HOW TO: Style snow clothes

Stylish snow clothes: now there’s a conundrum. For most of us, when we think snow clothes, we think Randy from “A Christmas Story,” bundled up from head to toe in puffy winter clothes, looking like a giant marshmallow, unable to even put our arms down. Not exactly the image we want when we go skiing.

It can be hard to look attractive in snow clothes, that’s for sure.

But is it impossible?

Of course not! Everyone has heard of snow bunnies. Cute girls bundled up from head to toe, hitting the slopes and looking great while they do it. Winter in Michigan is great for sledding, skiing and all sorts of other outdoor adventures and just because you’re bundled up from head to toe doesn’t mean you can’t look cute. The key is to stick to neutral colors for your big pieces. Coats, snow pants and boots should all be pretty basic. White, black, blue and red are all great colors that will allow accessories to pop without making you look like a plaid marshmallow.

However, patterned pants and patterned coats can be fun, so if you like plaid, go for it! Just make sure you keep it to one piece, pants or coat, so it doesn’t overwhelm your ensemble. You should only have one or two patterned pieces in your snow outfit to keep it from being too much.

The best way to incorporate pattern into your snow clothes (also one of the best ways to look cute in the great outdoors) is through accessories. Hats, scarves, gloves, mittens- the sky is the limit. Snow accessories are sold everywhere and are available in every style and color imaginable. They are also very cheap, making it possible to have multiple sets of hats and gloves and switch it up for different outings. Striped scarf on Monday, polka dot mittens on Thursday and a snowboarder hat on Saturday, just because you can.

Staying cheap and colorful with your accessories makes it possible for you to splurge on the bigger, more important pieces needed for cold weather.  A thick coat and warm snow pants are essential for any snow bunny. It doesn’t matter how cute you look- if you’re freezing, you won’t last long enough for anyone to appreciate your cute outfit. Fashion might be all about how you look, but when it comes to cold weather clothes you need to consider functionality as well.

Look for a thick, warm coat when you do your shopping and stick to something neutral. It might sound boring, but winter staples like coats, pants and boots don’t usually run cheap. Buying a neutral base means you can wear it for years without losing an ounce of style. You can stylize it with patterned accessories that are cheap to buy and easy to replace from year to year without breaking the bank.