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While we all love the holidays and want to celebrate during the winter, the colder months can be difficult to dress for. No one likes being cold while they walk around, and many of us like it even less when we feel unfashionable and drab.
Fortunately, there are ways you can dress for warmth without sacrificing your fashion sense. Our favorite strategies involve layering and accessorizing. Read through to find out how we intentionally layer our winter outfits for both style and warmth.
Invest in Good Base Layers
When it’s cold outside, and you don’t want to look too puffed up or bulky, warm base layers are essential. These are also important if you’re going to be engaging in winter sports like skiing or snowboarding. Base layers are needed because they keep your core temperature regulated. With a good base, you ensure that you won’t wind up shivering and cold after an hour or so outside.
In prior decades, wearing base layers might have meant pulling on unsightly long johns, but times have changed. Now, you can find layers that are made out of 100% merino wool or lightweight but durable, polyester. These products are guaranteed to keep you warm, even if you expect to be outside for hours.
Tights are also great to use and will keep you warm when you’re wearing classic women’s dresses. Look out for fleece-lined tights so you can sport shorter hemlines all winter long.
Focus on Good Fabrics
Investing in sturdy and good-quality clothing is one of the best things you can do to ensure your wardrobe’s ability to keep you cozy and warm. There are fabrics that are more likely to keep the cold out and make dressing much simpler when the temperatures drop.
Wool is well-known for its warmth – it’s made out of sheared sheep, after all. Some people find wool itchy, but you can try merino wool for a softer feel. Down is another material that is a great insulator. Most companies put down, which is made from the feathers of geese and ducks, inside coats that have a waterproof fabric as the outer layer. Down coats are the gold standard of winter dressing.
Lastly, cashmere is one of the most luxurious and warm fabrics out there. Cashmere doesn’t have the itchiness of wool, but it retains all the warmth you need. It’s a great fabric for sweaters, scarves, and dresses.
Let Your Outerwear Do the Heavy Lifting
Outerwear is the star of the show when layering, but often people disregard their outer layers because they can look bulky and unattractive. In recent years, companies have begun making winter coats and jackets that retain heat well while still looking fashionable and stylish.
Try to find outerwear that uses down or is made with wool for the ultimate warmth. Wool coats are gorgeous and classically stylish, while down coats will provide insulation and are not too bulky.
Also, be sure to purchase winter coats that make sense for your area’s weather patterns and climate. Wool coats wouldn’t make as much sense where there’s a lot of rain, while waterproof coats do well in almost any weather.
Accessorize
Even if you’ve done your best to layer and add warmth to your outfit, there still might be parts of you that feel a bit chilly. Cover those exposed parts with cute winter accessories to elevate your outfit.
Complete your look by wrapping up your head, neck, and hands in warm accessories such as scarves, hats, and gloves. There are so many ways you can style these accessories to put your individuality on display. You can look for bright colors, such as neon or bright pink. You can also find patterned beanies and scarves that will coordinate with your coat and sweater.
Don’t forget to find warm socks, too! Socks make all the difference between a pleasant cold weather walk and a miserable trudge through freezing temps.
Bundle Up
We know that the colder months can be difficult for a lot of us, but getting outside is one of the best ways to rise above the winter blues. The first step to enjoying the outdoors and boosting your mood is dressing appropriately. You need to be warm in the winter without skimping on good fashion sense!
We all like to look stylish when we’re out and about, so layering becomes necessary during the winter. We hope these tips have helped give you some inspiration and will give you the push you need to look warm and fashionable in the cold!
