How To Survive Winter In NYC

If you’re like most inhabitants of the Big Apple, you’re originally from somewhere else. For many, that “somewhere else” entails humidity levels that can alter hair to unrecognizable levels of poufdom and/or winters that don’t start until early November. This thin-skinned North Carolinian learned the hard way that you can’t just move to New York in the thick of winter, during a blizzard, calling your pointy-toed suede booties your “winter shoes” and not end up curled in a ball crying tears which quickly convert to ice daggers in the northeastern subzero temperatures. OK, so that last part may be an exaggeration but it was very much like that inside my head, where I was forced to retreat out of shock until about May.

Here are a few tips to ensure that mean old man winter doesn’t kick your piña-colada loving ass:

Apparel

Bundle up, for Pete’s sake! Although this may seem obvious, this concept took me an embarrassingly long time to fully grasp. When dressing to go outside in 30 degree weather, less is not more. If you think that sliver of neck your scarf leaves uncovered won’t matter, think again. And for the ladies out there, make sure your bra straps aren’t loose when you do aforementioned bundling up. I say this because there is NOTHING worse than feeling one strap gradually sliding down your shoulder, then shocking yourself to your heated core when the icicle that is your finger comes jabbing through twelve layers of puffy coat and sweater to fix it