Dear Avery,
I’m a college student and I like to go out on the weekends but now that it’s getting cold out, I don’t know how to dress. How do I stay warm when I go out at night? I can’t risk losing my nice winter jacket but I also don’t want to freeze. And how do I look hot without dressing too skimpy for the weather?

Dressing for the cold can definitely be tricky, but it’s not impossible. You can still manage to look your best even when the temperature is well below freezing. I know that bundling up is the last thing you want to do after you’ve spent hours perfecting your hair and outfit, but it’s better than the alternative — you do not want to be that girl trying to avoid snow drifts in 5-inch heels and a mini skirt.

What’s most important for a night out in the dead of winter is to keep covered. Whether you’re hitting the bars or a house party, you will be spending some time outdoors, so leaving your jacket at home is not an option. My advice is to hit up a store like Forever 21 and spend twenty bucks on a cheap coat. They have plenty of options that will keep you warm, but if a drunken frat boy spills the contents of his Solo cup (or his stomach) on it, it won’t be the end of the world. While you’re at it, you should also to purchase a cheap hat and pair of gloves. If you choose a soft, knitted beret-style cap, it won’t mess up that hairdo you spent hours on.

When selecting an outfit for a night out, you also might want to put your dresses and mini skirts in the back of your closet. Showing off the toned legs you’ve achieved through hours on the elliptical is not worth the risk of hypothermia. Opt for a cool pair of skinny jeans instead — there are plenty of options in metallics, leopard print or floral print that are stylish as well as warm. Or, if you really just HAVE to wear your skin tight body-con dress, also wear a few pairs of tights or fleece-lined leggings to give you an extra layer. 

Your choice of footwear is the key to making your winter weekend outfit a success. Don’t risk embarrassing yourself by slipping on a patch of black ice right outside Delta Kappa Epsilon — don’t wear heels during the winter unless the sidewalks are ice-free. Instead, purchase a pair of stylish, inexpensive boots that you can pair with pretty much any outfit. They don’t have to be fancy and they only have to last you the season. Take it from me: plodding through a foot of snow in cheap boots is much better than plodding through a foot of snow in your cutest peep-toe heels.

Dear Avery,
How do I grow out a bad dye job and hide my roots without looking trashy? I missed my hair appointment and have a long way to go before my next touch-up.

This really depends on what lengths you want to go to to hide your roots and whether or not you’re afraid of at-home dye jobs. Basically, you have two options: either embrace your situation and make it look like your hair is the way it is on purpose, or head to the nearest drug store and look into DIY hair coloring.

If you choose the first option, there are a couple of ways you can make it look like you intentionally have roots that are about 20 shades darker than the rest of your hair. One option is to wear your hair curly. This may add some time to your beauty routine, but curled hair tends to look darker than straight hair (don’t ask why, it’s an optical illusion). And with any luck, the curls might distract people from your super-dark roots. Another option is braids. Wearing your hair in French braids brings out the different shades in your hair color — you’ll look more like an ombre-haired goddess than the skunk that you really are.

If neither of those styles will work for you, there is another trick to try. Dusting your roots with a light coating of pressed powder will make them appear much lighter. Pick one of the lightest shades you can find, but don’t go too light and don’t coat your roots with too much powder, otherwise it might look like you have a bad case of dandruff.

But if you have enough trust in yourself to try out an at-home hair dyeing kit, that’s really your best bet. Even if you are unable to hide your roots completely, you can cover them enough to make it through the next few weeks. There are many different kits available at any drug store, but I would suggest L’Oreal Root Rescue: it’s quick, easy to use and comes in a variety of different shades. While it’s pretty easy to do yourself, for your first time you might want some help just in case — an extra set of hands and eyes will help you avoid any hair dyeing emergencies that may occur.

Photo courtesy of Flickr / vmiramontes