The Best Winter Boots — THE ACCESSORIST

Back home and back in the routine after 3 Thanksgivings and 300 miles—and still trying to determine the highlight of the long weekend. It's feeling like a tie between watching Chris's dad run down an opossum with a .22, enjoying pizza & pasta with my sisters, dad, aunt, uncle and hilarious cousin that had flashes of Thanksgivings past, and crying laughing as my mom aggressively acted out "quicksand" and "fix a car" during a rowdy evening of Heads Up.

While the focus was on guiltless indulging and time with family (not time on the treadmill), I always feel better during the holidays if I squeeze in some sort of activity, however small—and I made sure to pack my Sorels so I would have no excuse not to get outside and move my body for at least a few minutes in between morning waffles and evening wine.

I recently got rid of my Bean Boots because they felt so large and lumberjack-like on my size 9 feet, and I wanted something a little less overwhelming as a replacement—something to keep me warm during negative-degree days and wear on casual Target runs without looking like I'd just wandered off a mountain.

The Sorel Out 'n About Boots are my new favorites—they're rugged and get the job done on cold days, but have a soft upper and shorter shaft, making them... blend in to everyday life in Minneapolis a bit more. I'm already wearing them way more than I ever wore my Bean Boots: for evening walks like this one, trips to the grocery store when the streets are sloppy and road trips home for the holidays when I just want to be comfortable. They'll definitely be coming with on our February ice fishing weekend and are a must for the Christmas tree farm if that's on your list this week—the perfect blend of cold-weather functionality and everyday practicality.

I can't wait to add a cozy pair of camp socks once it starts to snow!

The Accessorist Style Tip: Always pack a baseball hat for a weekend away. I don't usually do my full hair routine when I'm a guest in someone's house because I don't want to hog the bathroom, and hats help towel-dried or unwashed hair look a little more intentional. There are a lot of novelty fashion hats out there (velvet, leopard, floral...), but I prefer the traditional athletic ones—they look just as cute with cashmere sweaters and merino mini skirts for family functions as they do with lycra for workouts and hikes in the woods. Shop a few of my picks from Nordstrom here.

SHOP THE POST: Sorel Boots | L.L.Bean Rain Jacket (size down) | Quilted Jacket (a classic you can dress up or down—I sized up to comfortably fit layers underneath) | Cashmere Sweater (9 colors! love Heather Orchid!) | High Rise Skinny Jeans | Tote | Hat (might need to get this Vikings one soon!)

I hope your turkey hangover isn't too bad today and it's an easy transition back to work (the Cyber Monday sales are definitely helping)! If you don't have your winter boots yet, everything is 25% OFF today at Sorel. Woop!