Cold Sweat
What’s the worst part of winter in New York City? Not the dirty snow or the crowded subways or my dry, pasty skin — or even the Michelin man effect of layering. I’d say the worst thing of all is the fact that in spite of your best-laid plans, it’s just too darn hard to dress in this weather. In your overheated apartment in the morning, you dress for the Arctic, then get on a subway where you half expect to see Richard Simmons at the other end of the car ’cause it’s like you’re sweating to the oldies, only to brave the cold in those last blocks on your way to the office. By the time you get to work, you need to take another shower — so you’re all cleaned up just in time to go relive the sweats and chills on the way home.
And it doesn’t matter if you’re living the limousine lifestyle. Case in point, I was driven to an event last week — no straphanging with the hoi polloi for me that night — and though it was warmer than usual for winter (say, upper 40s) I had planned my outfit far in advance, expecting a normal winter day: I’d bought a Prada wool sleeveless dress and an embroidered cashmere Lainey coat just for the occasion, so there would be no veering from that plan. I walked into the party venue, and the greeters immediately directed me to the coat check. Hell, no! There was no way I was going to take off my coat; it was part of the outfit! Everything was fine for a while, but the longer I stayed at the party, the hotter I seemed to get under the collar. (At least my feet were prepared to take the heat — I was in Roger Vivier high-heeled slides, definitely not your traditional winter footwear.) I sweated it out the rest of that evening and it was with great relief when I finally got out into the misty night air. I would’ve walked home if my heels hadn’t been so high! So you know what the next great invention needs to be? Personal climate control to go. At this point, I wouldn’t even mind being the Girl in the Plastic Bubble if it meant I could stay cool doing it. Oh, all right, I’ll give you that: Cool in temperature, yes; cool in vibe — not so much. And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but that just might be a fair trade-off!
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January 19th, 2006 01:31
Ah, see I live in the land of the opposite problem. Come summertime, every building in the universe blasts air conditioning like there is no tomorrow, so you move from frying temps to freezing in your super cute wedges.
January 20th, 2006 11:03
At my office, there’s every chance of freezing during the summer and sweltering during the winter. This is why, at work, in addition to the shoes that bloom under my desk, I usually have a representative sampling of my entire wardrobe, in suitable work-related incarnations: a tank top (velvet); a short-sleeved T-shirt (silk); a long-sleeved T-shirt (silk); a vest (probably beaded silk); a sweater (cashmere); thermal bottoms (silk); a scarf; an extra skirt; an extra jacket; and extra underpinnings. I got soaked down to the skin at work once, and it was Unpleasant. I happened to have a new top and skirt with me, so I was luckier than most folks that day. I’ve never forgotten it, and all the layers that I’m hoarding coordinate with one another, so I don’t look like a random lunatic just because the temperature’s being erratic.
January 22nd, 2006 00:07
Yup, I grew up in Texas so I’ve had the opposite problem too. The only good thing was being able to wear your favorite winter sweaters year-round!
I think I do need to keep a second wardrobe in my office.
January 22nd, 2006 00:08
… And an in-office shower would help too!