‘Stylish Mondays’ Cosy Chic Challenge

It is a while since you met my ladies from ‘Stylish Mondays’ and this month we are showing you our versions of Cosy Chic, based on where we live in the world.  My readers in Ireland know that you can get all the seasons in one day here. We have a few simple rules at any time of the year.

Anything is possible when it comes to the weather.

Never leave home without an umbrella.

Layering is good.

A hat and scarf and gloves are important accessories.

November and December were very wet and the predominant mood was grey, though we did have the odd bright cold day thrown in to give us hope. The weather did improve around Christmas and we managed to enjoy some mild, drier weather.

This photo below was actually taken in October on a damp, windy day in Dublin. The man behind was carrying an umbrella and most people were wearing coats or jackets.

My coat was bought in Massimo Dutti and the knee-boots are Marks and Spencer. I had been searching for a classic navy coat for a long time and it will be a wardrobe staple. I am wearing a turtle neck green jumper/sweater and skirt underneath.

 

Let us see how my friends from The Netherlands to Georgia and Alaska approached this ‘Cosy Chic’ challenge.

EUROPEAN FRIENDS

Emma from The Style Splash lives in the UK – currently living in Cheshire in the North-West. The weather has been mild and wet so far over Winter, she tells me, but I think she is hoping for a cold spell.

She certainly makes a statement in her cosy striped fun fur and I love how her accessories pick out the tan colours in the coat.

Nancy (Nancy’s Fashion Style) is from The Netherlands where they have grey winters, with less sun and a lot of rain, like we have in Ireland. Normally it’s about 5 degrees Celcius in Winter. They have about 7 days of snow on average nearly every winter. I love  how she stays chic but cosy in her striking purple coat and fur collar. Her leather trousers and funky boots give it a more edgy look.

AMERICAN FRIENDS

You have met Andy from Pearls and Pantsuits before in a previous post where I interviewed her. Her home is in North-west Louisiana, where she claims her weather is whatever it wants to be! At present, it is hovering around 70 degrees, but she told us that the next few months will probably be rainy and cool. But not even the weather man knows. It sounds unpredictable, a little like our weather here in Ireland. Whatever the weather, Andy will be cosy and chic in her outfit below.

Cindy (Cindy Scurry on Insta) lives in Denver, Colorado, which is cold but sunny. I love her teddy coat and leopard print scarf and what about that vibrant red lipstick.

Suzanne (Ask Suzanne Bell) lives in Los Altos, a town located in Northern California in the heart of Silicon Valley, 5 miles from Palo Alto and Stanford University.Their weather is much different than Southern California They have year-round mild weather with two seasons…cold and hot. They do get bouts of rain (last snow was when she was in second grade), but as you can see in her photo, a light coat is really all you need – unless you head to San Francisco or the Coast.

Julie from Fashion Trends and Friends lives in Sugar Grove, Illinois (about 60 minutes west of Chicago). It’s usually pretty cold and snowy in the winter although she says they had some warm 40s and 50s. Well, Julie looks cosy in her yellow Fair Isle jumper and cuddly jacket.

Nina Bandoni of Sharing a Journey lives in Florida.  Nina did a guest blog post a few years ago. The winters are very mild and temperatures fluctuate between 50 and 80.  They do have a few colder days in January.  Only people who live in Florida bundle up and wear jackets in the winter. The tourists wear shorts and flip-flops no matter what she tells me. Nina looks chic in her winter white jeans and leather jacket. Not sure I would get away with open-toe shoes in an Irish winter.

Robin, from Hello I’m Fiftyish, resides in Atlanta where the weather seldom calls for a winter coat except for a couple of weeks in February. But Robin is always stylish and loves wearing wraps and gloves in their winters. Her red leather skirt adds a lovely pop of colour. You might remember I showcased Robin on the blog a while ago

I am going to finish with Nicole Molders (High Latitude Style) Nicole lives in Alaska where winters are 7 months long and can have anything from around freezing point to way below -40F or -40C. I have nothing but admiration for Nicole and do not know how she manages to stay so chic in such conditions. You really should follow her blog to see what life as a scientist and blogger is like in Fairbanks, Alaska.

So  how we dress in winter in The Northern Hemisphere can vary quite a lot. As I put the finishing touches to this post, the wind is howling outside and though it is not raining yet, it is quite stormy. What will I wear today?