Trapped!

Every winter in NYC, I make a pact with myself to move south -- which I inevitably break after spending a significant period of time there during the Holiday Season.  I know I'd be bored to tears.  The ideal situation would be to have the means to travel to a warm place at the drop of a hat.  Since, unfortunately, that is not my reality and I'm trapped, I just have to tough it out and bundle up!

I won't be taking a trip anytime soon...

I guess I will ice skate at Rockefeller Center

An appropriate coat is key and of course, gloves.  Being that we lose a lot of heat (80% is a myth) through our head, it's really important to cover it in some way.  I've said before that I do not have a "hat head," so I have tried hoods, earmuffs and fleece headbands.  Not my style.  I've been kind of obsessed with trapper hats for a long time now, but I see very few people who actually look good in these functional and fashionable head ornaments.  I'm not one of them.  I have, what I like to call, a "pinhead" therefore, most hats just swallow me up and hang down over my eyes.  The trapper hat is no exception.  And with it's massive top and giant ear flaps, I look even more ridiculous.

gorgeous model "working" the trapper hat

Source: Fur Hat World

Joey Ramone is a pinhead too!!

Still, I won't give up.  One day, I will find the perfect trapper hat and I'll be thrilled.  I may have to shop in the children's section, but I'll never tell.  Although, that wouldn't be as embarrassing as Samantha's "mini boyfriend" she had for a couple of weeks who shopped in the boys department -- talk about a deal breaker!

Dialog from Sex And The City -- Season 3 Episode 2 "Politically Erect"

Samantha: I'm not feeling very well. I've got to go. Goodnight.

Jeff: Wait, I'll take you.

Samantha: I'm not really sick. Look, Jeff. I can’t do this. It's not a very good idea. I don’t want to lead you on.

Jeff: Lead me on? You came five times the other night.

Samantha: It's not really that...

Jeff: Then, what? What happened in the past five minutes?

Samantha: You shop at the boy's department.

Jeff: So, what? The clothes fit me better, plus they're cheaper. Where do you shop, the big and tall whore store?

Samantha: You're nothing but a big dick with a little man attached.

Jeff: You're nothing but a big pair of tits with too much extra leg room.

Surprisingly, Samantha had found what she was really looking for. And it had nothing to do with size.

Somebody get me a booster chair.

She'd found a man who made her laugh. They dated for two weeks. Though he was short, it was a long relationship for Samantha.

 

So, now that I've gotten completely off the subject... where were we?  Ah, trapper hats.  Not only do you have to worry about the fit, but quality is another issue.  I'm not exactly pro-fur since I am an animal lover and member of several animal protection foundations, but I have to say that real fur looks the best when it comes to these hats.  Just be sure that it's not rat fur a la George Costanza's Russian "sable-esque" hat he purchased on the street.  OK... I'm clearly watching too much TV!

 

George rocks his Russian "rat hat"

"ratty" looking faux fur trapper hat - maybe it had previously been road kill?

Source: Zappos

Puffers

We've only had two days in January above the freezing mark here in Manhattan and although temperatures are supposed to warm up slightly for the weekend, I know it will be short-lived.   I'm a warm weather and sunshine kind of gal, but a Manhattanite through and through.  So, I just suck it up and tough it out every winter complaining every step of the way!  I generally spend as much time as possible inside during the months of January and February.  Mornings are particularly difficult.  When I feel the cool air on my arm as I stretch for the snooze button (which I've resolved to only hit twice!), I feel like I would sell my soul in exchange for spending the day wrapped in my cozy comforter. 

Fashion takes a bit of a back seat (only slightly) during this time of year because I basically live in my puffy jacket for eight weeks.  On one hand, this is a good thing.  Since I'm covered down to my ankles, it almost doesn't matter what I've got on underneath if I'm just running around town doing errands and such.  But, on the other hand I have a hard time (as do most of you, I'm sure) wearing the same jacket for TWO MONTHS!  I need options, dammit.

Norma Kamali shawl collar puffer

Luckily, Norma Kamali offers a variety of posh puffy jackets. While on a camping trip in 1975, Ms. Kamali came up with her most famous design, the "sleeping bag" coat.  She realized how cozy it was to wrap a huge sleeping bag around her at all times -- not unlike the way I feel snuggled in my comforter every morning.  Stay warm darlings!