Freezing cold, icy weather is quickly approaching so I'm unpacking boxes and going shopping for my must-have items for cold weather

1.) At least one fabulous coat- In my neck of the woods, winter weather is often wet and bitter cold below zero temperatures so regardless of what I'm wearing, I can't live without a great coat. For the past several years, my winter coat of choice has been a dark-colored wool coat, reaching about mid-thigh length. Since I have 3 cats, I try to avoid black but Target has always been a source of gorgeous and affordable vintage-y coats. My very first vintage purchase ever was a lavender colored wool coat from the 50's which I bought in middle school from a posh vintage shop in St Louis. I wore that coat till it fell apart, then I sewed it back up and wore it till it fell apart again! If you're tall like me and vintage coats tend to have slightly too-short sleeves, you can either add a cuff made of contrasting fabric to elongate the sleeve or wear the coat as-is with long gloves for a "cropped sleeve" look.Check out these gorgeous, larger sized vintage coats for sale right now at Vint Condition on Etsy.

 




2.) Moisturizer and Lip Balm- Winter is always very harsh on my skin so I start stocking up on moisturizer now. I use regular body lotion all over, after a shower and use a separate gentle moisturizer on my face. My favorite facial moisturizer is Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer. Regardless of which moisturizer works best with your skin type, always wear something with sun protection, even on cloudy winter days.
I'm a compulsive lip-licker when it's cold and my lips dry out and crack within hours. I never leave the house without a tube of good old-fashioned (and dirt cheap) Carmex. Yeah, it doesn't taste or smell wonderful but nothing works on dry, cracking lips like Carmex! Slather it on before bed and wake up with renewed, smooth lips. Even though Carmex is known for being dirt cheap, plain and greasy goop, it has been saving cracked, dry lips since the 1940's when the inventor sold it from the trunk of his car. Today, you can buy Carmex in a tube and in strawberry flavor! You can read all about the history of this vintage lip balm here
3.)Lemons- lemons... the citrus fruit? Yes, I can't live without lemons in the winter! It never fails, every year, I succumb to the "winter blues". Many people with seasonal depression can be treated with medication, light therapy and other methods but I stick with what makes me happy.  Nothing says "summer time" to me like the scent and flavor of iced tea with lemon. Aromatherapy suggest that citrus scents relieve anxiety and depression. So, next time you're feeling down in the dumps, slice a lemon! Aside from the mood enhancing effects of lemons, you can also use them around the house and in your beauty routine. Check sense list for lemon uses
4.) Socks, socks, more socks- My feet get cold even in the summer so in sub zero temperatures, I keep plenty of socks on hand. At home, I like to wear big, fluffy novelty socks in crazy colors because they're fun and soooo toasty! I still wear skirts well into the coldest days of the year so I keep my legs covered with cute knee-high socks or stockings. This season, "sweater stockings" ( knitted hose)  are a hot item so us vintage gals can benefit from the trend by stocking up now!

Again, Target is my favorite place to shop for socks. They have such an excellent selection and often, you can find multi-packs on sale. Here's vintage newbie me last year in some of my Target socks...
 

5.) An Ice Scraper- Not vintage or fashion-related but hey, a girl has to be practical sometimes! When I'm shopping for winter moisturizer and socks, I always buy a new, awesome ice scraper for the car. It saves my hands from getting cold, dry and cracked and saves by butt from freezing! Do yourself a favor and buy one to keep in the car and one to keep by the door, for those mornings when the door freezes shut and the car is covered in snow.
Stay tuned for more cold weather fashions and beauty tips