tutorial

The Skirt Zone

by Sally on April 8, 2013 · 37 comments

magentadress_outfit

I wanted this dress to work. Oh my, did I ever. I got it on final sale from Ideeli in three colors for SUPER cheap and it looked completely perfect online. Long sleeves, high waist, full skirt – three kinds of yes. And it is so close to working … but not quite right.

This is the kind of dress that HM tells me is “too short.” And back in the day, I would get pissy about it. Because I love, love, love my legs and I love, love, love showing them off and I didn’t want anyone saying that I shouldn’t. But eventually I found out that it wasn’t scandalous shortness that he was reacting to, it was garment proportion.

Mini skirts generally hit high on my thigh. Maybe a hand’s width below the crotchpoint. Middle-length skirts – the kind that are most widely available for sale and most often worn to workplaces – hit just above my kneecap, in the kneecap realm, or just below. Midis hit mid-calf, and maxis sweep the floor. What I’ve discovered – much to my dismay – is that there’s a no-man’s-land on my thigh that falls between mini and middle-length, and that skirts hitting in this area just look wrong on me. They aren’t short enough to be mini skirts and they aren’t long enough to be traditional middle-length skirts, so they look like they’ve been shrunk in the wash. They also make my legs look stockier than they are, and fail to divide me along golden ratio lines. It’s subtle, but they look wrong. Worn with tights or a floaty skirt layered underneath, they can sometimes pass. Worn alone, they look undeniably odd.

I’ve encountered this problem with the occasional client, too. It seems that many of us have this middle-thigh no-man’s-land where skirts just fail to work. Any hemline that hits in there divides us strangely and fails to flatter. Have you found that there’s a skirt zone on your own figure that causes proportion-related havoc? Got any work-arounds to suggest? Or do you just avoid/donate skirts that fall in this zone? (I love this dress so much I’m considering taking it to the tailor to see if a band of fabric in a similar color/weight could be stitched onto the hem … but I’m pretty sure that would end disastrously.)

{ 37 comments }

Tricks for Dressing Your Apple Figure

by Ashe on March 7, 2013 · 17 comments

dressapplefigure

4 years ago, Sally responded to a Reader Request asking for help dressing an apple figure: Help for the apple-shaped people out there! What do we do with big boobs, big waist, big butt, and relatively bird-like limbs? I’ve been dying to write a follow up and share my own tips and experiences ever since.

Like many women, I have multiple goals in mind when I get dressed: is this flattering? (For me, flattering means emphasizing and creating a silhouette that I feel comfortable in.) Is this comfortable for the occasion? Am I projecting the image that I want to on this day? Is this clothing representative of who I am or a side of myself?

When I want to create a flattering silhouette, I try to create a feminine shape. I prefer to draw attention to my favorite parts of my figure (my lean limbs, slim shoulders, and décolletage), while drawing the attention away from my stomach’s girth. Sometimes that means drawing attention TO my waist, as I try to trick the illusion of it being smaller than it is.

Favorite Tips, Tricks, Cuts & Styles for Apple Figures:

As a disclaimer: unlike many Apples, I am smaller in the breasts and hips while most of my weight hits the middle of my body.  From the front, I do have a “figure,” though from the side? Not so much.  Some of these tips may need adjustment if you’re bustier or hippier than I am.

