There’s no starting pistol to signal the onset of winter; it slides slowly into our lives. One day you wake up, and it’s snowing and subzero, and you know what season you’re in precisely, but at other times the sky is blue, and the sun is shining, and it’s a whole different kind of winter. Winter does not mean that you have to lock away those summer clothes and dress as though you are in mourning for the next couple of months. Sure, you’re going to have to make some concessions to the snow and ice but unless your lifestyle is still like that of a nineteenth-century fur trapper, most of your winter is not going to be filled on the freezing sidewalk, it’s going to be spent in overheated department stores and summer temperature office buildings.
Winter is a state of mind, and there’s absolutely nothing to stop you bringing a little summer sunshine into your wardrobe. There’re a few essential accessories you’re going to need to deploy, such as thick tights, knee-high boots and a couple of chunky cardigans. Armed with these, all those summer clothes you love to wear can stay right where they are. Uniqlo’s Heat Tech Clothing is gossamer light and super warm and will enable you to wear a summer outfit and still be cozy, but winter is an excellent opportunity to enjoy dressing up, so embrace the season and get creative with some summer/winter combos.
There’s no need to hide away those bright summer colors. Yellow and red can work perfectly with the dark winter shades of purple, black and blue. Combining colors is an art, the history of painting has been devoted to exploring its possibilities, so you need to be prepared to experiment and go with what feels right to you. Contrasting colors can be both vibrant and harmonious, and there’s plenty of advice out there to help you with your combinations, but there’s a lot of fun to be had to introduce your summer clothing to their winter cousins.
Even the most summery of summer clothing, the crop top, can be worn in winter with a layer underneath, say a silky long-sleeved top, or a chunky cardigan or overalls over the top. OK, too many layers can be overkill, but used in the right way layers look great, follow these fashion formulas to get the right look. Layers are super practical too, they’ll keep you warm on the sidewalk and when you enter that department store you can open them up or strip them off, after all, overheating in winter can be as much of a problem as not being warm enough.
Summer dresses, such as the maxi dress, look great with a pair of tights and knee-high boots. Add a leather biker jacket and make the outfit a little edgy. Cut-offs might seem like the quintessence of summer wear but pair with vibrantly colored tights, ankle boots, and a long coat, they’re a great winter look.
Think of sunglasses as you would shoe, you can’t have too many pairs. And if you think sunglasses are just for summer, then think again. Not only are sunglasses the coolest of all accessories, but it also makes more sense to wear them in winter than it does in summer. The low winter sun is more dangerous for your eyes than the hot sun of summer, as the UV rays which shine directly into your eyes can be the cause of cataracts or macular degeneration, and snow reflects up to 85% of the sun’s UV rays. Sunglasses are also great protection from cold winter winds and a stylish way to hide eyes, tired from too much Christmas partying. For those of us without 20/20 vision, sunglasses with prescription lenses are always an option, brands such as Ray-Ban have a wide selection on their site.
Like cut-offs, you might feel that a silk scarf has no place in your winter wardrobe, but before you pack them away for the months to enjoy, spend a little time experimenting with them to see how they might be incorporated into a winter ensemble. You probably want something a little more substantial than a silk scarf wrapped around your neck in midwinter, although silk is a great insulator and if wool irritates your skin, a silk scarf, worn under a woolen one is a great solution. Using a silk scarf as a belt to pull your layered clothing together is a great boho way to add a splash of color and contrasting texture to your winter outfit.