The Final Countdown: Cold Weather Provisions

This weekend I kind of panicked. It was the first snowfall of the season here in Columbus. The air was getting quite a bit colder than it has been yet, during this otherwise fairly tame December. I found relief by finding my car, jumping in, and cranking the heat! And, as I shivered in my thin, wool trench coat, I realized that in less than two weeks, my main mode of transportation will be these two legs. With some trips on the Subway in between, of course. But, for the most part, I'll be gallivanting around NYC on foot. I am waaay too cheap to spend money on a taxi, unless it's extremely late, and I don't know where the heck I am. Plus, if anyone's seen this movie, taxiing alone seems like a much less attractive option than just waiting for a train with plenty of strangers nearby...or walking with plenty of strangers nearby.

And while I constantly obsess over outwear, like in this popular post, none of it is very practical for extended periods of time navigating between wind-tunnel-esque buildings. I also have quite an affinity for shoes, however none of them are winter-weather-proof either. When I showed a few of my NYC friends some of my outerwear a few months ago, they looked at me and said, "Great. Where's your Winter coat?" That's when I realized that I was going to have to nudge fashion slightly to the side and figure out a way to find some winter gear that wasn't going to leave me dying of exposure in an alley like The Little Match Girl. So, after a weekend of trying on probably 50 different coats, I finally bit the bullet and invested in a puffy coat from Eddie Bauer, even though I was morally against wearing a ski jacket in New York. (I have a weird aversion to wearing tourist-type clothing in NYC, like ski jackets or athletic sneakers, or fanny packs...well, that all depends on the fanny pack...) I found a few things that will make Winter a little warmer, while not totally sacrificing style.

1  Lodge Down Parka in Silver from Eddie Bauer. It's water-resistant, long enough to keep the wind out, and the tag says it's good for temperatures from zero to twenty degrees...any warmer, and you'll be too hot!
2  White Touch Gloves from Target. These are touch-screen friendly, so you can text all you want without your fingers freezing to your iPhone.
3  Pendleton Patterned Wool Scarf from Farfetch.com. I am currently coveting this ultra-warm scarf. And digging the Native American pattern as well.
4  These Recycled Yarn Boot Socks from American Apparel are super warm and comfy. Perfect for insulating those boots!
5  I picked these Herringbone Boots up a while ago from Target. They keep the water out, which I'm told is pretty important. And the rubber will repel those nasty salt stains that find their way onto your suede boots. I fully plan to change shoes once I get to work...which I assume is fairly standard.

I have no idea if these provisions will work out for me, but I will certainly let you know how it goes! I arrive in NYC in 11 days, whether it rains, snows, hails or sleets. I just hope I'll be prepared for anything!