I read a book by Kate Spade years ago in which she said that she wore skirts and dresses all winter in New York and never wore hose. At the start of every winter since, in relatively balmy Northern California, I decide I will emulate this fashionista. This resolve lasts about 5 minutes into the first autumn day, not long enough to prevent me from donning tights or maybe even wearing pants.

I don't understand either.

I do know that in Southern California, my daughter loves wearing her minis with boots and no hosiery, to ward off that morning chill wafting in from the ocean. People just don't realize how chilly Los Angeles can get!

Last time I was out to dinner in Oslo, I saw many young women/girls wearing stilettos as in pumps and sandals, and a miniskirt with sheer hose. The ground was covered in ice, and the temperature below -10C. The police and the authorities here warn people against this in our news media. It is dangerous in combination with alcohol, people have frozen to death because of this stupidity.

Interesting observation AG. It seems from the pic you linked to that the subject is wearing short sleeves underneath her coat sleeves (which are only ¾ length), and that her scarf could be cotton. Based on most of what she is wearing, I would guess the temp. range on that the day to be 16 -23 degrees C. The only truly cold-weather item she is wearing is the beanie, which is the real seasonal culprit here. But you know, all over my city throughout this current summer, with Celcius temps typically 21 to 28, I see young men and women in their casual outfits wearing woolly beanies. (The rest of their outfit would typically be a tank top, shorts/cropped jeans or miniskirt, and sandal thongs). How they can tolerate having their heads so overheated in this humidity is beyond my comprehension, but there you go, beanies are hip and a major signifier of cool, no pun intended.
Scott S. discusses the bare legs topic here http://www.thesartorialist.com.....london/and is strongly in favour of fashion over practicality. Interestingly, judging from the comments of his followers to this post, opinion on the subject is divided. I don’t recall ever seeing Mr S. wearing shorts and bare legs with a winter coat over the top, but I would be curious to see whether this very correct of dressers would do so…the pic he posted has an added degree of seasonal contrast , because the subject not only has bare legs but is wearing SANDALS. During the week of that post, the average temperature in London was 20 degrees C; and 2 days prior to that post, the max. temp. was 30 – i.e. reeaaally hot. So, assuming the pic was taken during that week, I don’t think it’s the bare legs that are the oddity, it’s the fur coat. And fur is trending, so I expect, as with the beanies, I will see such ensembles (fur coat plus sandals) IRL in my town as soon as the humidity eases off. Hopefully I will not be seeing any bare leg ensembles this winter quite like the attached (Alexander Wang F2013 just last week). I was SOOOO disappointed! Mr Wang can’t have intentionally been referencing those haunting mid-century black-and- white news photos of bandaged burns victims/rag-footed and bootless WWII refugees, but it’s all I could think of…
BTW, here’s an interesting article about the health effects on women of having bare legs in cold weather. I remember that there a was a lot of talk about this too when miniskirts first came out in the sixties, before pants were acceptable as a dressy alternative for women, as Deb and MS Maven have pointed out. http://www.guardian.co.uk/worl.....publishing

Forgot to add the pic for my comment

I think it all depends on your personal thermostat. I catch flack all winter long for wearing shoes with no socks to work in Wisconsin. My feet run very warm and I am much more comfortable with a bit of snow on my ankles as I run into the building than I am with my feet roasting in socks and shoes the rest of the day.

I break out the sandals very early in spring too, but I often still need a topper to keep my top half comfortable. I strongly dislike a cool breeze on my shoulders. I enjoy the spring dresses and boots looks, but there are very few days that this look works for me weather wise.

The only way I could imagine someone dressed like this, would be inside a poorly heated facility.

And in these times of economical downturns, who knows... that might just be the reason for the trend!

No but I agree with Suz here. This thread feels good to read, because me too, when I see images like these, I feel... personally ticked. Come on.

If it's warm enough for your ankles to be bare, then why obsessively cover your neck and head? The silliest image was what you posted the second time, in the snow, bare ankles in boots. Reminds me of my 16yr old son when I ask him to take out the trash and he's too lazy to go put on socks before slipping into his boots, and when he tries to leave for school like that I have to lecture him.

These people must all end up with terrible colds I think.

You sillies. These people are too cool to feel cold!

I laugh at the girls who go out clubbing in Fells Point on winter nights dressed in teeny miniskirt outfits with no coats, bare legs and stilettos. Cold + alcohol + cobblestones = WTF were you thinking? Stumbling and shivering are not sexy!