  • 1940s and 1950s silhouettes: 1940s dresses and tops are characterized by defined waists that rested at the natural waist; structure at the shoulders; skirts were knee length (or close to). Because fabric was rationed in the 40s due to WWII, skirt and sleeve lengths were shortened. This is great for apple figures who have limbs they want to show off! 1950s styles continue with a defined waist and often have very slim or very full skirts. As a result, I’m more careful about the 1950s styles, but find many flattering as well. (Favorite picks: Frenchie Dress; Annette Bow Dress; 1940s dress- I literally have 5-6 of these!)  Because fashions recycle, a lot of 1980s pieces will have similar cuts to the 1940s.
  • Skinny or ‘Slim Bootcut’ Jeans: I live in jeans, so it’s hard not to include them. While I often worry that skinny jeans can draw attention to my round belly, they’re a fantastic way to show off slender legs. Another option, while hard to find, can be “slim bootcut” jeans. These are cut with a more narrow bootcut opening, and as someone with short legs, I feel are less overwhelming. Two inexpensive options that fit great are Target’s Denizen from Levis and the Old Navy Rockstar in Demi-Boot.
  • A Touch of Elastic or Stretch: As I mentioned above, I love to buy fabrics with a bit of stretch. Alternately, more and more dresses, skirts, and tops are being created with elastic in the waist. You can even buy beautiful, slim cut jeans with elastic waists! It’s insane. It has also taken me awhile to get over the mentality and biases against elastic waists. (They’re for old ladies! They’re only in over-sized cotton pants!) But doing so has helped me find items that fit better. They’re also great for extending the life of your wardrobe if you’re losing weight, gaining weight, or pregnant.  (Examples: my mustard dress above; this Midi Dress, Lace Skater Dress, or Skater Dress with Twist Neck. All are on my wishlist!)
  • Belt It! I’ve only recently added belts to my closet, but what a world of improvement they make. Over cardigans with pants or dresses. To break up overwhelming print, or add shape to otherwise shapeless dresses. I tend to favor wide stretchy ones at my waist, but have found that a slim skinny belt can help add just a touch of shape and definition to an otherwise boxy dress or cover up that pesky elastic waist!
  • Pair volume with slimness or alter with accessories Sometimes I want to experiment with style. I may find an amazing drop waist dress or trapeze dress. This over-sized striped top may really strike my fancy and style, but  I know these pieces aren’t “flattering” for my figure. Wearing a trapeze dress with bear legs may get me a lot of pregnant comments. Pairing it with studded leggings or patterned skinny jeans makes the style more intentional. Adding a belt can accentuate that there is a figure underneath.

These are the tips and tricks that work for dressing my own (plus-sized) apple figure. If you’re of a similar Apple shape, what tips do you utilize –what styles or elements do you look for in your clothes if you’re a similar fruity body shape?

_ _ _

Call her Ash, Ashe, or Ashley– she doesn’t mind! Already Pretty contributor Ashley began blogging in 2007 about fashion and style to fill a void in her life while living in the wintery tundra of Indiana. Her blog Dramatis Personae focuses on food, life & style.  Ashley’s love of fashion began at 10, when she bought her first issue of Seventeen magazine; this also began a life long battle with learning to love her body (she never looked like the girls who graced those pages). As a plus-sized woman, she loves promoting fashion for all women and shops that want to make all ladies feel beautiful.  She currently calls New Orleans home and share her little house with a wonderful fiance and two brilliant and playful Maine Coons kitties.

**Disclosure: Actions you take from the hyperlinks within this blog post may yield commissions for Ash in Fashion. See Already Pretty’s disclosure statement for more details.

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Reader Request: Balancing Foot Size

by Sally on March 6, 2013 · 22 comments

balancing foot size

Keilexandra popped this question into the suggestion box:

I’d love to see a post on how to “balance” foot size, both small and large. Especially small! At 5’2.5″ and 120 lbs, I feel like my size 5 feet are disproportionately small. This is especially apparent when I wear heels or high-vamp shoes (e.g. oxfords, TOMS), and even more so now that I am finally spending money on good-quality shoes in my size rather than a size too large. Wearing shoes that fit is much more comfortable, but it also makes my feet look smaller… and unlike most women, I think my feet are already small enough!

When I was a teen, I, too, wished to make my feet appear larger. I had a girlfriend who carried most of her weight in her bust and belly, and wore very tight, skinny jeans, and shoes that made her feet look tiny. Honestly, it worked for her. But seeing how she handled her dressing and footwear choices made me reevaluate my own and decide that I’d rather err on the side of shoes that made my feet look actual size or even a bit larger in order to balance my hips and shoulders. So I passed on Keds and reached for Doc Martens.

