Philadelphia does the holidays best of all. There are light shows all over the city, holiday markets and pop-up events, and — my favorite — ice skating. Philly has not one, but two amazing outdoor rinks. River Rink is the big one. It’s a huge rink surrounded by actual bonfire pits (you can purchase S’mores-making kits or bring your own). But my top choice is the smaller Rothman Ice Rink at Dilworth Park. It’s right outside of City Hall, and each year it transforms into the most charming place to skate. It’s tiny, but is surrounded by lights and the buildings of downtown Philly, and has a warm-up tent with wine, beer, booze, and surprisingly good treats.
I’m not really an ice skater…not really. But it’s in my bones. My Dad, who passed away last January, was, once upon a time, a professional hockey player. Some of my earliest memories are of hockey locker rooms, and being in Dad’s arms while he skated around the rink, chasing the Zambonie after his games. Yet he never really encouraged Scotti and I to skate. (I think he was deathly afraid that we’d actually end up dating hockey players, sooo…)
Dad got his wish. Mike (my hubs) cannot skate. He gets by because he’s generally an athletic person, but, uh…he’s no hockey player. So I decided (actually, little Pax and I decided) that this year is The Year We All Learn To Skate. And it allll started with Pax’s birthday. (Raines: not thrilled.)
We’ve got a little work to do. But first, hot chocolate*.
*and by “hot chocolate” I mean wine. Obvi.
What To Wear Ice Skating
My go-to? Jeans, quirky hats, thick mittens, and a cute jacket (a short one is easier to ice skate in). I went with a faux fur. To make cute jackets like this practical in cold weather, I’ll employ one of these two layering strategies:
ONE (cold temps): turtleneck bodysuit (keeps the heat in) + turtleneck sweater
TWO (freezing temps): silk layering top (or bodysuit) + turtleneck sweater + thin, packable puffer (like this North Face or this Nanopuff Patagonia)
Add a hat, mittens, and I’m good to go!
Our Outfit Details
On Me
Faux-Fur Jacket (xs, flat white) | hat | mittens | sweater (xs) | turtleneck bodysuit (xs) | jeans (25)
On Raines & Pax (brothers)
R: similar jacket (by Columbia) or this one by Kamik | jeans | gloves
P: hand-me-down Columbia jacket (this season’s here), but I like this one even better. | jeans | Beastie Boys tee by Rowdy Sprout (they make a bunch of good ones) | gloves | hat (not that warm – I just ordered this one)
On Mike
Timberland jacket | Madewell jeans | gloves | bag
More Ice Skating Essentials
Faux Fur Jackets
Cute Hats & Mittens
xo,
S
By the by….if you need more inspo for fun, festive garb this season (everything from cozy to glam), head over to our full page of holiday outfit ideas…
