Layer Up
Can I keep talking about winter? December is now among us and I feel as if everything I have been talking about has been focused on winter. The season has not even started for goodness sakes. I think I am simply adjusting to this cold fall weather on the east coast or is this how fall weather always is, and I am used to living in warmer climates, most likely the latter (SoCal and Dallas do not really have extreme season changes). Well, well, well let’s talk about those winter layers anyways. In a previous post I mentioned the two staples for the season the trench and blazer. And, though it saddens me to leave those two out there are several other key layering pieces for this season as well.
First and foremost is the shirt jacket. This jacket has skyrocketed over the past year. I cannot even count how many clients per day tell me they want a shirt jacket. And yes, though this was a hit during fall time it can carry over into winter for those in warmer climates. Grab a shirt jacket in a classic plaid, keep things more simple with a solid or have a little fun with a shearling option. The casual options are endless when it comes to this lightweight layering piece. Layer with a henley, simple tee or oversized shirt and leggings for a cool casual vibe. The shirt jacket is an essential for a day out and about.
Now let’s talk about the suede moto jacket. I need to give a shoutout to the timeless leather jacket, but a suede jacket is a nice alternative to a leather jacket and ideal in warmer climates, looking at you California. You can snag a suede jacket ranging in any color from camel to burgundy to green or even black. But I feel for a suede jacket you can ditch the black option and stick with a leather jacket for that. Add a little pop to your winter looks with a dark colored option. A burgundy suede jacket will look fantastic with a neutral button down or blouse and can easily be worn for an evening out if you want to pair it with a bodysuit. As for pants I would mainly keep things casual and stick with denim, but you can go light or dark wash depending on how dressy you want your outfit to be.
Moving into the colder climate attire we will start with the long teddy/faux fur coat. I am grouping these two together because they give off a certain vibe though they are a little different in how they look. A long teddy coat offers you that effortless cozy look, it feels like wearing a blanket! Wear this in a nice chocolate brown and pair with your favorite booties for a dressier outfit for work. Bring it into the weekend with leggings an oversized sweater and chunky boots for a girl on the go moment. As for the faux fur coat go super glam and pair it with a sequin top, leather pants, and booties, a total New Year’s Eve moment. And, if this is not your style at all stick around for a sportier option.
The most casual of these items without losing a sense of style is the puffer jacket. This jacket is an essential for those days you only want to throw on leggings or joggers, and I will discuss how you can wear this with denim too. With the puffer you have two options, the jacket and the coat. The jacket is a shorter length and ideal for milder climates. You can find a puffer in anything from an extremely puffy jacket to a somewhat puffy option, which will be your more lightweight selection. A shorter puffer pairs well with your athletic clothes for those cool days you are running into the gym or your Pilates class. The less puffy options (i.e., some Patagonia jackets) will pair well with boyfriend jeans and an athleisure style sneaker. The perfect look for a day running errands! And lastly is the puffer coat. You cannot go wrong with this coat option for extremely cold climates, I am talking about you Alaska and Michigan. This coat is the ultimate essential for those snowy days. Slip them on with your favorite snow boots and who knows what other layers you will have on with it for the sake of not freezing to death.
Let me throw one last one in there, a classic easy to go to option you can easily dress up or down. Dun dun dun and the award goes to the car coat. This coat which is worn by both men and women first received its name from being worn by automobile drivers and passengers who were looking for the ultimate warmth. This coat nowadays comes in anything from a lightweight material to a lined wool coat for those chilly days. It is crazy how there is so much variety to the car coat! This coat can be tailored with buttons for closure, oversized for a more casual look, and for the most fitted option you have the car coat with the tie waist. I love the tie waist option for a more structured look, think leather pants, stiletto boots and a neutral sweater for a dressy winter outfit. The button car coat you can literally wear with anything, use your imagination. And the oversized car coat is the more trend forward way to go. Snag one of these in a plaid to pair with denim, lug sole boots or sneakers, and a cozy turtleneck sweater (or tee if you are in cooler weather). You get the picture the options are never ending with this coat.
Wowzer, there were so many layering pieces to cover. And options for every winter climate out there that you can dress up for work or down for play. So, do you have a favorite? I would love to know down below in the comments what your go-to layering piece is for winter 2021.