Women who have feet they feel are disproportionately large also struggle, I know. Some will go so far as to wear floor-sweeping skirts as often as possible to keep their feet minimally visible. And here’s the thing: All feet are fine. You’ve got yours in their current size because of your own unique biology, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with them. It is entirely up to you if balancing your foot size is a figure-flattery priority. None of my figure-flattery advice posts should be considered gospel, including this one, and I fully expect you to read them with a grain of salt. Style “rules” are merely guidelines, no matter who is dispensing them. I trust you to use your judgment. And I trust you to take what applies to you, discard the rest, and assume positive intent.

For those who do wish to balance their natural foot size a bit, here are some tips for both ends of the spectrum:

To make small feet appear larger

Almond and pointed toes: Generally, you want your feet to seem longer in the length, so toe styles that add a bit of visual length will help. You don’t have to go full pointy and veer into elf territory. A chic almond toe will help somewhat.

Platforms: Heft on the sole might not add to perceived foot length, but it will still add to the illusion. Again, no need to break out the disco stompers – a small platform and chunky heel will do the trick.

Large soles: Most women’s shoes feature soles that fit well beneath the shoe body, but some styles of flat boots and rugged footwear include soles that protrude a bit. My Fluevog Lancasters, shown above, boast this feature.

Bootcut pants: Pant styles that are slim to the ankle and foot will make dainty feet seem daintier. Bootcut openings have a bit more leeway since they flare a bit, and can make feet seem a bit larger.

To make large feet appear smaller

Rounded toes: On the opposite end of the spectrum, you’ll want a toe style that makes your feet appear as compact as possible. Rounded toes are generally a good bet.

Dark colors: Shoes in light or pastel shades will add a bit of perceived length, so stick to darker shades like gray, navy, brown, and black.

Avoid strappy sandals: Showing lots of foot against thin straps will make that foot seem bigger, so stick to wider straps and a bit more coverage. Or try peep-toes, D’Orsays, or sling-backs.

Anyone else out there wish to make small feet seem bigger, or vice versa? Do these suggestions work for you? Any other tips for Keilexandra?

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How to Train Yourself to Accessorize

by Sally on February 8, 2013 · 36 comments

how to train yourself to accessorize

The vast majority of my style consult clients have great clothes and fabulous ideas for outfit assembly. The vast majority of my style consult clients also struggle with jewelry and accessories. I’ve had so many of them say, “Oh, I don’t really wear jewelry. I don’t even own any!” Only to haul out unworn and forgotten stashes of necklaces, bangles, and earrings. Others say, “I love scarves on other people, but just can’t figure them out for me.” A few scarf tie tutorials later, and they’re back in the game. I spend a lot of time illustrating how jewelry and accessories make outfits feel more complete, finished, and polished. And then I try to reinforce the importance of incorporating them into daily dressing rituals.

But if you’ve never been big into jewels and accessories, how do you begin working them into your outfits? How can you train yourself to accessorize?

Jewelry

Start with jewelry. Even if you don’t think you have any, you probably do. Check your stores and see what you can find. Even a simple chain necklace or pair of hoop earrings can change the feeling of an outfit. Really! If you’ve worn the same studs every day for years or never bother with bracelets, set a schedule: Incorporate jewelry into your outfits on Tuesdays and Thursdays to start. If your wrists are bare, try to slip on a bracelet or watch. If you’ve got an open neckline, try a necklace. Keep it up for a few weeks. Once you’re in the habit, add a few more days or switch to Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Soon, your eye will begin to see jewelry-shaped spaces in your outfits and long to fill them!

Scarves

In my experience, most women own scarves. They see them worn by others, love how they look, buy ‘em, get ‘em home, and realize they have no idea how to deploy them in actual outfits. Does this describe you? Well, sadly, the only way to give those scarves some wearable love is to suss out which ties work for you. And that means some research and experimentation. Let’s research first:

Cruise through some of those links and see what strikes your fancy. What styles and sizes of scarves do you own and love? Which techniques are, therefore, relevant? Now the tough part: You’ve got to set aside a bit of time to try them out. Throw on jeans and a black shirt, stand in front of the mirror, and see what works in practice. Try to identify at least three scarf ties that make sense, work with your collection, and complement your personal style. Once you’ve got those under your belt, you’ll find yourself more inclined to scarf it up. Because you’ll know how.

