We've had a yo-yo-ing warm/cold/warm/cold week. On Monday, it was in the 50's, and I was in a short sleeve shirt. Yesterday morning, I was walking my dog, and it was 19 AND there was a nippy wind. (Keep in mind water freezes at 32 degrees!) My husband reminds me - that ain't NOTHING in Minnesota - meaning, the worst is yet to come. Having lived here for the past 20 years, I've learned a few things about keeping warm in the winters. This is my FAVORITE fur coat:

When I first moved to Minneapolis, I had absolutely NO clue how cold it actually got. My first few winters were horrid. It was so cold, there were many days where I would get muscle cramps in the oddest places, like my neck or my back or my pecs - from shivering so much! Then one day, my mom visited and presented me with my first fur coat - a rabbit fur coat, and I was IN LOVE. Not only was it beautiful and soft, it was the first coat that kept my sufficiently warm in the Minnesota winters!

This is a fox fur coat, by Saga Fox, which I purchased from june, my favorite resale boutique in Uptown Minneapolis. The fit is oversized, but EXACTLY the way I want it.

Everytime I wear this (fur coat & monkey hat) out, my husband says, "It's a little much, but you are TOTALLY ADORABLE." This was EXACTLY the look I was aiming for! On cold winter days, you'll find me walking my dog, Jazz, around the lake in this. I get more compliments on the coat AND the hat than I get for any other outfit - especially if someone is shivering and their lips are turning blue, I'm looking REALLY good to them!

I was recently visiting Austin, Texas a few weeks ago. Most furs that I found in Austin at comparable resale shops ranged in price from $300 - $400, and none of them were near the quality or design of my fur. Since I purchased this one at june resale last year for $250, this was bar far the STEAL of the year!

Since I take Jazz on long walks (from 45 - 75 minutes per trip), I HAVE to last the brutal Minnesota winters. Here are my

8 tips on Surviving the BRUTAL Cold:

1. Fur coat.
2. Cover your ears. A WARM hat is a MUST.
3. Gloves - I have fancy gloves, I have beautiful gloves, and then I also keep about 20 pairs of those cheap Target one-size fits all gloves randomly EVERYWHERE.
4. On really cold days, I bundle up in a thick, warm wooly scarf too.
5. THICK socks or lef warmers, even UNDER these great Dolce Vita boots!
6. Knee-high boots to hide your thick socks or leg warmers!
7. Some days, I even wear another pair of pants (like my work-out pants or leggings or warm jambes) underneath my jeans. I usually only do that on days where it HURTS to be outside!
8. Lastly, layers, layers, layers! I usually layer a tank over a top, over a oversized sweatshirt.

It's so COLD in Minneapolis some days that Jazz won't go out without a coat either! Her coat is lined with fleece on both sides with a layer of that 3M thinsulate weatherproof lining.

Being older & wiser, I am TOTALLY prepared for the winter - BRING IT ON!

What I'm Wearing:

Coat: Saga Fox - purchased from June, a resale boutique in Uptown Minneapolis

Hat: Random Monkey hat lined in fleece!

Boots: Dolce Vita

Gloves: Target

Keeping warm & toasty in Minneapolis,

XOXO

-Daisy Nguyen

Minneapolis fashion blogger

PS - I'm TOTALLY BANANAS over this fox fur coat!