Mountain Chic

"Cotton kills in the mountains." That little nugget of Appalachian Mountain Club lore is so often repeated it may as well be tattooed inside our eyelids. So why is it that after a full day of skiing, snowshoeing, or mushing, we slip back into the ol' Wranglers and cotton Ts? Well, because they feel great. Unfortunately, though, if you work, live, or play in the mountains, you also have to be practical. Bumper sliding, shovel racing, pushing the Land Cruiser out of the ditch, you're going to get cold and wet. But with correct attire like the pieces featured here, you'll survive to lounge by the fire in style.

* L.L. Bean Endurance Zip-T ($59, top). * Arc'teryx Gamma SV jacket ($240) in Too Blue (bottom far left). * Jagged Edge Mountain Gear Jannu vest ($120), Black Diamond WindStopper fleece gloves ($43), Prana's Comet women's hat ($20), and The North Face's Cirque top ($59, bottom, near left). * Nike ACG ladies' convertible quilted jacket ($130) with zip-off sleeves (bottom, near right). * Teton Gravity Research fleece baggy pants ($70), and Nike's Air DriGoats ($100, bottom, far right).