Belts

I’ve got an entire post on breaking into belting, and highly recommend it if you’re just getting started. The big takeaway? You likely need to start by figuring out which PLACEMENT works for your figure, then which WIDTH of belt you like best. So start with a scarf: Put on a fairly loose dress or tunic, and try belting it with a scarf at various spots on your bod. Hips, wearing waist, natural waist, and close your bust like an empire waistline. See what looks best. Then try making the scarf wide like an obi belt and see how that looks. Fold it so it’s the width of a pants belt. Roll it tight as you can so it’s skinny. See which width is most flattering. You may find that multiple combinations look good – skinny at your natural waist, wide up by your bust, medium at your wearing waist. But this little exercise will get you on the right track. How should you implement belts?

Hosiery

Hosiery season is coming to an end for many of us, but it still bears addressing. In my opinion, the three easiest ways to incorporate tights into outfits are as follows: If you’re doing separates, match your top and tights colors to create continuity. And/or make sure the color of your tights is repeated elsewhere in your outfit, be it in a belt, scarf, or piece of jewelry or within the pattern of a garment. And/or let tights make a stand-alone statement of their own by making them the lone colorful or patterned element in an ensemble. (More tights-deploying advice here and here.) Just having a few tights templates can make incorporating them into regular wear seem less daunting.

There are brooches and hats and loads of other accessories to be considered, but I view these as the Big Four. They’re accessories that stymie the majority of women, but can be fun and beneficial to deploy. Hope these tips have been helpful! I’d love to hear yours, too: How would you recommend that someone who has avoided jewelry and accessories begin to incorporate them into regular wear?

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Reader Request: Winter Hats and Avoiding Hat-head

by Sally on January 28, 2013 · 30 comments

How to avoid hat head and hat hair

Margaret e-mailed me this question:

Minneapolis is cold. Syracuse is cold. To leave the house without a hat on your head when it’s 12 degrees outside is just insane. But what hat? And what do you do about hat head? Is there something I’m supposed to do to my hair to prevent hat head (like braid it)? Will I end up looking like Heidi? And if you just surrender and wear a hat all day in order to prevent hat head what type of hat should that be? If I wear a sock cap will I look like I stepped out of a grunge concert circa 1993? If I wear a beret will I look pretentious (and how do you get berets to actually stay on your head all day anyway)? Should I just be using the hood on my jacket?

For starters, do check out Audi’s guest post on selecting a flattering hat to fit your head shape, body, and style! Then come back here. Are you back yet? OK, good.

Now. Hat-head. There are as many ways to deal with this wintry condition as there are haircuts and hair types, and many techniques that work for some women will fail miserably for others. Remember to take what applies to you, discard the rest, and assume positive intent! Now let’s dig into a few possible hat-head work-arounds:

Do braids and ponytails

A cop-out? Perhaps. But wearing your hair up in a fairly tightly bound style is one of the only methods guaranteed to prevent hat-head. Your hat cannot crush your hair into a limp, frizzy mess if your hair has been stylishly pre-crushed.

Wear loose hat styles

Stiff brimmed hats like fedoras and close-fitting styles like stocking caps are among the most likely to mess up your ‘do. Knits with looser stitching – seen in certain trendy beanies and caps – won’t do as much damage. And unless you’re walking miles in a high wind, there’s no need for your hat to squeeze your noggin. Even a looser-fitting version will help you retain body heat.

Fluff upon arrival

I cannot braid my own hair, or throw it into a ponytail of any sort without looking deeply odd. But I CAN swing by an obliging bathroom whenever I arrive at my destination and do a quick touch-up with a splash of water and a comb. If your hair isn’t interested in water and combs, nab a travel bottle from the drug store and fill it with your preferred hair-fluffing product: Gel, pomade, cream, you name it. This means, of course, that you must hit your final destination a bit early to primp so if you’re chronically late, consider another solution!

