139/ Winter AMA: Why I'm A Balaclava Convert
+ how to wear lug boots without feeling like a Yeti + shearling-lined footwear + more
Dear readers,
It’s time for our quarterly AMA! If you have any questions you’d like answered, please drop them in this chat thread.
Q: Top three favorite balaclavas?
I’ve got six!
Balaclavas have been fashionable of late, and you know what I say about trends: that they’re an opportunity to explore an idea.
Take this past summer, for example: menswear-inspired waistcoats and linen sleeveless vests trended to the point of so-over-it saturation. But, if you view the vest as a piece that checks all the boxes of summer business attire, it fills a real need for the corporate folk who have been sweat staining the armpits of their blazers and button-down shirts for far too long. And since it works, who gives a f*ck whether it’s on trend or not?
Same for the balaclava.
As a cold-dwelling Canadian, I’m a balaclava convert! It’s a 2-for-1 BOGO that replaces the hat + scarf, one of which you’ll dependably misplace. And these days, I prefer using sweaters as scarves, anyway.
So what do I look for in a balaclava?
I like mine fitted and secure around my head and neck because it means less wind will get through to my tender skin. I’ve seen cute floppy/saggy balaclavas, but all I see is the wind blowing through the gaps. I’m primarily wearing a balaclava to keep me warm, and frankly, if cute was the priority, I wouldn’t wear a hat at all.
The fabric needs to be thick enough and the weave needs to be tight enough so that the cold and wind aren’t seeping through. Five years ago I bought a couple of toques (Canadian for: beanie) from H&M. One was made of a thick, acrylic-blend fabric, and the other was 100% cashmere but so thin. They were both too drafty for my liking.
Natural, non-itchy, non-shedding fibres. Sorry, angora.
Worn in its natural position, it doesn’t cover the mouth, but can be pulled up if necessary. Mouth breathing your warm, body temperature air into a scarf/coat collar/balaclava gets gross fast.
Q: How to wear a lug sole or functional winter boot and not look like a lump, perhaps? I loved the pointed toe/sleek boot edit but those aren’t exactly tromping through the snow, school pickup, grocery store boots (at least where I live).
For every day outfits that don’t need the finished quality of a pointed toe, the lug/hiking/chunky/Chelsea boot is the next step before heading into Sorel-style boots and then into a full-on, snowshoe-adjacent Moon Boot.
A pointed toe/slim ankle boot is the most versatile because its slim profile allows it to work with most types of bottoms. With the lug boot, the toe is bulbous, but you still have its slim ankle to work with. The key to wearing them is to use the ankle of the boot to be the “slim” of your outfit. It may be that covering the “slim” of the boot ankle — or your actual ankle — is making you feel like your outfit is too bottom-heavy.
I’ve trawled Pinterest for some inspo, and here are five styling buckets you could try with your functional boots: