By Charlotte Steinway, 22, reporting from NYC on Soviet style to win the cold war
Although I've been feeling particularly inspired by the arctic chill that has graced the eastern US, it wasn't until a birthday party last Friday night that I discovered an actual antidote to sub-zero temperatures: dressing Russian. And I'm not talking about Thousand Island's condiment cousin.
When my friend sent out the invitation, I'd expected the evening to follow the implicit NYC birthday recipe: dinner with close friends, followed by a larger gathering with the dinner guests + extraneous Facebook friends. However, I was thrilled to find out she was hosting a highly original themed party—a Russian birthday celebration to take place in Brighton Beach, the part of Coney Island largely populated by immigrants from the former Soviet Union.
And, while I did have a stomach full of pierogis and Russian vodka quelling my chill, I do believe it was my clothing choice that kept me lively on that fated nine-degree night. From there on, I've pledged to combat the cold by mimicking Moscow.
Traditional Russian costume is comprised of decadent fabrics—think embroidery, velvet, and fur (go faux to save you from debt and PETA altercations)—and large doses of rich, tsar-ish hues like purple and red. Headgear is a must, and topping my mid-winter most-wanted list is a faux fur halo like this and Pokemon-esque ear accessories. Either or both would pair nicely with the $7 floor-length burgundy velour dress I found at my neighborhood Goodwill. Add a pair of chunky booties like these and I'll be set, chicly swaddled and oligargh-awesome. Now all I need is a first-edition Tolstoy, a jar of caviar and a set of nesting dolls to get me through February.