Straighten

If you’re someone who can do curly/wavy or straight, you likely already know that straight or straightened hair is less susceptible to hat-head. Not helpful to anyone who cannot or does not want to straighten her locks, and equally unhelpful if it’s snowing or raining since straightened hair tends to curl when wet, but if you’ve got the option …

Wear your hood instead

If you’re outside for mere minutes – dashing from building to car – consider doing a hooded coat instead. It’ll block the wind and keep you from freezing, but do less hair-crushing than an actual hat. If you don’t have a coat with an attached hood, you could also try a loosely tied scarf or a snood!

Don’t worry about it

We are our own worst critics. Unless your hair goes from perfectly coiffed to mangled mess once touched by a knit cap, your case of hat-head is probably very minor. And no one will point or laugh. If they do, throw your hat at them.

And I’m out. I’d love to hear more ways to keep hat-head to a minimum. How do you do it? Will any of these solutions work for you? Others to suggest to Margaret?

P.S. I believe that if your beret slides off your noggin, you can hold it in place using bobby pins. Beret-wearers, can you confirm?

Image courtesy A Crafting We Will Go.

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Reader Request: Scarves for Busty Women

by Sally on January 8, 2013 · 26 comments

scarves for busty women

Reader Rhianna sent this request via e-mail.

I was wondering if you could maybe do a post on scarves for larger-chested girls like myself. I love scarves, but I have large breasts and they never seem to lay right. Do you have any advice?

I am not in possession of a large bust myself, but I’ve worked with style clients who are busty and struggle to make scarves work. So I’ll offer a few tips, and ask you all to chime in with more!

Heed size

A giant, thick, oversized scarf is likely to add bulk and volume to the figure of a large-busted woman – or, really, any woman – especially if she also has a shorter neck and/or long and voluminous hair. On the other hand, there’s something to be said for scale: A teeny silk square may look lost on your frame, or make your bust appear even bigger. So depending on your personal figure flattery priorities, you might consider tracking down a medium-sized scarf that feels like it matches the scale of your unique frame.

Avoid bulk

Many of the scarves in trendy shops are thick enough to be winter blankets. As I mentioned above, I don’t have a large bust, and even I find these impossible to style and wear. With a larger bust, you probably want to avoid making your head and chest appear as one, which thick, bulky scarves tend to do. So select a scarf that is fairly lightweight and thin. The thinner it is, the larger it can be: A featherweight cashmere pashmina will generally work better than an inch-thick skinny muffler.

Consider placement

Most of my large-busted clients prefer to keep jewelry and scarves above the bustline. Not ALWAYS, but most of the time. A long necklace can bounce off the bust as you walk, and a long scarf can drape awkwardly. Think about how your scarf will interact with the other elements of your outfit, and where on your body you’d like it to rest. If you pick a spot above the bustline, be especially mindful of size and bust to avoid merging your head, neck, and bust with an overwhelming scarf. If you wear your scarf long and draped, create a configuration or use a tie that feels natural to you.

Explore various ties

Speaking of ties, finding creative ways to fold, bend, twist, and otherwise corral your scarves into knots and shapes that suit your figure and taste is the key to making them work with ANY figure. For women with large busts, consider the twisted rope tie (shown above) which shrinks a larger scarf into a dense, manageable size, the French Twist, an ascot or cowboy knot. If you’ve got larger, thinner scarves that you’d like to style, take a peek at this fabulous video that shows 25 scarf ties in less than five minutes. Many may feel too voluminous, but see especially the bunny ear, the hidden knot, and the shell roll.

Avoid infinity scarves

Scarves with two ends are easier to tie and manipulate. Infinity scarves can be looped once or twice and that’s it. Since that generally creates a pile of looped cloth on top of and draping over the bust, it won’t work for many large-busted women. (“Many,” not “all” – if these work for you, enjoy! But they’re challenging on many.) Tying two ends of a rectangular scarf to create your own infinity loop can work better because you can control the length and placement of the knot.

For loads of great scarf tying and wearing inspiration, check out Already Pretty contributor Une Femme’s blog, Une Femme de un Certain Age. She’s got a whole category on scarves and, as a woman in possession of a larger bust, wears them stylishly and frequently with tremendous chic!

