My Winter Must-Haves

After experiencing Seattle’s beyond freezing weather back in December 2016, I’m curious to see just how much colder NYC will feel. For those of you who haven’t seen my updated Instagram bio, I recently booked my NYC ticket from February 8-15 to attend New York Fashion Week with my favorite travel buddies Sharon and Jillian. And of course, I will be paying a visit to my good friend Fiona, a NYC-based fashion blogger who frequently inspires me to capture the most creative of Instagram shots. But in order to prepare for this incoming NYC trip, I have prepare myself for the cold weather ahead! Therefore, I’ve gone ahead and listed my favorite retail stores to purchase a few winterwear must-haves for 2017 and hope that this post helps you find the layers you need this season!

Outerwear Pieces:
Trenchcoats:
Although I haven’t found the perfect trenchcoat to keep me warm, I do love this grey Burberry jacket that Sharon lent me for snow pictures when we headed to Frazier Park. When it comes to trenchcoats, I would highly recommend investing in a timeless solid-colored trench that will keep you warm for years. Currently, all of the trenchcoats in my wardrobe fail to keep me warm in snowy environments so I definitely need to update the trenchcoat section of my closet soon.
*Favorite Brand: Burberry - shop similar trenchcoats here.

Ultra Light Down:
My good friend, Sharon, advised me to pick up an ultra light down jacket from Uniqlo as an additional layer to stay warm throughout our upcoming NYC trip. Personally, I am not a HUGE fan of the “puffy” style to begin with, but it’s always important to remember that comfort and warmth comes first! The ultra light down jacket serves as a perfect piece to layer underneath a bigger outerwear piece. 
*Favorite Brand: Uniqlo – shop similar ultra light downs here.

Tops/Sweaters:
Heattech:
I recently collaborated with Uniqlo and was gifted one of their navy blue fitted heattechs. Layer the heattech underneath a knit sweater for an extra layer of warmth. For a material that feels so thin, I was really surprised to see just how much this heattech long-sleeve keeps me warm.
*Favorite Brand: Uniqlo – shop similar heattechs here.

Accessories:
Beanies:
When it comes to beanies, I am a huge sucker for specifically pom-pom beanies. The pom-pom detail adds an extra girly touch to your overall outfit and will keep your head and ears warm from the frosty weather.
*Favorite Brand: Dynamic Asia - shop similar beanies here.

Berets:
Honestly, I am in love with the French and feminine touch that a beret adds to any casual everyday outfit. Although a beret isn’t a practical hat to stay warm, it does wonders in completing a classic look whether you are dressed to perfection in minimalism or colors.
*Favorite Brand: Urban Outfitters - shop similar beanies here.

Gloves:
Gloves are a must-have when you are walking around in the cold. After all, there’s nothing worse than the experiencing the feeling of not being able to feel your fingers – eek! Recently, I discovered that Dynamic Asia carries SUCH fashionable gloves and I cannot wait to bring a few pairs with me on my New York City trip! Although I selected a lot of fingerless gloves, I would highly recommend picking mittens for a cold, snowy trip to keep your hands as warm as possible.
*Favorite Brand: Dynamic Asia - shop similar gloves here.

Scarves:
A scarf is such a fun accessory to add to a winter look just because of the countless ways you can style one. If you haven’t, you NEED to watch Wendy Lookbook’s “25 Ways To Wear A Scarf in 4.5 Minutes” Youtube video here. This is one fashion video that went viral on Youtube a couple years back because of her fun creativity and effortless style. I don’t have a specific store where I buy scarves, but I do own scarves from Hollister Co., H&M, Dynamic Asia, Cotton On, Rue 21, Burberry, and more.

Fun fact - my favorite scarf is an infinity scarf because it is so easy to wear and keeps my neck all warm and toasty from the icy weather!
*Favorite Brands: Hollister Co. - shop similar scarves here.
Dynamic Asia - shop similar scarves here.
Cotton On - shop similar scarves here.

Thick Socks (Thigh-High, Over-The-Knee, etc.):
Wearing thin ankle socks with my waterproof boots in the snow was a terrible mistake that I made during this photoshoot. My feet were frozen solid if I ever stood in the snow for any longer than five minutes and it was definitely poor decision making on my part to not dress properly for the snow. However, it’s always good to learn from your mistakes and I already know not to make this mistake ever again!

