The thought of being stranded in a cold climate like my homeland Iceland makes me automatically think of cashmere. My love for luxurious cashmere (especially luxurious cashmere on sale) is deep and goes way back in my life. Being based in Seattle, where people complain about the weather without apology, makes me forget what real cold feels like. Seatttle’s winter is grey and wet with few days of frost. Iceland is cold. The winters are not grey, but black, and the cold is intense.

When I landed in Iceland yesterday – my dad picked me up, and asked me as we stepped outside, “Have you forgotten the weather?” It was wet and dark, but not too bad. I thought nothing of it. This feeling turned around quickly. After a couple of hours of morning coffee at my parents house, I stepped outside again and literally got bitten. Wow, what the hell is this? Sitting in my sister’s ‘98 Jetta, which took a minute to heat up, I felt as if I were being attacked by the cold under my skin – and into my bones. This shit hurts! It turns out cashmere (T-neck cashmere sweater under a full-length cashmere Marc Jacobs coat) is not the answer at this time in this place. The only answer is driving immediately (or going online) to a place called 66° North, where Icelandic lambswool and down-outerwear are on the itinerary. This is when one needs to know that when in Iceland do as the Icelanders do.