Fashion in winter, and especially in Pullman, can be a challenge. Is fur in or out? Reindeer sweaters or snowflake scarves?

To stay warm and look good in the Hoth-like conditions of the winter Palouse, it is best to layer. Once you have on a shirt, sweater, hoodie and winter coat, be sure to staple, with an industrial-strength stapler, the excess fabric around your waist to maintain an hourglass silhouette. You might catch a little skin when stapling all that fabric together, but it’s worth it for that cinched-in-half look.

For a silhouette with a strong shoulder, shove single-serving-sized tubs of ice cream in between the tops of your shoulders and your many layers of clothes. Don’t worry about the ice cream melting; even with the insulation, the determined Pullman weather will keep the inside of your coat well below freezing.

On those treacherous walks to and from class, be sure to dab some water on your eyelashes before stepping outside. When your eyelashes freeze into tiny daggers about 45 seconds into your jaunt outside, the sharp angular lines will better define your eyes. Bonus: The light glinting off the ice crystals on your face will highlight your cheekbones.

If possible, wear light blue and white, so when your eyeballs begin to freeze over, the color carries throughout the outfit. This will tie together your whole look into a single concept. When the dry winter air makes your nose bleed a minute before class starts, leave it. The splash of color will add a fresh and festive feel to any winter outfit.

If you’re lucky enough to stumble upon some black-ice on your commute, take out your pocket ice pick and break off a few pieces. Stick them onto your jacket to create the perfect LBD (Little Black-ice Dress). You’ll look just like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, or at least an icicle/Audrey hybrid, which is the best you can hope for in the apocalyptically-cold circumstances we currently live in.

The Monday after Thanksgiving break, my phone informed me I would be walking to class in 15-degree weather. It’s times like these that remind us of one of the most important functions of apparel – protection from the elements. My honest opinion of trying to look cute in the cold is this: don’t bother.

Puffy coats paired with frozen snot will never be aesthetically pleasing. That’s why Victoria’s Secret doesn’t even do a Winter Collection. Okay, they do, but you wouldn’t go snowshoeing in it.

Stay warm Cougs, and remember: beauty comes from more than your clothes. It’s the bonding over hot chocolate in the dining halls and laughingly helping each other up from the ice when we slip and fall on our way to class that make the season fashionable.

Addy Forte is a senior apparel design and merchandising major from Seattle. She can be contacted at 335-1140 or by [email protected]. The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of the staff of The Daily Evergreen or those of the Office of Student Media.