A frosty temperature is no excuse, pt. II

Rule #1:
Wear clothing that is fitted, fitted, fitted. Not tight, but fitted.

The surest way to lose body heat, I've found, is to either leave certain sensitive bits exposed to the elements (obviously) or to wear clothing with breezy, open hems, cuffs and necklines that allow the cold air to seep in and up your body, drafty-door style. Women who make the mistake of not wearing tights in 40 degree weather know all too intimately what I mean by the term, "ladychute freeze." The most obvious solution is also the most effective -- insulate yourself. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting you head to the thermal underwear section of the nearest Eddie Bauer outlet - not at all - but I am recommending at some level within your preferred layering, whether you're a onesie like myself, a twosie like most or a threesie or foursie Olsen-twin type, you must keep at least one slim-to-the-body upper and lower protective layer.

My favorite insulating fabrics are thick, wool-jersey knits, finely-gauged merino wools, heavy tweeds and silk-cashmere blends, all of which are cozily warm, soft to the skin, and when purchased in the correct size, skim the body in an extremely flattering way. The downside, however, is that none of these are likely to be on the right side of the sale-rack before the post-Christmas markdowns. My advice is to invest in a few high-quality basics in neutral colors that can be mixed and matched into several can't-wait-to-wear ensembles. Poly-blend may be $100 cheaper than silk-cashmere, but that savings certainly won't help stop your teeth from chattering as you walk the eight blocks from the Eastern Market Metro to your English basement apartment on East Capitol Street. If you're intern making $25K/year before taxes, fine, do what you have to do, but if you're a young professional making a reasonably good salary, there is no reason not to invest in your wardrobe. In the end, a pair of well-cared-for Theory trousers that makes it through four Winters is going to be a more financially sound purchase than two or three one-season-shots from Filene's Basement.

Recommendations:

'Marta' pencil skirt by DvF ($255 at dvf.com)

Merino turtleneck sweater dress by Ann Taylor ($148 at anntaylor.com)

'Romy' tweed trousers by Elie Tahari ($147.90 at saks.com)

Draped turtleneck sweater by Façonnable ($175 at nordstrom.com)

Rule #2:
Wear thick, footless tights (or leggings) under all your trousers and jeans

This is an easy, universally accessible and relatively inexpensive way to insulate yourself from the cold. Other garments, the aforementioned thermals, for example, are much too thick - and for DC weather, much too extreme - for our purposes. An undetectable, under-the-covers opaque tight, on the other hand, is a perfect way to keep wearing your wide-legged trousers without the downside of inviting wind gusts up your stems each time you take a step.

And then, of course, there's the added "slimming" benefit control-top tights afford you...

My preferred footless tights are from Spanx, namely because they last so long and come in so many varieties, but truth be told, to serve the basic insulation function, any brand willl do.

Recommendations:

High-Falutin' Footless by Spanx ($28 at spanx.com)

Footless tights by Sparkle & Fade (two for $20 at urbanoutfitters.com)

Footless tights by HUE (two for $17.50 at hue.com)

Velvet leggings by Wolford ($14.90-$38 at saks.com)

*the second installment of this post to come tomorrow...