Next time, I would recommend wearing thin ankle socks and then layering thick socks over for extra coverage and warmth. I absolutely love the socks that Uniqlo carries because the material is both thick and soft.

If you’re looking for fashionable thigh-high socks, over-the-knee socks, or boot cuffs to style with boots like you see in those Pinterest-inspiration fashion photos, I’d suggest shopping at Urban Outfitters, Target, or Dynamic Asia. The socks from these stores are very cute and perfect to wear for casual outings, but I wouldn’t recommend wearing these types of socks in the snow.
*Favorite Brands: Uniqlo – shop similar socks here.
Urban Outfitters – shop similar socks here.
Target – shop similar socks here.
Dynamic Asia – shop similar boot cuffs here.

Jeans/Jeggings:
Since I don’t visit the snow very often, I prefer to wear jeans over snow pants just because I don’t feel the need to invest in snow pants at the moment. However, whenever I find the perfect pair of jeans that I can call “the one”, I will wear it all the damn time. Currently, my favorite jeans brand is YMI Jeans and my favorite jeggings brand is Uniqlo. In fact, I own two YMI Jeans pairs that fit me perfectly and offer that extra stretch for guaranteed everyday comfort. As for jeggings, I love wearing jeggings that look and feel like jeans – and you can score these kind of jeggings at Uniqlo! I’ve worn these jeggings for years and my sister has the very same pair. I’m not sure if Uniqlo carries the same type of jeggings that I own anymore because I don’t see it online, but you can always try asking a store employee for any similar recommendations.
*Favorite Brands: YMI Jeans – shop similar jeans here.
Uniqlo – shop similar jeans here.

Boots:
Over-The-Knee Boots:
OTK boots have and always will be my footwear obsession of all time. Rock these boots with a cute dress or a casual tee/jeans look and you’ve got yourself a killer outfit. Recently, I picked up a pair of gorgeous suede taupe OTK boots from Steve Madden with tie strings in the back and I am in LOVE! I also own a pair of black OTK boots from Mari A., which are extremely comfortable and can be worn whenever I run errands or hang out with friends. While it’s not within my budget at the moment, I’ll always obsess over the Stuart Weitzman OTK boots that everybody knows and loves ;)
*Favorite Brands: Stuart Weitzman - shop similar boots here.
Steve Madden - shop similar boots here. 
Shop Maria

Booties:
Booties are my go-to footwear of choice whenever the fall or winter season comes around. In fact, I love pairing my booties with an adorable floral or lace dress/romper since that’s pretty much my everyday look for half the year, haha! Although I own booties from various stores such as Steve Madden, ShopSugarSand, Skechers, Hush Puppies, my favorite shoe store has to be Steve Madden because of their effortless style and guaranteed comfort.
*Favorite Brand: Steve Madden - shop similar booties here.

Rainboots:
The day I knew that a pair of waterproof rainboots was an absolute essential was the same day I completely soaked my favorite pair of non-waterproof boots from Wet Seal. Sigh, silly ol’ Michelle from her college days should have known better. Since then, I’ve been better prepared for the rain! For the last two years, Roma Boots has been my favorite rainboots store because of their high quality footwear and positive mission statement. With every purchase made on their website, Roma Boots donates a pair to a child in need with the aim to promote hope, love, and lasting change to impoverished children through aid and education. I am always a huge supporter of helping others when it comes to my purchases or collaborations so Roma Boots is definitely a rainboots brand I cannot go without. In this photoshoot, I am modeling the Opinca Floral boots and I would suggest sizing down for these particular rainboots!
*Favorite Brands: Roma Boots - shop similar rainboots here.

I hope that you’ve all stocked up on your winter must-haves and don’t forget to check my favorite brands and recommendations with the links I’ve provided above! Next week, I’m super excited to announce that I’ll be visiting New York City with my two girlfriends for New York Fashion Week and I’ll be sure to take my warmest layers with me! Be sure to tune into my Instastories for some #NYFW fun! Stay warm and wishing you all a happy February! :)

[Photography by]:
Sharon Liu by @sharon.litz.art

Much Love,