As always, none of my figure flattery advice posts should be considered gospel, including this one, and I fully expect you to read them with a grain of salt. Style “rules” are merely guidelines, no matter who is dispensing them. I trust you to use your judgment. And I trust you to take what applies to you, discard the rest, and assume positive intent.

So let’s hear from you large-busted women! Do scarves challenge you? Have you found ways to wear them that feel good? What ties do you use? What styles of scarves work best? Let us know in the comments!

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Necklaces and Necklines Revisited

by Sally on December 19, 2012 · 9 comments

Waaaaay back in 2009, I cooked up this tutorial on pairing necklaces and necklines. And, looking back, I still agree with virtually everything I wrote. However, since this is a question that comes up fairly often I figured it was worth revisiting and discussing.

As I said back in the day, I believe that a necklace should ideally:

  1. NOT compete with the neckline of your top
  2. Fill the visible neck/chest area
  3. Or, in the case of closed necklines, create contrast

Let’s start with a scoopneck for our first example:

Simple neckline, simple necklace. This pairing adheres to the criteria listed above – necklace and neckline aren’t fighting each other and the necklace fills the space. Notice, too, that the scoopneck and chain mirror each others’ shapes. A pendant would have created a v-shape, but this unadorned chain is rounded just like the visible neckline. (Secondary, but something to consider.)

But it’s not essential that a necklace sit above the neckline on the exposed skin.

Here’s the same dress and cardigan configuration, with a longer, chunkier necklace. Since the strands dip well below the dress neckline, this pairing looks intentional. If they were a few inches shorter and instead hit right where the neckline begins, they’d be fighting each other awkwardly. If you’re going to wear a necklace that hits below your neckline, make sure it hits WELL below.

Extremely long strands – the kind that hit at navel level – work with most necklines. Since they dip so far below the exposed neck and collarbone area, there’s no fighting and no real reason to consider shape mirroring.

Here’s a pairing that doesn’t quite work, in my opinion. The neckline is fairly deep and more v-shaped than round. The doubled-up chain is round so it doesn’t fit into the space well, and short so it doesn’t FILL the space well either. Not a tragedy, but not ideal either.

Here are some examples of necklaces that mirror and fill their necklines:

Pendants work well in pointed or v-necklines, while strands fit beautifully into rounded or scoop necklines. Ideally, there should be about an inch of distance between the bottom of the necklace and the top of the neckline. Any more distance, and the neckline won’t look full, as shown above. Any less and you might pick a neckline fight. Again, a good way to avoid such conflict is to pair your longer strands with higher necklines.

In the older tutorial, I examined options for button-front shirts and suggested long strands, small pendants, and bibs.

I somehow failed to mention that a necklace can be a very subtle addition to a button-front outfit. Here’s that same plain chain, just peeking out from the collar of the shirt. This allows for bigger earrings and/or cuffed sleeves and loads of bracelets. Great options, since getting a necklace and a shirt collar to agree can be challenging.

Finally, if you’re going truly huge many of these guidelines may be useless. For myself, I prefer that the chain element of a giant necklace fall above the exposed neck and collarbone area, while the bulk of the piece rest below, as shown here. If the metal plates of this necklace were to peek up above the black tank neckline, that would look like a fight to me. Since they rest on the solid black space, they look intentional.

Again, the older tutorial includes many more photos and examples, so I recommend taking a peek! But I hope some of these were helpful as well.

Do you have any personal guidelines for pairing necklaces and necklines? Do these suggestions resonate with you? Any other resources on this topic you’d care to recommend?

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Cold Weather Dressing Essentials

by Sally on December 5, 2012 · 43 comments

cold weather dressing essentials

We’re digging in for the long winter haul here in MN, so I figured it was about time to revisit my personal list of cold weather dressing essentials. Now, none of my tools or tricks are terribly unusual, but since I’ve had several folks ask how I’d be kickin’ it this winter, I’ll share. And, as always, I’d LOVE to hear how my resourceful readers plan to stay warm during the coldest months of the year.

