In Defense of Neil Young, Cholos, and Paul Bunyan...

Winter is the season that everyone loves to hate, except for folks who think snow is magical (and, not so coincidentally, have never had to shovel the stuff).  The days are cold, short, and generally miserable.  However, the beauty of the season is this: it's not only acceptable to walk around the house or around town dressed like Neil Young, it's actually encouraged.  So, with that in mind, I'd like to highlight a few pieces that help make the best of an awful season.

Boots

As much as I love my boat shoes, they just don't provide the protection against the elements (that and my unwillingness to wear socks) that one needs in winter.  Boots provide an excellent cold-weather alternative for situations where casual, non-sneaker footwear is called for.  For those with a ton of disposable income ($300 worth), what better way to stomp around the neighborhood than in a pair of handsome Red Wing Gentleman Travelers?  They look great with a pair of jeans or courduroys, will last forever if properly cared for, and are rugged, yet urbane. 

The Gentleman Travelers

However, for those bros among us who haven't quite reached baller status quite yet (myself included), a pair of desert boots provide a great alternative at a fraction of the cost ($85 or so).  Clarks Desert Boots are like Wayfarers, Levi's, and low-top white sneakers -- classics that never go out of style.  Although they come in suede, I prefer the leather, as they're easier to clean and take care of and the beeswax sole is just too cool for school.  Desert Boots also go great with anything (jeans, khakis, cords) and, like certain people's mothers, look better with age.  

Yes, please.

Having covered more casual boots, it's time to talk about the pair that you'll need to wear when it's wet, no matter the season.  When you're trudging to class or shoveling snow, you place a premium on function over form.  However, there's another classic piece of footwear that provides both -- the Bean Boot.  Bean Boots (also known generically as "duck boots") have been around forever, and there's a good chance that you and/or your parents own a pair or have owned a pair at one time or another.  They're warm and comfortable, they look great on men and women (they also come in a variety of heights), and they last a long time, especially for an inexpensive shoe.  

Stuff white people like.

Flannel Shirts

They're not just for paper towel salesman, lumberjacks, cholos, or burnouts.  A flannel shirt's fit makes all the difference in the world.  There's nothing necessarily wrong with this, but something more tailored (as incidentally seen here) will keep your friends' Paul Bunyan jokes to a minimum.  Take it from Neil, flannel shirts are still as cool today as they were forty years ago.  Don't let anybody tell you otherwise.

Stephen Stills and Neil Young

-- J.J. Gittes