A Letter to Sleeping Bag Coats

Dearest Sleeping Bag Coat,

According to every fashion girl/model-off-duty/style blogger, you are a bit of an abomination. You counter everything I've spent all year working on by concealing my shapes, swallowing up my legs, and making me sweat underneath your excess weight. In reality, I should hate you. (Un)Fortunately, I don't. When push comes to shove, it's freezing outside. The arctic has hit Canada and like a comforting sip of hot chocolate, you make me feel warm and cozy inside and out. You're like a knight in shining armour, only slightly less shiny and much softer to the touch.

via elle.com

As much as I cringe at my reflection in the mirror or my impossible-to-fit-the-screen snapchat selfies, I still can't help but embrace you. You may not be a chic fourrure or as classy as wool, but you make me forget I live in the great white north for just a moment. You also make me feel like I haven't left my bed ALL DAY. And for that, I'm eternally grateful. As for your fashion value, some designers have chosen to let you in to their exclusive club (like Acne Studios, Balenciaga, and MSGM), while others have rejected you entirely. But a true fashion statement is prepared to accept and even welcome the rejection like a fashion faux-pas on a mission. Congratulations on being the most questionable winter staple and the most challenging one to love. Frankly, I still love you.

Happy winter,
Bella

A Parka Story

via www.globalstreetsnap.com

My favourite fashion stories are those that involve style choices made #forthesakeoffashion and not #forthesakeofbeingpractical. Anyone can choose pieces because they NEED them, but wearing something merely because it's fashionable and looks cool makes the psychology behind the decision much more interesting.

Today, I've decided to dive into parkas, the least interesting of fashion choices and attempt to convince you that they aren't half bad from the eyes of a Canadian shopper.

As someone who lives in Canada, a place where weather is unpredictable and the levels of "cold" are beyond human capacity (in my humble opinion), I am well aware of that need for a heavy duty winter jacket. As fashion-forward folk, we tend to opt for the "cooler" (excuse the pun) look of a lighter leather jacket or trendy trench (I will stop alliterating now). Who needs a puffer when your wool coat outlines your curves in a much more flattering way? 

My relationship with the parka runs deep as I have below zero tolerance for cold temperatures and my practical angel pops up on my shoulder every time I choose to look cool over feeling warm. I like to believe that I'm not the only one who faces this dilemma on a daily basis between the months of November and March. 

When I step outside on those cold winter evenings in my puffer jacket, I feel comfortable, but in the meantime, chic is being held ransom by the evil snowflake. What is one to do in this situation? 

Are YOU willing to sacrifice comfort for fashion? 

In the fashion world, it's often a tough battle in which our superficial side comes out victorious. After all, if other woman can layer like mad, why can't you? What is wrong with layering to no avail and shedding those layers upon arrival at your destination? 

If you ponder it for a moment, a bundle of layers can actually cause you to overheat to such an extreme that every piece must be removed and then you must rapidly figure out how to stuff each article of clothing inside your Celine bag. So, if you think about it, layering can be quite problematic in day-to-day situations.

Consider the parka. It's your one stop layer and invites you to wear that slinky slip dress underneath. If the coat is warm enough, you hardly need to layer with anything other than a cardigan. Can we perhaps try to fathom that this may actually be "cool" in fashion terms? Isn't over layering "trying too hard" and aren't we all trying to look like we didn't try so hard to put our outfit together? 

Ponder It,

XOXO,

Bella