preparing for a central european winter

winter is coming, friends! well, not too soon, but just soon enough to start thinking about whether or not you have the right stuff to last these cold, frosty months in the heart of central europe. 

the first winter i ever spent in europe back in 2007 was memorably freezing. as we followed our tall danish-german professor around berlin, the wind seared through my jacket like a hundred tiny unforgiving knives, while he seemed completely unfazed. we were all from the continental west coast, and we all were dying. i bought a couple of cheap coats at one of the various kurfürstendamm h&m’s, but none of these coats were big or warm enough to please my mid-western father, who came to visit one weekend (of course).

i’m just glad i had somewhat of an expectation about how cold it would be that first winter i spent in the czech republic, 2012-2013. that was also a cold one. although mildly prepared, i had also been back packing my way to the czech republic from the UK so my wardrobe needed a hefty sorting out. 

after the last freezing puddles melted away and the first flowers bloomed that spring, i vowed the next year i would be more prepared and sent for all of my winter coats. turns out, the next few years were as mild as they come! especially around christmas, for some reason, the temperatures had hovered at around 10°C/50°F! who knows what this winter is going to be like, although a few friends have their theories. one of them: every four years is a different cycle (cold/warm) of summers and winters, which means we could end up having a cold one this or next year.

whatever happens, it’s important to have the right stuff in your closet. here are some things i would personally recommend for surviving whatever winter decides to throw at us!

– a thick, warm coat – don’t skimp on this! a good coat should last you years, if not decades! i (and seemingly most women here) prefer a long one. these styles from zara (which has stores in prague) are fashionable (1 / 2 / 3 / 4 ) here in europe at this time.
– sweaters or cardigans
– boots! whether heels or flats, you want your feet to be warm and dry to whatever weathers come your way.
– mittens or gloves
– hats + scarves – extra points for wool anything!
– a few pairs of thick socks (wool or thermal is best!) i also have knee-high ones for when i’m feeling extra chilly.
– thermal long underwear or leggings. i am infinitely jealous of alex’s long underwear, as i myself will go with only leggings under jeans or trousers on a cold day, but if you’re concerned that you’ll really freeze and have some extra crowns, it’s not a bad idea to get yourself a set!
– slippers – i’m not talking house shoes (although, you’ll need a pair of those too) but the fuzzy, fleecy, kick-your-feet-up slippers for cozy times. i wear my pair from tiger constantly.
– a pajama set! –  i just bought my first pajama set this month (from the cath kidston winnie the pooh line!) and i’m in love with the soft modal fabric and design, and they are my favorite retailer that ship to czech republic for a reasonable price.

what are you doing to prepare for the wintery months ahead?