THE TOOLS

  1. Layering tees: I have amassed quite a collection of layering-specific tees and tanks over the years. Why are they reserved for this use? Because I have bought them tight enough to slide beneath other layers – including close-fitting sweaters and blazers – which means they’re not quite loose enough to be worn on their own. If you want to layer without lumps, your underlayers need to be pretty durned tight.
  2. Tights: My picks for the best warm tights can be found right here, and I stand by them. I’ve since invested in another pair of Falke opaques and absolutely adore them. If you are a skirt lover, a relatively dressy dresser, and live in a cold clime, I highly recommend investing in at least one pair of high-quality tights to see if they make a difference in terms of comfort and warmth.
  3. Lined wool skirts: Lined because wool sticks to tights, wool because it’s WARM! Boden makes a fantastic array of super heavy lined wool skirts, from minis to knee-length to floor-length. Talbots also tends to line their skirts. Many of my best lined wool skirts have been thrifted. (Naturally some skirts will be unlined. Invest in a slip!)
  4. Tall boots: My ankles and toes get cold very easily when not encased in sock-and-closed-shoe. So although I employ pumps on warmer days, much of the winter will be spent clomping around town in my arsenal of knee-high boots. I know tall boots can be tough, so here’s a post with specialty size resources. Also see Wardrobe Oxygen’s post about online retailers who specialize in wide-calf boot styles.
  5. Scarves and wraps: I had an evaluation with an acupuncturist once and she told me two things that I have never forgotten. One is that the bizarre, embarrassingly loud single hiccups that I get on occasion are the result of “rebellious chi.” The other is that, if I want to stay warm, I need to keep my neck covered. I believe them both. Since I am no fan of actual turtlenecks, this means that I employ a lot of scarves and wraps. Fashion scarves get creatively tied, and provide a surprising amount of warmth despite being constructed from flimsy fabrics. Wraps, pashminas, and mufflers get slung around my neck and shoulder area. (Fave large scarf tie here.)
  6. Silk long johns: Silk, as you likely know, is nature’s miracle fabric. Keeps ya cool in the summer, and toasty in the winter. I’ve had my silk long underwear since high school and it has saved me from losing my pelvis, thighs, and calves to frostbite more times than I care to count. Silk is also sleek and won’t bulk up your pants. Wintersilks will be happy to sell you a pair.

THE TRICKS

  1. Wear tall boots under slacks: Keeps calves extra warm, and no one is the wiser! I have several fun pairs of ankle boots that will be in heavy rotation, too, but on those snot-freezing days, fortified lower legs can make a world of difference.
  2. Wear a nude cami under everything: When it’s really horrible outside, I’ll throw on my nude cami, one of my long-sleeved layering tees, and a sweater. Three layers, minimal bulk.
  3. Layer colorfully: As I mentioned above, I buy my layering tees a size too small to minimize lumpage, and make sure they’re nice and long. That way, I can throw them on beneath non-cardigan sweaters (crews, v’s, and cowls) and let a little contrasting color peek out at the hem and sleeves. Bright tights can add another pop of color. So can scarves.
  4. Wear dresses as skirts: I have several sleeveless dresses that I could relegate to basement storage … but instead, I plan to layer them. Long-sleeved layering tee, dress, cowlneck sweater. The bottom half of the dress peeks out from beneath the sweater and just looks like a skirt, but I’ve got an extra layer up top!
  5. Don’t forget accessories: This has nothing to do with keeping warm, but I cannot resist throwing it in. When it’s cold and dark and you have to put on upwards of seven separate garments to keep yourself from freezing, the mere thought of adding jewelry or a belt may cause a minor tantrum. But most outfits benefit from those finishing touches. Try to remember to add earrings, a watch, a brooch, or a barrette. You’ll look and feel more pulled-together.

Like I said, not exactly the world’s most innovative plan, but I think it’ll work. If any of you lovelies has other suggestions for cold weather chic, I’m all ears!

**Disclosure: Actions you take from the hyperlinks within this blog post may yield commissions for alreadypretty.com. See Already Pretty’s disclosure statement for more details.

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