The Art of Layering

All my life I have been one of those people who runs extremely cold. No matter what time of year or season it is I seem to always be freezing, because of this (and the fact that I live in New England) I have had to perfect the art of layering. Layering is a really important skill to learn no matter where you live. It can completely transform an outfit or just make your day a lot more comfortable. It can also be very helpful when you find yourself having to jump from one activity to another.

I love wearing layers, it is a sense of comfort that I don’t really get to experience as much during the summer. In the colder seasons, however, I truly love how many outfit options layering provides. For example taking a simple sweater and leather leggings then changing the vest, the shoes, the scarf, or the coat can take an outfit in so many different directions. I could go from trendy and chic, to comfy and casual, or festive and fun all with simple layering tweaks!

It is a little more fun to express yourself when you have fewer limitations such as having to wear lighter or less clothing in order to stay cool. In the summer I tend to show off my figure, but in the winter it is my chance to hide my curves, something I love to do. It is fun to be a little mysterious and leave your outfit and personal style to do the talking. Plus it is always nice to throw on a sweater and feel like you aren’t completely leaving your bed in the morning.

I put together three different looks that show how you can take the same piece and with the art of layering can completely transform your look. It is so easy to take a simple sweater and change things such as your shoes, your jacket, etc. and mix and match to create versatility in your wardrobe. What makes layering so difficult for people is typically during your shopping experience… for example people don’t seem to think of their wardrobes as a whole so when they go out and shop they forget to match items they love!

Are you one of these people? An important question to ask yourself…. if you are no worries you just need a small change of mindset. Next time you are out shopping maybe take pictures of your favorite sweater and jeans or your favorite long-sleeved shirt and leggings. Bring those pictures with you to match with the items you fall in love with in the store. Then when you see a really cute vest that will be both comfortable and stylish you can look back to your sweater collection and see if anything you own will pair well with your new buy.

In the three looks I created I wanted to represent three different styles, people, and ways you can layer in order to properly show how powerful a proper layer can be! It’s not really hard if you live in New England or anywhere cold really, but how do we juggle our five to ten (depending on if you are a sweater collector or simply a lover) different sweaters? Well the answer is simple…. Layering! Buy different scarves for cheap or invest in a couple faux fur vests, dusters (see previous post), or simply light cardigans to layer on top of a chunky knit!

I hope with my visuals and advice you feel a little more confident about the art of layering, especially since this time of year it is important to stay warm! If you want to look into some posts I wrote in the past on layering check out: Style Session: The Duster & Got a Love Like Denim.