While many of us have abandoned all hope of wiggling into bikinis and feeling the sand between our toes any time soon, we all still have the right to feel and look hot no matter how cold it gets.
Unfortunately, cold-weather dressing typically involves lots of big, heavy clothes. I say, if you can't change the situation, change your mind about what counts as sexy.
Schussing down the snowy slopes of Colorado last week, I proudly channelled my inner ski bunny, sporting an ensemble that was both stylish and semi-warm. I started with Hot Chillys long johns, then added layers of cashmere plus two pairs of socks. On top was a black, body-conscious ski suit from Italian label Passport (purchased on sale five years ago, proving that high-quality and great design aesthetic is always a sound investment) and a black cable-knit wool hood/scarf tube by Quebec's Harricana, complete with a ruff of recycled fur (no helmet for me). Chanel's bright red Rouge Allure lipstick (#14 Passion) capped things off.
Though both my girls squealed with laughter when they saw my over-the-top getup, I could tell they welcomed the glam quotient I brought to our nippy runs.
The sporty Arctic vibe has been permeating cold-weather fashion for a while now. The mukluk trend that came on strong a couple of years back remains one of my all-time faves, and I swear by my shaggy, chocolate goat hair boots by Pajar, another cool Quebec label. (My daughter Joey still wears the white Pajars I bought on my first ski trip to Mount Tremblant in 1979 - another good investment.) They are comfy, toasty and waterproof, and look way funky with skinny jeans.
Truth be told, big no-nonsense snow boots have always been a turn-on for me, especially when worn by hunky guys: Made-in-Canada Sorels just scream "mountain man," and the sight of a guy chopping wood in a white pair of the brand's Bear boots is enough to make me melt. (Alas, the style now comes only in black.)
Bulky coats can also be sexy, though looking like the Michelin Man is over for ladies. The new quilted down jackets are more streamlined than the original Sleeping Bag coat that Norma Kamali gave us in the 1970s. But there's something enthralling about a he-man in a honking utilitarian parka, and Canada Goose makes some of the best. Give me a guy in a bright-red, duck down, classic Resolute parka - complete with eight pockets, 3M reflective tape and a tunnel hood - and a cold winter's night doesn't seem so bad.
At the end of the day, unexpected variety is the spice of winter life. A blizzard struck while I was on my way to a swish party recently. Determined to look hot, I slung a little Louise Kennedy knitted mink stole over my satin dress and braved the snow drifts in an old pair of Christian Louboutin stilettos.
Yes, I was freezing and my feet got stupidly wet. Somehow, my defiance of the elements (and doing something my mother would kill me for) made me feel downright sexy.
That being said, I wouldn't recommend anybody try this (especially not my two daughters). But it did make for a wild and memorable winter moment. As for dealing with the remainder of inclement weather this season? I think I'll stick to my trusty old mukluks and rely on that Harricana hood to pump up the glamour.
Jeanne Beker is the host of FashionTelevision and the editor-in-chief of FQ magazine.