packing for a winter european adventure.

when i think about adventuring in europe i picture myself in cute sundresses, colorful tights, oxfords, and maybe even a vintage style hat.
so when i was packing for my trip to england/holland...this was the essence of my suitcase.
obviously i added some leggings, jeans, boots, and a few winter accessories because, february trip, duh.

well...i feel i must tell you...texas winters are slightly different than european ones.
when i say different, i mean CRAZY RIDICULOUS SCARY FREEZING COLD THAT NEVER GOES AWAY.

there were points in the trip that i was wearing probably 15 articles of clothing at once:
tank top. undershirt. blouse. sweater. tights. leggings. jeans. coat. scarf. hat. gloves. legwarmers. long socks. tall boots.
and as many adorable outfits as i packed...no one ever saw them...except my mother, in the morning, before covering it all with my coat.

so...let's discuss ways to learn from rebecca's packing mistakes:

• cute outfits are TOTALLY doable...just not the way i attempted. bring several different coats, hats, scarves, etc. this changes up your look in all of the pictures so it doesn't look like your whole trip was only one day. 
• pack really warm under-layers so you only have to wear one set of them...not every piece of clothing you brought at the same time.
• if you don't enjoy standing out in a crowd, bring neutral colored coats. my bright green coat, yellow gloves, blue scarf, and rust hat was a nice combo (don't get me wrong)...however, with the black coats, gray scarves, and white hats that surrounded me on the tube and walking down the street...i was definitely a stand out. 
• legwarmers are your friends. don't laugh. legwarmers are back and making a fashion and warmth stand. i honestly think i would have frozen and withered away had it not been for my best friend, the legwarmers. my favorite are from HERE.
• another good thing to invest in are long socks (LIKE THESE). 
• also...comfortable and warm boots. i did not have this luxury...however my mother did. her feet get colder than anyone i know. constantly. and she did not complain once the whole trip about her feet being cold. definitely one less thing to be concerned about when it comes to frostbite. 

packing for trips is HARD. 

there are a lot of packing guides online, if you aren't sure the kinds of things you should bring.

also...check out what the forecast is going to be while you're there. 

this will give you a vague idea of what to expect.

winter trips are slightly miserable if "cold" is not your friend.

however...i hate long lines and big crowds and since winter time is not a very big tourist season...it was ideal.

lesser of two evils?