Thursday, December 16, 2010

Warm up to NYC chill: Five Winter essentials

Surviving the big apple cold weather needs some warm accessories apart from sweaters and coats; and these five winter essentials come handy and are equally fashionable. 

1. Ear Muffs - The gushing cold winds in NYC can be torturous for your ears and the ear muffs come as a  savior. It was invented by Chester Greenwood in 1873 and has become a winter essential since then. It protects ears in the chilly weather and comes in many designs and styles. And the acoustic ear muffs come with headphones, which is even better especially while working out. 

2. Mittens - The hand gloves which keep the hands warm and prevents frostbites. Mittens have one cover for the four fingers and one for the thumb unlike gloves which have four coverings for fingers and one for thumb. It keeps the hands nice and toasty and some even come in a design with the removable finger cover for ease. And they even look cute. 

3. Leg Warmers - These are footless coverings for lower legs and are a sure way of keeping legs warm. And can be worn with leggings, jeans, jeggings and are pretty much a fashion accessory for winters. Earlier these used to be worm by ballet dancers but later it became a fad. 

4. Boots - A pair of warm winter boots go a long way in protecting one's feet during the chill, and also saves one from slipping on the ice while crossing the road. And not just that, boots look awesome and complete a winter attire perfectly, as it goes well with coats, sweaters and even skirts. 

5. Chullo - The cutest of them all, a chullo is a hat with ear warmers and strings to tie under the chin for keeping the head warm. It is just what one needs to keep the head and ears protected from the cold. And comes in beautiful colors and patterns. 

                                                             A beautiful Chullo Hat

These five are definitely needed to cope with the extreme weather in New York and they look as good as they feel. And to beat the chill, of course a cup of hot chocolate can never go wrong, slurp!!

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

First Snowflakes of the season: Came tumbling down

The first snowflakes of the season came tumbling down on Sunday night and continued till Tuesday afternoon. Snowflakes looked beautiful flying away with the breeze. The shapes of the snowflakes was a surprise for me, as I got to know about it for the first time last year, when I saw the light and sound show on Saks fifth Avenue during Christmas time. It was splendid.

                                                                    Saks Fifth Avenue

Snowflakes - 'Snowflakes are conglomerations of frozen ice crystals which fall through earth's atmosphere'*. They come in so many shapes and sizes; and no two snowflakes are alike. They have been a point of interest for many researchers around the world and many books have also been written as the shapes of the crystals are very unique. 

These snowflake symbols are associated with Christmas and of-course the winter season. One can see paper snowflakes all over the city, as stores and many streets are decorated during winters. These tiny pieces of snow are truly a work of art. 

                                                                  Swaroski Snowflake 

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Wednesday, December 01, 2010

Reflections: Confessions of a Shopaholic

After watching the movie yesterday, I have come to believe that stores have their own way of making people spend and that too on things they don't really need. Its just like, you see a sale sign and you wanna run and grab the first thing you can put your hands on, as you tend to buy things just because they are on sale. And the dummies are dressed so perfectly, that you feel like buying the complete look without even thinking twice.

More-so during the Thanksgiving sale, when the stores get so crowded and people swarm over each other to fill their bags. The stores open early in the morning and everyone rushes to catch hold of the things on their list before anyone else does. The billing counter lines are so long, that you wonder whether all of this stuff, people have is being given out for free. And going to a fitting room can take hours together. 

Shopping is good but not to the extent that you go out of your means to get something and the movie has shown it perfectly. Though, it is understood, that people sometimes go on binge shopping but if it is restricted to just a few times then it doesn't really hurt but being a regular shopaholic can be disastrous. But in the end, its a question of personal choice.

Besides all that, I do believe in retail therapy and comfort shopping, as it uplifts your mood instantly. And it also makes you feel so good, when you look stunning in the new dress and you also feel satisfied with your purchase.

Shopping is something everyone likes, but putting a stop when required can save you some money for the next sale, maybe. So it can be said, moderation is the word, as till you don't go overboard it is good. Shopping isn't a problem but over-shopping is.