…” 😉 )   But since it seems like it’s going to be that way for a while, I’ve decided to compile my tips on how to best survive dressing for this up and down weather!  (Note, this is not how I will be dressing during the blizzard happening tomorrow & Wednesday, I will definitely have my winter gear on; it is how I survive dressing during most of March into April!)

1) Check the weather every. single. day.  This may sound like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many days I walk out of my apartment and realize I totally did not dress appropriately, or I hear someone at work complaining about it!

2) Treat this time of year like mid-to-late fall. When fall dressing comes to mind, layering is usually next, at least for me!  A lot of those layering tricks and pieces you used in the fall can be used now as well; and will be a lifesaver when you feel you’re too hot or cold!

3) Along those lines, avoid pieces that are really wintery or summery.  I try to stick to pieces that are middle of the road.  OTK boots could get really hot mid-day, just like sandals could be a bad choice once the sun goes down.  The same with turtlenecks vs. a sleeveless top.  I tend to reach for shoes like pumps or booties, to make sure I don’t end up uncomfortable!

4) Wear mostly cooler, lighter colors.  So while using your tips and some staples from fall is a really great way to survive this weather, most of us are ready for all things spring.  A way to look more ‘springy’ and avoid looking ‘fall-isa’ is to wear mostly cooler colors.  This isn’t to say you can’t wear any warm colors, but pairing a camel sweater with, say white pants, a burgundy skirt with a blush top, or olive (like I did here) with grey and black, helps keep you looking fresh and bright, without buying new layers in all spring colors!

5) When layering, opt for thinner layers.  Not only do thinner layers actually provide more warmth, when that is what you need, but they allow you to stay cool easily when you need to strip most of them off.  I tend to wear lighter sweaters, long sleeve blouses, and/or short sleeve blouses with a sweater, and skinny jeans on the bottom.

6) Always bring a coat and scarf!  This is not contradicting point 3 or 5, it’s just being prepared, and you don’t even have to wear either if you don’t need them.  But having a coat taking up an extra seat in your car or having to carry it home, is a much, much easier situation to deal with then being stuck in painfully freezing weather.  Plus, you never know when your car or public transporation could break down, and the nights can get really cold this time of year, even if it was on the warmer side during the day.  An umbrella is also a good idea!

How do you guys survive crazy, unpredictable weather??  Let me know in the comments you do any of these things, or if you have any other good tips I should know of!

-Laurelle