Winter Wonderland Wardrobe

by Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady

Living in Texas, in year when we had record heat, makes it hard for me to imagine what to what to pack for a serious winter trip.
I mean, the weekend before I left, it was in the 80's. People were bike riding in shorts.

Flash forward one week.

I am packing for a ski trip (I don't really ski, but I am good at being a snow bunny--and that means wardrobe is important) to Beaver Creek Lodge, a fashionable, upscale ski resort in the Vail Valley. Television shows report fresh snow, beautiful holiday scenes are on the screen.

I know the strategy to winter packing is layering. And I did a good job at it. For the coldest afternoon, I wore seven layers. I felt like a tightly swaddled child. Another guest on the trip, a trim young woman named Julia was 5 1/2 months pregnant. I didn't realize that until the third day. (actually, I felt like I probably looked more pregnant than her, and my youngest child is 33 and a father.

Here is my strategy. Basic black, the universal travel writer color. Plus lots of red, a splash of royal blue in a polar fleece vest, and a pair of turquoise leather gloves.

It worked. I had the right stuff for every event and never felt like I would freeze to death. I learned that drinking hot chocolate helps a lot.

The best hot chocolate was found at a gelato store, Rimini. Who gets hot chocolate in an ice cream store? The same person who leaves summer like weather to frolic in the snow.

WHAT I WISH I HAD BROUGHT

1. Boots with tread on the bottom. Only an indoor girl would think she was well prepared with two pairs of boots--one with high heels (for warmth and to look sexy at night) and another flat-soled leather cowboy boots. A few slips and I learned. But luckily my whole group knew I was a snow bunny so they protected my back. (and pushed me up when I started to slide down)

2. Goggles. I braved the ski lift---but on the way up the glare of the snow made me keep my eyes closed, and on the way down it was snowing hard so the flakes of snow settled on my long eyelashes and they seemed to freeze together.

3. A hoodie type of hat that covered the whole face. The kind bank criminals wear.

I am working on fine tuning this wardrobe

PACKING LIST

Here is my packing list:
2 pairs of slinky material black pants
i pair of black velour pants

Rubbery vinyl red/black raincoat
very heavy red cardigan sweater
Red quilted Chicio's jacket with black scrolling
Royal Blue Polartech fleece vest
Black Polartech large turtleneck (to wear over clothing layers and under the vest or coat)

Red metallic twin set ( worn layered together, or as parts with other pieces)
2 sleeveless black wool shells
2 black long sleeve thin knit tops
black cotton turtleneck

slinky black and red flowered sparkly zip front knit top

extras
black knit gloves to layer under turquoise leather gloves
black and red knit cap and matching muffler scarf with hand pockets
white fluffy knit tube hat

black flat leather boots
Black rubber high heels

TRAVELING OUTFIT

What I wore on plane:
Black pants, black shell, black long sleeve knit top
Royal blue Polartech vest
black Polartech turtleneck tied around my waist
black slip on loafers (also worn around resort)

(I even took a photo to remember this wardrobe because it worked so well for me). I wore everything I brought--sometimes as much as seven layers.

You may think I am writing this to share these thoughts with my readers. But I know if I have this list coded and put online, I will always be able to find it.

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who doesn't spend much time in cold places. Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.com