GUYS - It has been so dang cold lately!

All I have wanted to do is wear cozy sweaters, put on my fuzzy socks, and stay in bed under the covers. Like, I have seriously been having the HARDEST time getting out of bed in the morning because it is just so cold! I know, I know.. I’m a California baby and to all of you out there going through that arctic freeze or being snowed in right now, I sound like a wimp lol, but I know my Sacramento peeps are with me.

Regardless of where you are in the world, when temps drop below the usual you reach for the warmest stuff you have. Thinking about the coats we wear to stay warm during the winter, who out there can think of a time when they didn’t feel like a walking marshmallow after getting all bundled up? Yeah, me either.

I don’t know about you, but not often when I’m done layering on tops, sweaters, and jackets do I feel sleek, stylish, or confident. Usually I just feel bulky, chubby, and well, like a marshmallow. I’m warm granted, so the job’s done... But warm doesn’t always equal confident. I call this the marshmallow effect.

Have you ever found yourself shedding all the extra layers you piled on, sacrificing their warmth, just because the extra bulk made you feel self conscious and insecure? I’ve definitely been there!

There’s been times when I was so self-conscious about how big I looked in my gigantic puffy coat that I chose to shiver instead. I mean, how foolish! I’m sure I ended up giving a worse impression with “BURR” on the brain than I would have being husky (‘cause let’s be honest - no one was judging me on that but me) But in the moment, I was desperate to do what I needed to do to stop myself from thinking about how bad I felt I looked.

Feeling better about the way I looked rather than being warm is a sacrifice that I can understand could be looked at as vein.. but I don’t think anyone should hold those feelings against themselves, especially when you consider internal dialogues and the adverse effects self-conscious feelings can have on the situation and on the person.

Feeling insecure can lead someone to talk down on themselves in their internal dialogue, which can have way worse adverse effects than a little bit of a chill. You might take a little while to warm up, but it’ll take a while longer to rebuild your confidence for the day. Plus, when you are feeling so self-conscious that all you can think about is how uncomfortable you are in your clothes, you are unable to fully focus and give your attention to what it is you are doing or who you’re with. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, because it’s so true. So, don’t judge yourself if you care a lot about the way you look in that coat girl. It’s because you care about putting your best foot forward, for your confidence’s sake.

Okay. All of that being said - I want to go back to when I pointed out that it was foolish to kibosh the coat all together. That’s not the right choice because we never have to live in a one-or-the-other kind of world when it comes to fashion. We can be warm & cute. We just have to figure out where that happy medium lies or compromise!

Confident in my scarf and beanie combo, December 2018

Confident (but still a marshmallow LOL!) in all my layers, NYC March 2018

Grey Calvin Klein puffer coat mentioned above

Marshmallow Christina in NYC, March 2018

Marshmallow Christina in Humboldt County, February 2018

Confident in my puffer jacket at Lake Tahoe, January 2019

Needless to say - shopping for a coat that makes me feel confident and doesn’t lead to the marshmallow effect is hard. How does one tackle cold weather cute? You’ve probably gathered by now that shopping for winter coats with me is tons of fun… ha ha. I am one picky chick. BUT, in my defense… since now that I’ve learned the marshmallow effect can be avoided by putting in some work, I know it’s worth the extensive searches through the store for the perfect one! Through tons of shopping for coats that compromise, I’ve learned what to look for and I’ve picked up some fun tricks for alternative warmth.

The best way to avoid feeling like a marshmallow is to look for a winter coat that has some structure and shape. It’s all about the fit, baby. The belted trend is always going in and out, and I find myself to have mixed feelings about it.. but regardless of that it is a great, easy option when looking for ways to give yourself some shape in an over-sized coat. I can’t say that I always find a belted coat when doing my winter shopping, but it’s pretty frequent I do; so if you like that look I totally suggest you look for a coat in this style. The other option is to look for a coat that has tailored lines and cinches in around the waist to compliment your figure while keeping you warm. Puffer coats have grown increasingly popular in fashion in recent years, and I’ve noticed I started to like them despite how much I always said I would never. I realized it’s because I have seen designers start to create shape in these jackets now too! I felt super lucky when I found the grey Calvin Klein puffer jacket you see pictured in this post, because the waist section of the jacket has different sized puffs than every other portion of the jacket. This gives the waist some shape so that you aren’t lost inside the cozy fluff. It is warm and fashionable.

Another great trick for compromising cute & warm includes utilizing warm accessories like scarves, hats, and beanies. Of those options - scarves are totally my favorite. There are so many types and just so much you can do with each kind. My favorite part about scarves is that they help add a little something to plain outfits and can change the look entirely when paired just right. They aren’t super committal either, so if you are in and out of meetings all day they make a great alternative to a coat since they take up so little space should you need to take it off inside. Another reason I love scarves is because they can be used to cover up areas that you’re less confident in, in a way that doesn’t draw unwanted attention to them.

Beanies and hats are definitely more of a commitment than a scarf because taking it off will mean revealing your hat hair, but they can add some serious warmth to an outfit. When we visited New York last March, I made sure I paired a beanie or sport hat as an accessory to every outfit just for that reason (it helped that it made my outfits cuter too!) I couldn’t avoid the coat too in that situation, but the hat did save me from another layer on my shoulders. Oh! and it would be a shame to overlook the fact that hats are here for us on bad hair days, rain or shine. Though only really good for casual outfits, this benefit in addition to warmth can really make getting ready on cold mornings faster and easier. For me, hats were an unexpected accessory that I’m still getting used to seeing myself in, but I’m having fun using them to stay warm this winter!