Winter is one of my favourite seasons for dressing-up, so when one of my clients, Lisa called and literally cried, saying she had no clue whatsoever what to wear for that all-important advertising conference in New York, without looking like the Michelin Man, I nearly choked in laughter. So the very next day, Lisa and I went shopping.
Winter dressing truly does not have to be drabby and boring. Having lived in a couple of wintery places, boring is the last thing I think about when dressing up for the season. Women or men, we have a smorgasbord of choices when winter-proofing ourselves.
First and foremost, learn the art of layering. With this, you will achieve two things. One, of course, the main objective of feeling toasty and cosy under all those layers. With that taken care of, you will feel like you can take on the world, even in the coldest of lands. Secondly, layering is stylish; done correctly, you will look pretty much like you have just walked out from magazine shoot. An example of layering will be; a turtleneck as a base, under a sweater and topped up with a jacket. Or try this, a current favourite – white tee topped up with black colour, one sized-up blazer and pile on a camel jacket. Finish off the look with a pair of black jeans; classy and toasty wrapped-up into one!
Use colours as part of your winter ensemble; do not shy away from them. My few favourite combinations – purple and grey, blue and emerald, blue and red, red and beige Play around, experiment with colours, you will be surprised how much you will stand out amongst the dark-coloured combination you see on the streets during the cold months.
If there is one thing I totally look forward to in winter, is the many hats I get to wear, no pun intended. Hats immediately pull together an outfit besides of course, not to mention the main aim of keeping your head and ears warm. Look for a couple in complementary colours that can accompany your winter wardrobe.
This is for the ladies especially; there is somehow a misconception that winter wear needs to be bulky. There needs to be room for layering, yes; the thermal wear, sweater, parker – however, there is no need for bulkiness, which creates an illusion of a bigger silhouette. My favourite accessory for this is most definitely the belt. Belt-up your coats and sweaters; this immediately gives it a new lease of life. A cinched waist makes your ensemble more subtle and feminine.
We know that shoes can single-handedly change the vibe of your whole outfit; so do winter boots. No one boot fits all occasions, so invest in a couple. My collection of boots consist of these – ankle boots for days I know I will be mostly indoors, knee-high ones for a walk around town, wellies for wet, slushy winter days and snow boots for walks in the woods.
Scarves – oversized ones perks-up a winter look almost immediately. Throw it on your shoulders, wrap it around your neck – nonchalantly and stylishly messy adds an edge to the whole look
Oh and winter look is not complete without fur – however, make that faux fur, please. Fur coat, fur mittens, fur vest, fur collars, fur hats – just have fun with them, however, not all at one time. If you choose to wear a fur coat, opt for leather gloves. If you choose to wear a fur vest, opt for a suede coat – balance out fur and non-fur; done properly, fur elevates your outfit. Try it and feel a million dollars almost immediately.
