What the temperature drops, or the weather is unpredictable, layering is essential to ensure you are warm or cool enough. Layering is also a great way to get the most use out of your wardrobe and create new and versatile styles. The five pieces above are foolproof for layering as you can wearing them over and under eachother however way you’d like to create new and different styles. See my five handy tips below to help you layer like a pro:
- Always layer thin to thick to cut down on excess bulk. Sometimes a bulky turtleneck sweater is too much to wear under a thinner blazer. Always start with your thinnest layer, like a tissue tee, and build on from there. I would also caution against too many thick layers at once, as a heavy sweater + bulky vest may look unflattering.
- Mix up patterns and textures with skill. Pattern mixing can be simple as long as the patterns are two different sizes. For example – a smaller pattern mixed with another intricate pattern will look busy. Try a subtle stripe with a larger buffalo check for example. Texture is also a great way to add dimension to any outfit. A quilted vest, cable knit sweater, tweed jacket, etc. are just a few examples of pieces that will give depth to your look.
- When layering a sweater over a button down shirt, I like to unbutton the bottom button to help the shirt relax more and open up at the bottom. It’s just a simple trick I’ve always done to make the layers show a bit better. (Left photo is with the bottom button still buttoned, right photo is it unbuttoned).
- Cheat the layers – there are many items available to help show more layers with less bulk. For example – I own several button down shirts that are sleeves and use them to layer nicely under sweaters and jackets. These shirts can also be worn alone in the summer tucked into some shorts. A way to cheat layering with boots is to buy boot cuffs whether they are knit or these cozy fur ones.
- Choose to layer on the top or bottom. We’ve all seen the girl who goes layer crazy – tights with socks with boots and then a ton of layers on top too. This look is challenging to pull off and can look a little overboard. Choose to put all your layers on the top or the bottom, or if you choose to layer with both then keep it simple. You want your look to be aesthetically pleasing, not have people confused or having to take a moment to “figure out” what’s going on.
So there are my five tips for layering. Don’t let the last tip scare you from trying new layering combinations, just use your judgement not to wear all the layers at once. 🙂
