Waking Up a Winter Wardrobe

The other day, Angie, of You Look Fab, listed her four ways to liven up a winter wardrobe and it got me to thinking about how I like to wake up my winter wardrobe.  Especially now when the days tend to be short, dark and cold.

Sparkle and Shine

A couple of years ago I was firmly against daytime shine.  I liked to save my sequins for special occasions and couldn�t figure out how to incorporate them into my every day wardrobe.  This winter I�m all about daytime shine; incorporating sequins, rhinestones and metallic into my every day looks.  Whether you wear a little, or a lot, daytime shine is a great way to beat the winter blahs.

Nine West "Darbie" boots

Gap tee

Gap glitter belt

Brights

Angie advocated bright coats and accessories in her list, but I�m advocating brights in general.  I love wearing brightly colored pants, sweaters and yes, accessories, during the winter.  Even when it�s freezing out, brights bring a smile to my face.

Banana Republic Blue Bow Skirt
Gap legging cords
 Banana Republic colorblock scarf

Texture 

This time a year, you�re probably wearing a lot of knits.  I know I am.  And I know that can get boring.  But, if you look for texturally interesting pieces, it can alleviate some of that boredom.  Honeycomb, cable knit and popcorn stitching can all add interest to basic knit pieces.  Fuzzy sweaters are also a great option in a delightfully 80s way.

Eyelash Plaid Cardigan

Echo open stitch infinity scarf

Kyi Kyi Pom Pom Hat

New Neutrals

Black is a very present neutral in my winter wardrobe.  But, I also like to mix things up with new neutrals.  This year I�ve been wearing a lot of navy and gray but I also think camel, cream or even olive could work as a winter neutral.  

 Gap legging cords

Leith infinity scarf
Banana Republic Plaid Fringe Scarf

What about you, Reader Friends?  How do you wake up your winter wardrobe?

xoxo,

Gracey

Black on Black on Black

The lovely Fashionista Next Door has challenged us to wear all black as part of Style Me Friday.  And y'all?  This was crazy hard for me.

That's right, I had trouble putting together leggings and a tunic.

The thing is, I don't wear black from head-to-toe.  I pretty much have to have a pop of color; scarf, earrings, something.  Or something shiny.  I had to force myself to back away from my Foxxy Anubis brooch this morning.

However, I (sometimes) like a good challenge so I bit the bullet and resisted the urge to add color or shine, depending instead on different textures to (hopefully) add interest to my monochromatic look.

I, apparently, also wanted to show how it was possible to wear head-to-toe black and not look sleek and cool.

But, enough about my enduring fluffiness.  Let's get back to the texture:

Yes, my sweater is texturally interesting.  And yes, I do have to make that face when providing a close-up of this tunic. Rules is rules, folks.


Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

Textural Interest

One of the more difficult things for me is working different textures into an outfit.  As with most things, the textures that appeal most to me are not subtle.  I don�t just want texture, I want TEXTURE.  I want big, chunky sweaters and fur and the odd feather or seven.

Unfortunately, when you get into the bolder textures, they can add bulk to an outfit.  This can be problematic for everyone, but we larger women, especially, are told to stick to sleek knits for their slimming effect.  God forbid we look bigger than we are, or even our actual size; the oft preached goal is to appear smaller. 

Well, as I often do, I�ve thrown that rule aside.  This time in favor of some texture:

But, I�m not a complete fashion heathen, so I�ve tried to compromise.  My delightfully fuzzy vest (Design History) has a fairly slim cut and so adds texture without adding too much bulk.  The sheer blouse (Liberty Loves via Nordstrom Rack) under the vest and the slim cut of the skirt (vintage via Goodwill) also add texture without bulk.  I added a bit of leather with the boots (Born Crown �Sosie� via Nordstrom) and metal with the cuff (thrifted via Goodwill), all of which combine to create textural interest. 

 

At least that�s what I�m going with.

Happy Thursday, Everyone!  And Happy Valentine�s Day!

Gracey