Ten Ways To Fall In Love With Winter
By BR Kellie
It’s Kellie Confession time… and it’s a confession that tends to divide people. I hate cold weather. Abhor it. If I had a million bazillion dollars I would spend every single dollar of it chasing heat and sunshine, as well as places that throw hot and humid thunderstorms into the weather mix. Would I visit a cold spot, even to remind myself why I prefer the heat? Nope. Nup. Nah-ah. It's crazy really, since I was born in the deep South and raised in Canterbury, where the cold seeps up from the ground and infuses your toes, rendering them numb, even if you’ve three pairs of woollen socks on and a chunky pair of boots, two pairs of pants on, a pair of tights and merino and woollen layers up the wazoo.
However, being a believer in silver linings and currently lacking funds to chase the sun, there are things that please me about winter, and make it bearable... just.
via Pinterest
Snoods. I don’t care for scarves, they leave me gagging as if I’m being choked, but I adore the looseness and the often opulent textures and designs of a good snood. They keep the back of your neck warm, some do your head too, all while doubling as a fashion accessory, making them a win/win in my winter fashion handbook.
Nat's winter boots
Boots. Knee-high leather boots. Cosy UGG boots to kick around home in. Gumboots in which I can splash about in puddles. Boots are possibly one of the things I love best about winter. Cosy, versatile, practical. They tick all the boxes.
Jaclyn Hill - Youtube
Smokey eye makeup. In winter you can really play up those peepers with a smokey eye (well, you can do that anytime, but I tend to stick to lighter shades in summer and darken up as the days grow shorter). My favourite thing though is to throw a dash of cranberry-coloured eyeshadow into the mix - a little suprising, a lot sophisticated.
Long hot baths. Okay, we know we're not meant to have hot baths or showers for the sake of our skin, but in winter I throw that particular piece of beauty advice out the window. If I can't feel my extremities the hotter the bath the better. And it lasts longer too with more hot water, so you've more time to sip a glass of something yum while catching up on all the beauty news on your phone or tablet. (Probably not meant to take electrical devices into baths either... but I like to live dangerously.)
Candles are great in summer (especially citronella candles because they fend off those Kellie-munching mozzies), they're great all the time really, but in winter they're so much more luminous, lighting up those long hours of night. My pick for this winter? The Ecoya Christmas Candle in 'Fresh Pine'. Lovely during the Christmas period, but utterly divine in the dark depths of winter.
Walks on a frosty morning that leave your cheeks pink and pretty. We don't get many frost mornings here in Auckland, but when I Iived in Rotorua, and previously to that in Christchurch, I used to love crunching my way across icy grass. And if I found an ice-covered puddle... well, sorry school kids... but as far as I'm concerned finders keepers icy splashers.
Hairdryers. Damp hair in winter sucks. It just makes everything colder. But a warm (okay, I also be naughty during winter and turn the warm setting up to hot) blowdry takes the edge off, and a quick blast on chilly hands is a bit lovely too.
Soups and stews. See ya salads. Byebye barbeques. Winter is my favourite foodie time. Meat slowcooked until it's falling off the bone. Cloudy-esque peaks of fluffy mashed potatoes. Thick soups chock-full of the goodstuffs, with a good buttery garlic bread to dip in... I'm drooling already.
Hot chocolates – with all the marshmallows. So sweet. So delicious. So warming. Especially when sipped upon in a cosy cafe or enjoyed at night, rugged up, while spotting stars and planets. Using your star/planet app on your tablet, because apart from 'the pot', the southern cross and Mars and Venus, I know nothing.
Dark red lippies. From the richest violets, to the rubiest of reds, to the deepest of browns - winter was made for shades that walk on the luxurious side of the tracks. This winter I'm all about Mellow's Creamy Matte Lipstick in New York.
I'm definitely not a winter person and I hate being out in winter, except those winter sunny days. I used to hate layering up in winter, but I don't mind that now because it feels like hugs. I do love a hot baths, hearty meals and hot chocolate to feel all warm and cosy indoors.