Chicago Polar Vortex Survivor

So retailers and other Fortune 500 companies were closed for today as Chicago experienced what is known as a "polar vortex." If we're throwing around vocab such as that...you'd think my place of business would think, "hey maybe our employees would like to stay home as well since they could suffer severe frostbite for standing outside for more than five minutes?" NOPE. I had to put my big girl panties on (layers of them) and make that hour-long commute to work. The forecast was showing temps of -30 degrees with the wind chill and I just about cried. In case you are wondering what one wears during a polar vortex, I found that the following apparel will help prevent hypothermia, frostbite, your internal organs from freezing over etc...

1. My work trousers and underneath...yes, my Under Armour cold gear running tights that are also featured in this photo below. Nothing gets through these bad boys...and as a runner, I kind of need to keep my legs.

 

2. My new Lululemon Scuba Stretch Hoodie. I'm kind of obsessing over it. It blocks those wicked polar vortex winds and was worth every penny. (Although I scored mine on sale! Zing!)

 

3.  Next is my Calvin Klein Wool Asymmetrical-Zip Trench that I was ever-so-lucky to be spoiled with for Christmas thanks to my lovely 'rents.  I wore this as my final layer over my sweater and Scuba Hoodie. This coat is the best since it's fine to wear just by itself during the normal winter days without it being an ugly, bulky coat. Sorry, those puffer jackets do nothing for me. I don't want to look and/or feel like a giant puff cloud. I'd opt to look like I walked off the set of the Matrix, obviously.

 

4. Burberry Rain Boots. While they aren't the warmest of boots, (opted to wear slipper socks to make sure my toes made it through the day) these are my favorite boots EVER EVER.  They also have monster tread on them to make sure my clumsy blondieness doesn't faceplant in a foot of snow/ice. Winter win once again.

 

5. North Face Etip gloves and my knitted glittens (homemade) were worn together to make sure that my fingers didn't break off. Etips are a huge necessity these days (especially for me) since my phone always seems to ring at the most inconvenient times...and hell if I'm going to take off my gloves during a polar vortex! PFFF.

Luckily my car started (I was doubtful since she's parked outside) and it warmed up nicely so I could actually enjoy bopping my head to Beyonce as best as I could in my many layers. Many of my coworkers weren't so lucky. Cars ended up in ditches, didn't start at all and even had difficulties braking! Eek! It's crazy to think that anything slightly above freezing now would be a heatwave in Chicago right about now.

Overall, I'm pretty proud to say that I survived this polar vortex weather, however my bones just weren't cut out for these fricken arctic temps...soooo summer please? K, thanks. In the meantime, be jealous of this angry, penguin sweater that just about sums up my attitude right now.