Yikes…Stripes….

On Tuesday of this week, I woke up to a phone call from my mom informing me that it was snowing in Pennsylvania and that I should probably not attempt to ride my bike to the train station as I usually do. Gotta love moms, always acting like….well….moms, even when you’re in your late 20s. I was glad she let me know though, because despite the complete lack of snow in New York, it was cold and rainy which gave me the perfect excuse to pull out not only a beanie, but also my snowboarding jacket. And people wonder why I love winter!

Perhaps it’s because of what Kelly, the editor-in-chief around here, calls my snobby New York fashion sense, but I really tend to gravitate towards outerwear that looks like it could be just as at home in the city as it does on the mountain. Not surprisingly, I like brands like Holden and Coal. Neon just isn’t my style.

That’s not to say that I don’t like a lot of the neon or brightly color gear that’s out there. I think a lot of it is super fun. I almost bought myself a pair of purple pants from Rome this year, but then decided they would make me look like the Joker, so I didn’t. But I still occasionally think about doing something out of character and buying myself a brightly colored, patterned jacket that no one would mistake for regular street clothes. Case in point, the 686 Fleet jacket. I like 686 anyway, and something about the aqua, pink, and black stripes really tempts me.

Thankfully, 686 has hooked it up so I can get my aqua and pink fix without dropping the cash to buy a jacket that in reality, I probably wouldn't wear that often. And by this, I mean they offer a matching Fleet beanie. Victory!

Now, while I think it would be a bit of a flair overload if you wore this WITH the Fleet jacket, I love this beanie on its own. I think it would be perfect to match with a more, um, subtle jacket, both on the mountain and off. And I really dig the little two layered thing they have going on there.

Maybe one day I’ll be able to bring myself to buy an all neon jacket. Until then…baby steps….with beanies.

Posted by Julie Verone on 10.30.08