Dressing for the Winter

bare feet, a no-go in the winter

two thumbs up for down!

I am from Texas and wore sandals in the winter. It has taken me more than a decade to figure out how to dress in cold-wanna-crawl-back-under-the-covers-fast weather and I am still learning. Carolyn, one of my new cyberspace buddies, posted her outfit today and it's quite similiar to my all-winter-wear outfit, so I thought I'd share. For a bit of visual and a good laugh, drop by her great blog and for a few how-tos continue reading. If you can't stay under the warm delightfully down blankets that I heart Deutschland for introducing me to, then my must-have survival list for peeps who did not grow up freezing their tush off might come in handy for the approaching winter:

-good boots and, if your cold-blooded, lined boots. My favorite shops are Zalando (no shipping fee within Germany) and Görtz.
-tank tops a.k.a. leftover summer gear for the first layer to tuck into your jeans
-long-sleeve shirts for the second layer
-sweaters, or pullis as they are referred to over here, for the third layer
-a down jacket (neverever thought this would make a difference, but it does)
-a hat (neverever thought this was necessary, but it is!)
-gloves
-a scarf
-house shoes (believe it or not, this helps at home)
-a hot water bottle (Wärmflasche) for the night
-Glühwein
-good facial cream (I love Clarins and Nux)
-candles for the cozy factor
-and, last but not least, hot tea! 

Now to rock the cold-fighting gear listed above, it's important to:

-Keep your chest covered (crew necks, turtlenecks, and scarves do the job)
-Wear socks that you will not sweat in (wet feet, cold feet, cold body)
-Layer, layer, layer
-Tuck it all in -tanks, tanks in jeans, jeans in your boots, socks in your jeans, gloves in your jacket
-Quality products are worth it, especially if you wear them year after year

It all seems so basic, I know. But, I just bought my first hat last year, so I'm hoping that I'm not the only one who's still learning how to stay toasty-roasty in Germany. Got any more tips? I'd love to hear from you!

Happy layering, tucking, and staying warm.