Obviously it will depend on where you live and what your climate is like. The Austin gals clearly have a different dress code than those in Boston, New York, and Seattle. I would get frostbite if I wore peep toes, with or without hose. If I wear leggings I sometimes put thermals on underneath for extra insulation.

Many of us wear skirts with boots and don't look the least bit "hooker." Otherwise none of us living in colder climates could wear skirts or dresses for the entire season. I'm curious as to why you think this? Looking at models in catalogs wearing this formula, hooker is the last thing I think of.

Somehow in winter coziness becomes a big issue for me that isn't present during the rest of the year. Getting up in the very dark morning and leaving my nice warm blankets is painful, and the idea of putting on hose and heels just does not appeal to me. I just want to feel like I did before, when I was under my blanket. Of course the only way to truly replicate that feeling is to wear a Snuggie in public, but I make do with cardigans, scarves, jeans, and boots. The emergence of ponte pants as a viable option will probably change my life, since jeans are the only part of that formula that aren't all that cozy.

It does get a little boring wearing the same thing every day though, so I would like to break out of that habit and stop being such a baby. I can't help it though. I am NOT a morning person.

Kathleen, you might find post this useful:

http://youlookfab.com/2009/02/.....manhattan/

I get so cold in the winter. There is no way that I would wear peep toed shoes. I normally don't even wear skirts/dresses at all in the winter, but I may consider a wool sweater dress with wool tights and leather boots. That's as "bare" as I will go in the winter!

This year i will be trying skirts/ dresses with tights instead of trousers all winter. I'm thinking about getting a pair of my thermal leggings shortened to above knee length to give an extra warm layer under them.
I usually find layers work best. The heating is so warm in work i can manage with short sleeves but standing on a cold playground is a killer so i layer up before going out x

I'm also going to try and wear more skirts and dresses this year and have been stocking up on tights and leggings. I've got quite short legs though and need to find some petite skirt collections so that skirts designed to come to the knee do just that! It's far too wet to waer open shoes in the winter in the UK so I've splashed out on some boots! Clarks have a great collection this year.

That's a gem of a blog Angie, I can't believe I haven't come across it until now. I have never tried wearing a coat over a jacket before, do you require extra room in the shoulders of the coat for this?

I love to wear dresses with boots and tights over the winter. I only wear peep toes for an evening out, however sometimes the weather scuppers that plan.

I need to stock up on cardigans to layer over my existing knitwear. Like Louise I love layers.

I wear skirts/dresses with tights and boots all winter long -- in Chicago! Admittedly, I am usually only outside in the from the parking lot to the office and back but it can be a long walk when the weather is bad. So it's important for me to have a very warm, LONG coat for outside, then lots of cardigans and layers inside.

If I found a pair of peeptoes that worked with my tights I would wear them, but only once inside. My feet get too cold otherwise.

No peep toes for me!

I'd say about 80% of the time, my winter formula is:

- cami - I like synthetic instead of cotton in the winter, because it's warmer
- blouse or knit top
- long sleeve merino wool cardigan - I like merino because it's warm but not bulky
- skinny jeans tucked into boots, or bootcuts with booties
- cashmere wool socks
- 3/4 length wool coat, or puffer coat if it's super cold
- scarf, gloves, hat

If I have reason to wear dress slacks, I will wear lined wool slacks. If I'm driving in the car for awhile (like into the office) then I'd opt for a shorter coat (car length).

If there's lots of snow on the ground, I wear Uggs, because they are practical, and switch into nicer footwear once I get where I'm going.

As for skirts and dresses, I do wear them on occasion in the winter, but I have to say, it's not my preference because I get cold too easily - even with a full length camisole, tights, boots, and socks under the boots. It's having the cold air on my knees and flying up my dress... brrrr. So I'm much more apt to wear skirts and dresses in the summer. Once it hits the freezing mark and it's snowing, it's much harder to entice myself into a dress.

But, I don't think skirts with boots are hooker-ish at all! I suspect your eye just needs to adjust. You might try wearing a flat boot with skirts first. Boots with skirts are just so practical.

Even tho it gets really cold in my neck of the woods, I still wear skirts & dresses year-round. My winter wardrobe includes hose, tights & boots with lots of sweaters & jackets to keep warm. This year, I've also added leggings to the mix. In the winter, my office varies between cold enough to wear gloves to warm enough to strip down to a slip & cami. I just layer enough so that I can remove or add clothing as the climate warrants.

Funny, I've never thought of boots & skirts as hooker-ish. I've been wearing leather boots & skirts since the 80's!

Hey Everyone

I just wanted to let everyone know that I was referencing myself in terms of the skirts and boots wear. On other women it can look great, on me I am not so sure. I am going to try it tomorrow and will let everyone know how it goes.

Thanks!

Hey Everyone

I just wanted to let everyone know that I was referencing myself in terms of the skirts and boots wear. On other women it can look great, on me I am not so sure. I am going to try it tomorrow and will let everyone know how it goes.

Thanks!

Kathleen, I have just caught up on your last post and you saying you were "referencing yourself" so what I hadn't got around to saying mightn't be relevent but I'll do it anyway!
About 11 years ago was I was working in an office and indulging in a bit of girl chat about how much we love knee high boots. A 19 yr old (male) student we had working part time said that they were "f- me boots" and didn't girls realise that is what guys thought when they wore them !!! After that I didn't buy any until last year the YLF influence helped me over that prejudice (and seeing them worn by many respectable and modest women) For all those years I had been influenced by one very young (and not, at that point, very mature) man's comments. I wonder if in your past some chance comment or image has subconsciously influenced you as well.

Can't helpfully comment on the snow question, as I am in sunny Australia and there is never snow where I live.

I think the key for cold weather wear is the inner layer - I like to use Merino wool cos it is thin and keeps you warm inside. Try Chocolate Fish (www.chocolatefishmerino.co.uk), I think they got quite some selection.