I’ve always said that Autumn/Winter is my favourite time of year to get dressed – I think it’s because the colder weather means there’s so much more you can add to your outfit; both to stay warm and inject a little colour or individuality to your overall look.
From hats and scarves to soft, sumptuous textures, the possibilities are endless!
At this point in the season I would expect you to have your capsule wardrobe of clothes nailed and that you’re hopefully enjoying wearing those items in lots of different ways.
Many of my clients ask me about layering and tell me that they worry about doing it as they don’t want to add too much bulk or ‘get it wrong’.
I find layering is a wonderful way of reinvigorating your wardrobe at no extra expense, which is why I wanted to pop a post up about it at this point in the season to hopefully inspire you to try it with some of your existing wardrobe.
When it comes to layering there are two simple rules to keep in mind…
1. Never layer on the bottom half
2. Start with finer materials and work your way out
The other thing I always bear in mind is showing some shape to ensure the wearer isn’t swamped by layer upon layer of clothing. If you keep your silhouette reasonably sleek or draw in at the waist then your outermost layer can be more voluminous…
So for example, start with a lightweight vest or tee, add a denim shirt, add a cardigan – belt everything around the waist and then finish with a cocoon coat as your final layer.
If you don’t want to draw attention to your waist with a belt then try layering tighter fitting items underneath looser ones (a long sleeved base layer under a chunky knit or jumper dress for example) and then roll the sleeves of the outer layer up to give some subtle shape and add a pop of a different colour/pattern too.
Image credit – Heidi Marfitt
When it comes to layering, I find the more you experiment, the more combinations you’ll hit upon that work – and as someone who is ALWAYS cold, the more layered looks I can find, the happier I am!
If it’s something you want to try then consider combining different colours (red with a pop of pink, leopard print mixed with a bit of cobalt blue), mixing up textures (a hint of lace, knitwear under leather, cashmere over a silk slip dress) and using belts, tucks or turn-ups to create some shape.
Let me know how you get on!
Until next time,
Anna xo