Not to state the obvious, but winter is really fucking cold. Honestly there are days when I think “could global warming just speed up a bit so I don’t need to wear 5 layers to insulate my body?” Unfortunately nature never listens to me, and for 4 long months I am forced to retire my cute femme skirts and crop tops in favor of never letting my skin touch open air again.
I believe there are people out there in the world who are somehow resistant to the cold, either through magicks or amazing personal stamina. Just the other day I was on the bus, (wearing fleece-lined tights under my pants, a sweater, a flannel, a jacket, a hat and a scarf) when a woman boarded and sat down directly across from me, wearing tights, a pea coat, and flats. We got off at the same stop, and I saw her walk straight through a pile of snowy slush without wincing. Who was she? What powers does she have?
That being said, my approach to winter style is similar to my approach to interpersonal relationships: warmth is key. Here is a femme’s guide to winter style (and warmth):
Blanket Scarves:
True story: my mom got me a blanket scarf last Christmas and I thought it was too big to actually wear and ignored it until this year, when my roommate explained this style to me. YOU GUYS. The blanket scarf is everything you never knew you always needed.
Cover the maximum amount of skin possible while still looking cute and seasonal.
Fleece Lined Flannel:
My gf and I decided this November that the two year anniversary is the fleece-lined flanniversary and honestly it has changed my life. I know flannel is a stereotype, but with the right attitude, anything can be femme.
L.L. Bean sells some amazing fleece-lined flannels that are listed at $64 on the website, but I encourage you to sign up for email updates, because they send out coupons ALL THE TIME. If you hate emails but still want coupons, consider downloading the chrome extension Honey, which tells you about active coupons on any website you visit!
Fleece-lined flannel jeans:
It’s flannel-ception! Pants lined with flannel are warmer, softer, and overall cozier than regular pants. All the places that sell them have them styled with a cute rolled cuff and a splash of flannel color, but honestly, who is doing that in the cold?
These great pants come to you via Eddie Bauer, on sale now for $54.
Dickies and L.L. Bean also sell fleece-lined jeans for varying prices.
Leggings and Fleece-lined Tights:
Fleece-lined tights are perfect for every occasion, such as lining your pants for warmth, or those winter days when it’s juuust sunny enough to convince you that a skirt might be worth while. Leggings can fill this role too, just make sure they are actually keep warmth in! I know from experience, pleather leggings will just leave you with broke dreams and icicles for legs.
Shout out to my friend Meghan who told me about UNIQLO Heat Tech Leggings. They come in black, grey, and navy, as well as the really cute blue and the winter sweater style shown above.
Fleece-lined tights are pretty much everywhere, including Old Navy and Target, but be careful! A lot of them do not provide the same stretch as regular tights, and are cruel for those of us with big bellies who just want to hibernate in a warm cave for winter (Can queer women be bears too?) On this I will defer to the tights wisdom of XO Jane.
Hats etc:
Now that you have all the staples to keep you living in a soft flannel wonderland, you’ll need some sort of headgear to keep your ears from falling off. I lean into the beanie style, more for practical than aesthetic reasons (they don’t fall off my head) but there are so many options!
These creepy mannequins look SO WARM. The two above are from Etsy, and will run you between $30 and $35 but you can find cheaper at literally any store in the winter, although probably in lesser variety.
Earmuffs are also apparently making a comeback, and while I prefer something that covers my whole face, I am a strong admirer of those who rock this look. Find the first pair at Ann Taylor for $30 and the second at Last Call for $25.
Feminist Swag:
One of the troubles with winter is the inability to flaunt your feminist crops and tees, due to your need to layer. Worry no more, with any of the feminist sweatshirts from Feminist Apparel, your politics will be obvious to all!
These sweatshirts run up to a size 2XL and will cost you about $45, but again keep an eye out for frequent sales. Fun fact: Feminist Apparel is a non-profit dedicated to starting conversation about feminist issues. Woo!
That’s all I’ve got for today! I encourage you to scour your local thrift shop and get warm reusing some cozy clothes from years gone by. Bring retro coziness to the table this winter!
Do you have any great femme winter fashion tips? Share them in the comments and help Marnie keep cozy during this long long winter. Stay warm!
femme for femme 