baby - it's cold outside.

if you scrolled upon my instagram yesterday, you saw that i left my two best gals with my very best farmer and hit the ski hill with my very best brother-in-law (on my farmer's side...my only BiL on my farmer's side)...it was a whopping 8º up here in mccall.

and with 8º temperatures it's important to have the right gear...the right cute gear. riiiight? we all want to look super cute all bundled up.
pants // socks // beanie
mittens // shirt // neck gaiter
beanie // leggings // jacket
my quest to beef up my winter wardrobe started when i found this beanie for my farmer. i put it in his stocking. as soon as he opened it, it found its way to my head. my farmer said it looked better on me than him, so i proceeded to wear it for the next two days...and i'll probably wear it today too. don't get me wrong - it looks great for the man in your life, but a gal can easily sport this super cute hat and keep her ears perfectly retro and cozy.

but if you don't like the retro look - this one is cute...and this one, too.

moving on.

one of my very very most favorite pieces of equipment when skiing is my smartwool gaiter. friends - this tubular piece of wool is glorious. it takes the place of a scarf. i mean, i'm all about the scarves, but not when skiing, because when you have a giant piece of material wrapped around your neck when participating in winter sporting activities it isn't suuuuper comfortable. but this small piece of fabric is a must-have. it keeps your warm. it stays out of the way. and they make them for the sweet, little skier in your life, too! yes...i got kaye this one.

staying on the smartwool train - guys. smartwool makes the BEST socks for any occasion in your life. need a boot socks for your favorite boots? need running socks that you can wear more than once without washing? (yeah, i just said that.) need ski socks? it's my go-to brand.

and here's another tip - if you're doing any sort of winter sporting activity, it's suuuuuper important to layer, layer, layer. because, i mean, who knows what the conditions are going to be like. i ALWAYS like to start out with several layers and then shed those layers as my body gets warmed up...or as the weather warms up. and by layer i mean - NEVER LAYER WITH COTTON. that's just cray. so i like to go back to smartwool for my baselayers - pants and tops. what i like about these pants is that they have a thicker waste band. it tends to hold my wobbly bits in tight.

and this is the top i loooove. i wear it every single time i ski...it's also WONDERFUL for cold-weather running. it's the half-zip that makes this top so so great. if you feel yourself getting slightly overheated...just pull that zipper. instant cool-down.

if the half-zip isn't your thing, they also make a great crew neck - this, this, or this. but when buying your baselayers, make sure you pay attention to the thickness.

moving on to the very most important part of skiing (aside from your toes) - keeping your hands warm. friends - there is nothing worse than great snow and freezing fingers. but i've found the very most perfect glove to keep you warm and toasty. go getchaself a pair of hestra. i wear these mittens in a size seven (i have medium sized hands). my sister rocks the same pair and they are more than glorious if you are prone to cold appendages. and let's not forget my farmer - i bought these mittens for him last christmas.

as for outerwear - it's kind of like...what looks the best? at least that's how my farmer feels. me? i'm all about quality and thickness. six years ago i bought the most amazing patagonia ski jacket. it has gortex with sealed zippers and a down liner. ummm...yes please and thank you very much. it was originally $599, but i got it on sale for $300 - you can always find deals on ski gear. i still rock the same jacket and i don't see myself replacing it for several more years. even though they don't sell my exact jacket anymore, this is the comparable one, or maybe it's this one. truth be told - it's more than likely better than the jacket i've been rocking for the better part of a decade.

as for pants - i'm perfectly happy with an unlined pair of patagonia ski pants. i've used them on the coldest of days with zero complaint. you can buy the thickest pants with glorious fleece liners, but unless they are waterproof...you may as well submit yourself to having a wet booty. i'm a firm believer in - buy quality and don't worry about replacing for the next 10 years...or even longer. i'm approaching that 10 year mark, and these are going to be my next purchase. color - TBD.

cheers to many happy hours enjoying the great outdoors...and staying warm and happy in the process.