Winter outside of snow days and December is just rude. It’s freezing and dark, but most of the time it isn’t the pretty, cozy winter wonderland we crave. So, if anything the next few months are when we need to be our most fun and flamboyant in our outfits to get us through the gray and dreary weather. At the holiday season it’s perfectly normal to wear your plaid, your velvet, your metallics and your silk jewel tones but it’s a shame to put away all of those lovely, festive pieces just because the calendar says so. It’s also not very sustainable or mindful to have a whole wardrobe you can only wear one month out of twelve. With that in mind, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to show you how to style a typically festive outfit for the rest of the winter season, or even beyond!
Take my look here, I shot this outfit back in December in front of Alexandria’s prettiest local pub O’Connells which was decked out in greenery and garlands. My ‘Wonderland’ skirt from Anthropologie (still available on sale in plus size and petites) has a festive winter scene with snowy mountains, a little log cabin and tiny figures sledding. Its whimsy and super flattering retro-inspired A-line made me fall head over heels and I paired it with heels, a camel cashmere pullover from J.Crew and a bright silk headband. I re-wore this almost exact outfit for my office holiday party and then again on Christmas Eve with family and then yesterday in celebration with the snow. Swap out heels for short boots, flats or sneakers, a cashmere pullover for a cardigan, turtleneck, oversized knit or even a graphic t-shirt and you have an entirely different outfit.
The key to styling your festive pieces outside of December is to keep the rest of your look more casual. So rather than pairing your black velvet blazer with black wide leg trousers, a red lip and heels as you might have done a few weeks ago, instead pair it with mom jeans, loafers and a messy bun for an editor-chic look. Hold on to your sequined or silky dresses for birthdays, fun dates, girls’ nights out and other celebratory moments. With your cheesy Christmas sweaters, go full on fair isle and layer them with skinny jeans, sturdy boots, a thick coat and a hat to go on winter walks, hanging out at cozy coffee shops or for your February ski trip. Faux-fur jackets and coats are perfect for making a statement no matter what month of the cold-weather season.
Whether January blues have already hit or you’re still waiting for those several weeks with the delightful combination of cutting wind and plunging temps, cheerfully named things like THE POLAR VORTEX, I hope this helps you to find a bit of style inspiration. (Alternatively, you could just pile on the layers and use red lipstick as your saving grace to show, yes, I am a human woman, not a stuffed animal come to life).
Xx
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