Maricarmen

I'm going to NY to spend Christmas with my boyfriend and his family. It is my first trip with my boyfriend's family.

I know that we are going to go to very nice restaurants in the nights. What should I wear, considering the weather?

nytraveler

Black - and sophisticated - biz casuale or semi-dressy. Cashmere or silk is nice - I like the off the shoulder sweaters - if you have the figure and panache to pull it off. Wear with a slim skirt or trousers.

You will need smart booties (I like ankle booties with a rubber sole (thin - non slip and trendy) but taller boots can work if you want - a really beautiful coat (wool or leather - not puffy anything) and smart or cute hat, gloves and scarf.

For some rason everyone is wearing these large rhinestone (or crystal) pins this year - I've dredged a couple out of my grandmother's cache from the 40's. They generally look good with black.

Realisticaly. your chance of a lot of snow is small - but it is likely to be quite cold - by next week will be 30's in the day and 20's at night - with a chance of colder weather.

kgh8m

For the nice dinners, dress slacks/skirt and nice blouse/sweater or a nice dress (not as formal as a cocktail dress) with heels or heeled boots will work. And a long wool coat. Accessorize accordingly. Black always works and is very New York.

For daytime, wear whatever is comfortable if you will be walking a lot and sightseeing. But change before dinner.

Snow is rare in the city, but if there's a risk of it or rain, just use an umbrella.

QC

One of those baggy sweatshirts with an airbrushed picture of a fuzzy kitten on it would be classic. Add a velveteen headband to accessorize. Teal sweatpants. White Reeboks.

Are we really at the point on these boards where we have to tell people to "take an umbrella" if it rains? I always made the assumption that people could at least dress themselves.

Here's New York Magazine's guide to what people are wearing:

http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymag/st.../look/archive/

wow

Bah, humbug, Quite Churlish!!

Ryan

Depends on where they are from the in NY area. If he's Italian and they live somewhere like Brooklyn, Staten Island or Jersey, then something bright, something with sequins, topped off with hair piled high will make you fit right in. (Don't forget the nails. Go for the French manicure for some extra class.) Even if he's not Italian but from New Jersey, that look will work. Think Carmela or Adrianna from the Sopranos.

Of course, you could just listen to those with more practical advice like NY Traveler.

djkbooks

Here's another recommendation for a French manicure. Very elegant.

I recommend dressing for the weather first, then for style. For New Year's, I'll be packing black wool slacks and cashmere sweaters (some fabulous finds at TJ Maxx this year!)(with Cuddlduds for underneath both). For really dressy, an ivory silk blouse to wear under a cashmere cardigan. A strand of pearls with a thin gold chain the same length, along with nice earrings, is all you need for jewelry, tops.

I'll also bring my waterproof down coat with hood (who cares if it's a little puffy, it gets checked in the coatroom) or maybe the faux fur if not much precip is forecast. For me (and I live in NH), a wool coat is not warm enough for being comfortable while out and about (and wool gets soaked in the rain and does not dry quickly).

I'll also bring my UGG boots. To me, it is positively silly to wear "smart booties with thin soles". UGG's are a dream. Very, very comfy and warm, even with only stockings (you can bring your pumps in one of those small shopping bags, Saks for example, with handles) and check your boots in the shopping bag along with your coat.

If it will be bitter cold, you'll probably want a hat, scarf, warm gloves.

For more casual actities, I'll be bringing black corduroys and my SmartWool socks.

wow

UGG's are not waterproof!

Marilyn

I'm liking the Uggs with a little black dress look, myself.

suzanne

Uggs may be comfortable but they are not practical outdoor city wear. Light-colored suede cannot hold up to city dirt & puddles. I've seen many a 20-something in my local shoe repair shop crying about unremovable stains.

BLack is good, but jeez, it's Christmastime, wear something a little cheery (unless you are some goth/punk/artist)! I've been a NYer most of my life, and very few people actually wear black tops with black bottoms every day. I must own 10 pairs of black pants but have sweaters & blouses in many colors. If it interests you, green seems to be the "color of the moment".

You can't go wrong with a nice sweater or turtleneck (forget blouses...who wants to iron on vacation?) and slacks and black boots. Pins & other jewelry to accessorize. And for outerwear, a puffy but fitted coat. Everyone still wears wool coats too, but like someone said, not if there's rain in the forecast.

djkbooks

Did anyone recommend ALL black? Of course you wear tops in your very most flattering colors!

My UGGS are black (I bought them before they were all the rage...) and they're waterproof (with the spray the shoe salesman gave me when I bought them).

jimjim

I lived in NYC for 30 years. Be prepared for cold weather and ankle-deep water puddles at intersections. Otherwise you can wear what you would wear in any other big city.

Please don't buy into that tiresome NYC game of doing the "in" thing.

Hint: Tank tops and shorts are inappropriate mid-town between 6th Avenue and the East River.

GoTravel

I've had my Uggs around 4 years (the surfers are the ones who made them popular, I bought mine at a surf shop, as they were never originally intended for snow) and they aren't waterproof either.

I suggest taking a lot of black. As I stated in another post, black is the only color that truly matches, it doesn't show dirt, and you can take black pants and a black sweater from casual to dressy with a colorful scarf, a pair of heels, and some sparkly earings.

djkbooks

My Uggs (black), which I've had for some years, are just fine (extraordinarily comfortable and warm) and "waterproof" as far as I can tell...moisture does not leak into them and they brush up beautifully.

missjanna

FYI UGGS are not in style this year as much as they were last year here in NYC.

Think business casual like someone else said. I would say a nice red sweater or turtleneck with black slacks would work. (ironically that's what I'm wearing right now.)

Also fuzzy sweaters with some delicate jewelry (think small diamond earrings and a pearl necklace) and a long skirt with heeled boots.

Brooches (sp?) are big this year.

But always dress according to weather. If it's a mess of rain or snow be sure to wear shoes that are waterproof with rubber soles.

independencedaybaby

I read through a hilarious thread on this site during the summer when my family first considered travel to NYC. The debate was white sneakers vs. black.

Having just returned from my first trip, and having followed some of the fashion advice on this site - still utilizing my own common sense of course - dressing while in NYC was much easier than it would have been. And it did help me enjoy myself more because I felt more at ease. One couple from NYC actually mistook us for fellow New Yorkers at one restaurant.

What were we wearing that could have actually led to such an event??????? BLACK. Doesn't have to be head to toe, but black slacks in the evening or crisp black jeans during the day with new black sneakers or boots dresses up any outfit and just looks smart.

The advice for the simple black slacks or skirt paired with a turtleneck or sweater and then accessorized was on the money, at least from what I observed during my trip. If you wear warm socks with ankle boots you'll be fine for the weather.

Dress in this way and you can go anywhere in NYC and feel at ease. Will there be other tourists who aren't dressed like that at all? YES. LOADS. Will you be glad that you took the time to do a little research? YES.

Have a great trip! We did.