What does one wear when going out during the wintertime? As a Michigan native who enjoys the whole spectacle of going out, I'm not exaggerating when I say that I've spent
hours thinking about this specific sartorial dilemma.
The challenge is in finding that elusive balance between legitimate warmth and just enough drama, whether it comes in the form of strappy heels and leather pants or a prairie dress and sneakers. There's a reason people have an entirely separate wardrobe dedicated to this activity.
Below, I present you with the fruits of my years-long cold-weather going-out outfit analysis. These five outfit formulas and their many iterations are equal parts practical and exciting—a hallmark of any good going-out ensemble in my book.