How to ace winter in YYC

Calgary is, proudly, our home, and it’s one of the best places to live, not just in Canada but the whole wide world, I’m not JUST saying this either, I 100% wholeheartedly believe it! I come from a family of immigrants, and even though we haven’t lived in any other Canadian cities we do visit them quite often, they all have amazing things to offer but when we come to Calgary it just feels right. I’ve expressed the love for my city repeatedly on social media and the blog, try to support as many local businesses, artists and designers as I can, and make sure that I spread the word whenever given the opportunity. Calgary has the mountains, it has the Stampede, it has beautiful summers, picturesque winters, sometimes even abnormally warm winters (no it’s not global warming, they are called chinooks. The list goes on and on, in a nutshell, if you haven’t visited yet it should be on top of your list!

The weather in Calgary can be a little all over the place, they always say that if you don’t like the weather just wait 5 minutes because it will change that quickly. Dressing for such jumps in temperatures can become frustrating and confusing. Together with Tourism Calgary we put together a few looks to inspire you during this winter season. We went shopping at CrossIron Mills for all the essentials to get you through a night on the town, a fun day of activities in the city and a day trip to the mountains:

Trendy Evening Look

Bridgette Bar just opened along 10th avenue, in the heart of Calgary’s design district. Immediately we fell in love with the retro decor and 60’s influences, the menu itself is led by the amazing Chef JP Pedhirney and quickly became one of our favorites. The food is hearty, delicious and most important of all insanely photogenic, to go right with the rest of the space. I have never tasted a banana mousse pie that had me reaching for seconds (full disclosure I am not even a sweet tooth). The look I put together is classic Calgary, the layers ensure you stay warm, the shoes have grips perfect for walking outside (but stay perfectly on trend) and when you take off the coat you are ready to party! Fishnet anything is my ultimate favourite right now and in lieu of tights I’m still keeping my ankles warm with a pair of socks.

wearing: Vera Wang faux fur coat (Saks Off Fifth), H&M dress, top & shoes

Daytime City Look

Even though Calgary is NOT a walking city it is walkABLE and there are numerous pedestrian friendly streets that will help you explore on foot. East Village, the newest addition to the Calgary core is still in stages of development and when finished will be the first place you’ll want to visit. Stephen Avenue is another great area that welcomes with activities, restaurants and endless shopping. We knew Olympic Plaza offered ice skating but never had the chance to try it out. Ice Skates, therefore, became the first item of our CrossIron Mills shopping list. I built a more casual, exploring look around them, complete with a few essential layers and a varsity vibe, to go with that cute little Coach backpack I found at their factory store at the mall (it was only $118!). I always want to have a pair of sunnies on hand because (FUN FACT) Calgary IS, after all, one of the sunniest places in the country. Olympic Plaza offers skate rentals for $12 as well but we are fully embracing winter this year so we wanted to make sure we are set for future visits. I absolutely LOVED the feeling of skating on fresh ice, the best part about this outdoor rink is that they also have a zamboni smoothing the ice regularly throughout the day. You are surrounded by Calgary’s skyscrapers and city views and at night the whole square is lit up by beautiful lights to make for some really memorable moments.

wearing: Forever 21 jacket, sweater, top and hat, American Eagle jeans, Coach backpack & Jackson Skate ice skates (Saks Off Fifth)

Mountain Getaway Look

You haven’t fully experienced Calgary until you ventured out of the city to explore the near mountain towns like Canmore, Banff & Lake Louise. A trip to the mountains can prove to be one of the most amazing experiences in the winter, but if dressed inappropriately you could be miserable. It took me a few years but I finally realized that the better you are dressed for winter conditions the more you can actually enjoy the season. The secret is to be excited about what you’re wearing and winter dressing has quickly become one of my absolute favorites! As Canadians we have access to some of the most amazing brands and stores, finding stylish winter gear can sometimes be difficult but NOT impossible and once you discover the brands you really love it’s really easy from there. Keep your eyes out for inspiration and make note of the functionality of some items. Boots, for example, should be insulated and waterproof and if you want to wear a lighter sweater make sure you also have an underlayer for extra warmth. xoxo

wearing: Sandro coat, Equipment Sweater, Cole Haan scarf (All Saks Off Fifth), H&M jeans, Arctica boots (Browns Shoes), Ray Ban sunglasses (Sunglass Hut)