Thanks Angie! I know you get it, and you're a city gal. It's just that HERE they never fully clear the sidewalks or the streets. They just grade the ice so it's not as slippery. It's hard to imagine. By the end of winter my street has ruts a foot deep from tire tracks.

I grew up in Boston but had never seen anything like this - I slog to court in at least 6 inches of slush after November. SO messy and awful! Winter style has its own problems which I am just discovering. This will be my first YLF winter so I'm sure I'll come up with more ridiculous conundrums.

We get TONS of snow where I live, and also the sidewalks and driveways don't always get cleared off. Or by the time they do there is more snow! I know it isn't fashionable but sometimes I will quickly tuck the pants loosly into big comfy boots, and bring the heels to change into right when I get to the door. Plus it is dangerous walking on ice with heels! But I stay at home now so I wear more casual stuff during the week.

I saw "snow skirts" on Etsy while looking for faux fur vests. Same idea as the down skirt, but IMO, much more fun!

I know Angie, you are quite the frequent visitor. Maybe next time I'll get a chance to meet you! I would love to do so!
You are right, once you get to Manhattan it gets easier (unless the snow is melting and you get these gigantor puddles of greyish matter in every crossing- good luck with that). Ah, but I can't complain given AG's situation.

AG, I was thinking about your wrinkled pants, after you've tucked them...What about a cheapo little steamer that you could keep at work to deal with the wrinkles? Might not be too much of a pain, and might help you feel more polished.

Jonesy, that's a great idea! I already do my hair at work half the time anyway. The pants I like to wear are similar to these (they were the Ludlow line, which I LOVED and have been discontinued):

http://www.jcrew.com/womens_ca...../28137.jsp

so they wrinkle if crushed up.

RT, those are cute!

Ah. Got it.

The next thing I was going to suggest was swapping out your shoes. In Seattle when we get snow, things are not cleared in time either (unlike in NYC). I swap out my shoes at said destination.

I was also going to suggest a little steamer to keep at work! Thanks, Jonesy

Zap, I hope I meet you next time too!

Ok, maybe I didn't read the thread carefully enough and this has already been said, but here's what I would do. (I lived in Ohio and Seattle before AZ, so I'm familiar with walking around in lots of cold and wet).

- wear snow boots for outdoors
- bring (or keep at destination) nice shoes for indoors
- before leaving home, grab bottom of pants so that excess fabric is in one place
- wrap that excess fabric around leg, so that the silhouette of the pants looks like skinny jeans at the bottom (no "crushing" involved)
- carefully slide foot into boots
- change into dress shoes when arrive at destination

By folding the excess fabric on the pants (rather than cramming it into the boots), things shouldn't get wrinkled. If they do, try tucking the bottoms of the pants into thick socks before putting on the boots, that way the pants won't be able to move.

My idea was similar to Angie and Kate's. To me - and this is coming from a lifetime in the Seattle area, where snow is a Big Event and not an everyday occurrence - commuting in the snow is an event for gear, but you can bring nice shoes to wear at work.

I also thought of Kasmira's past blog post on commuting in cold weather. Her illustration is with a dress, but it's still very eye-opening!

This Canuck is taking notes and loving the great suggestions! Thanks for asking this, Alaskagirl!