7 Russian Street Style Stars Share Their Styling Tips for Staying Warm in Winter

Valentina Zelyaeva

Hometown: Ulan-Ude, Republic Buryatia, Russia

What did you dress like when you were a child in Russia during the winter?
I remember lots and lots of layers. I wore traditional Russian valenki boots made out of felt and mittens. My grandma knitted scarves, sweaters, and socks. There were scarves on top of everything and over my mouth to cover half of my face to protect me from a cold air. I still wear a traditional Russian shawl knitted by grandmother.

What traditions does Russia have when it is cold?
It’s not a tradition but a little tip: When I was five years old, I remember it was mid-January, so it was very cold and there was snow everywhere. I was playing in the playground on the swings and for some reason I decided to lick an iron swing with my tongue. I got stuck and my mom was trying to literally peel me off that thing. So, never ever lick an iron swing in winter.

How do you stylishly dress for the cold now?
I love turtlenecks. I think they are chic and keep me warm. Ralph Lauren Black Label and RLX make great winter jackets.

Daria Strokous

Hometown: Moscow, Russia

What did you dress like when you were a child in Russia during the winter?
I had a rabbit fur hat and a really warm coat that every kid had in Russia in the nineties, it’s called pikhora. It has rabbit fur on the inside and a thick waterproof raincoat fabric on the outside. I still have a few traditional Russian wool scarves and shawls. They are made to keep you warm even during Siberian cold.

How do you stylishly dress for the cold now?
I like oversize coats that leave room for big warm sweaters underneath. Also, I always have a big woolen scarf on to hide my nose from the cold. I usually wear a gray Marni wool coat, an Acne shearling jacket, and a fur coat I bought in Russia.

Any tips on dressing for the cold?
Find a really warm coat or a jacket so that you could wear lighter clothes underneath instead of layering fifteen sweaters and a thin jacket that obviously belongs in your fall or spring closet.

Vika Gazinskaya

Hometown: Moscow, Russia

What did you dress like when you were a child in Russia during the winter?
My childhood was in the last years of the Soviet Union, so we did not have diversity in clothing. The most beautiful dresses I had were Chinese dresses that were sent by my aunt and uncle. Also, my mother sometimes knit me some nice things.

Now, I wear a traditional floral pavlopasadsky shawl, which can be worn with a mix of the modern clothing in a stylish way. People in Russia are also always wearing fur, sheepskin coats, and ushankas. Since I am vegetarian, I do not wear fur. I create coats out of mohair and alpaca to wear instead.

How do you stylishly dress for the cold now?
I buy a lot of nice knits. In London, I just bought a Maison Martin Margiela thick knitted sweater dress with a décolleté at the back, as well as a nice scarf and gloves from Paul Smith. I also wear Stella McCartney’s boots for winter. For the most freezing days in February, I wear Margiela down jackets or parkas from my line.

Any cold-weather dressing tips?
Buy a beautiful wool pavloposadsky or traditional lace knit Orenburg shawl.

Nasiba Adilova

Hometown: Makhachkala, Russia

What did you dress like when you were a child in Russia during the winter?
I remember I had a white and a black faux fur baby coat that I loved. I had these really cool wool mittens with adorable knitted berries on them that connected by a string that ran from one mitten to

the other that you put through your sleeves so you wouldn’t lose them. I also had a matching hat and socks. Wool socks were very important because of how cold it got out. Looking back on it now, the coats and my woolly mittens were actually quite cute and fashionable. Now, I wear the traditional ushanka fur hats in a few different colors.

What traditions does Russia have when it is cold?
We are very big on keeping ourselves very warm! We do not like the cold draft, it’s the enemy to all moms and babushkas (grandmothers) and we are convinced that walking on a cold floor without socks, going outside lightly dressed on a cold day, or drinking cold water in the middle of winter will cause you to get sick.

How do you stylishly dress for the cold now?
People wear fur because it is unbearably cold and it’s probably the only thing that could keep you warm. Young girls do not care about the cold weather and you can often see girls here in high heels, thin stockings, and miniskirts, strolling along ice-covered streets.

Right now, my favorite pieces are an amazing mini embroidered sweater from Mary Katrantzou, which she made for me as a wedding present, a Burberry hand-painted runway shearling coat, a Rodarte pink glitter coat, and a Dior hot pink cashmere coat.

Anya Ziourova

Hometown: St. Petersburg, Russia

What did your parents dress you in when you were younger?
I wore valenki boots, an ushanka hat, a fur coat, mittens on a string, and a scarf wrapped around my face to cover my nose. I still wear everything that I did when I was a child, plus an Orenburgsky platok, or scarf.

How do you stylishly dress for the cold now?
Lavish fur coats. I love Yves Salomon, who makes fur for Dior and has his own brand, I own a fur parka, which has been saving my life from the cold in New York.

Most important style tip to remember?
A smile and rosy cheeks go well with any fur.

Vlada Roslyakova

Hometown: Omsk (Siberia), Russia

What did you dress like when you were a child in Russia during the winter?
I remember being a child I always had a scarf around my nose and mouth, and frost sometimes appeared on my scarf and eyelashes while I exhaled a breath. I always had stockings under any pants, boots with fur inside all the way to the toes. Also, I remember my first fur hat, which was made of arctic fox. I felt super warm and chic, but couldn’t hear anything because it fully covered my ears. Now I wear mittens—hands are so much warmer when your fingers are together. When it’s super cold, I still wear warm stockings under jeans. I wear valenki boots but only when I’m going back to Siberia and visiting my grandmother in the countryside, or having fun in the woods or going sleigh riding.

What traditions does Russia have when it is cold?
Being a kid, I was always told to wear a hat until all of the snow melts away, otherwise “meningitis will come and find you,” as we say.

How do you stylishly dress for the cold now?
I can’t help it, but a big fur coat is the warmest thing to fight the cold weather.

Favorite warm coats, gloves, boots?
I’m wearing Uggs a lot here in New York City. Back in Russia, I have a pair of moonboots from Givenchy, which are as warm as valenki, and so much fancier.

Most important style tip to remember?
To keep you warm without layering you can have a cashmere scarf over your shoulders, and wrap it over your head while outside— it won’t ruin your hairstyle the way a hat could. Plus, it’s easy to hide it in your purse.

Natasha Goldenberg

Hometown: Moscow, Russia

What did you dress like when you were a child in Russia during the winter?
We had puffy ski pants and jackets. I would try to take them off before I went to school in the mornings because they weren’t fashionable even for that age!

What traditions does Russia have when it is cold?
We go ice skating and wear fur coats!

How do you stylishly dress for the cold now?
Céline does beautiful coats, which are the best thing because I can wear huge sweaters underneath. This winter, I will be wearing a Burberry Prorsum hand-painted shearling jacket and my favorite Marni fur jackets in burgundy with green. I’ll be mixing ushanka hats with my favorite Russian brand, Walk of Shame, too.

Source: www.vogue.com