*Bonus* Sunday Blog - What to wear this winter,

I wanted to give everyone a complete outfit they can wear for the winter.  Let's start from the ground up with my favorite part, the shoes.  I know that I have already done a blog on these boots, but I just bought then and I wanted to recap.  Since most winters are cold and rainy, I would go with a waterproof boot or thick leather made to withstand harsh conditions.  I picked the Nike ACG Woodside Boot in British Tan/Gold, to me it looks like the type of boot you think about when trekking through the snow or woods in the winter.  I have read reviews that say this boot is not waterproof at all, I plan to either prove or disprove this through video.  This boot has the perfect look for winter.

Socks should be thick and long.  You are going to want to wear your boots slightly open and you pants rolled, so sock choice is very important.  I would go with a medium gray or off white, tan would clash too much with the pants.  I would go stylish, small stripes or little designs.  You can find these sock at most retail stores but the ones I really like are Obey's new socks. The Obey Sierra socks come in heather gray or brown, I would go with the gray for this outfit; since you are wearing brown boots.  These are socks you wanna show off.

Now comes the pants portion.  Khaki pants would be my only option; you can experiment with different colors, but khaki seems to be the best fit.  I would stick to skinny or slim, since they will fit into the boots better.  You do want to tuck the pants into the boots; not in the tradition sense, but rolled 4 or 5 times and then tucked into the slightly open boots with some sock showing. If you aren't comfortable tucking you jeans or wearing the boots open; you can lace them all the way up and roll the jeans even higher, you want the sock to show.  I picked the Levi's 511 Khaki Trousers, they have a really nice fit and look even better when they are rolled a little bit. They are a little more rugged and could last through any outing in the wilderness.  If you don't like the skinny fit, then the 514 slim should work as well.  Just go with the khakis or the cords.

With shirt you have two options. You can either go with a plain t-shirt; I would stay away from graphic tees, unless it's a very simple graphic tee.  The Norman tee, see past blogs, is a wonderful choice.  The shirt is just a simple pocket tee. I would stick with white or light color, baby blue or light green.  The other shirt option is the one color button down; again I would stick with light blue or white.  You can wear plaid or pattern shirts if you aren't going to wear a sweater or jacket, but since it's going to be cold and wet go with a second layer.  Whatever you decide, make sure it matches the rest of your outfit.

The last layer is the sweater or jacket.  This option isn't necessary, but it will make the outfit in most cases.  There are also three options cardigan, sweater or light jacket. Cardigan's are becoming increasingly popular; they used to be reserved for professors or father's from the 50's and 60's.  Now cardigans are for everyone, the designs have improved and so have the materials.  The materials range from cotton to wool to cashmere; I wouldn't recommend cashmere if you are going to be hiking through the woods.  Stick with cotton or wool, depending on your climates; obviously cotton for warmer locations and wool for the colder climates.  Wearing a sweater doesn't mean it's time to break out you favorite Christmas sweater; stick with muted colors and if you are going with a pattern, please nothing too crazy.  A few stripes or patterns will make the outfit work.  Jacket's should be basic and one color.  Go with a gray peacoat for this outfit.

You can wear a hat or beanie, but I don't look good in beanie and I don't like those crazy Russian style hats. It's up to you if you wanna add the hat.  This complete outfit, to me, is the quintessential winter outdoor outfit. Whether you are going on a hike or just braving the elements, why shouldn't you do this in style.  Just because the weather is bad, doesn't mean you outfit should be bad. I will be posting a pic of me wearing this type of outfit, stay tuned into the "Thread."