Winter has come, but that doesn't mean our style and accessories have to get packed away with our cute summer clothes. When we cozy up, layer up and warm up, there is still a ton of potential to polish off that outfit and showcase your style.
Yes, winter has its downsides, but there are also many upsides:
Warm drinks, the calmness that comes with fresh falling snow, winter
activities (skiing, skating, sledding, and for some- hockey), and of
course cozy sweaters and all the winter fashion.
But great winter style can be tough to navigate.
Just how do we put together the best winter outfits, and how do we
accessorize them? The answers to these questions are right here!
To create some amazing winter outfit style inspiration, I joined forces with some of Calgary's bests :
Janine Deanna is not just gorgeous on the outside, but she has a heart of pure gold, a brilliant mind and her personal sense of style is one to watch (and I watch all of her style stories and am eagerly awaiting her next style-focused blog post).
Avenue Beauty is among the best of the best for hair & makeup, and owner, Robin, is top notch in every way. She has both a "can do" and "how can I help?" attitude, a kind heart, gentle spirit...and as if that's not enough, but her talent and passion for her work is incredible and admirable. All of this combined makes Robin one of the best people to be with.
Christy Swanberg, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways... Christy has a way of photographing and capturing joy, emotion, calmness, ease, and beauty, and is in a league all of her own. Her work is clean, fresh and classic, and her attitude of community, connection and gratitude is infectious...oh wait, no, that's her laugh! And if you spend two minutes with Christy, you will laugh. She is bold, energetic, and full of joy.
Now, as if this wasn't a great team of Calgary women, but then we thought that the best location to reflect a cozy, warm and inviting feeling was none other than Calgary Heritage Roasting Company. The building is vintage, brick'y (that's a word, right?), full of charm, natural light...and owners Jamie & Mike are simply THE best! They created a space that is truly reflective of who they are : warm, inviting, interesting, and after just a few minutes, feels like home (now, in the sense of Jamie and Mike, you feel as if you have known them forever. In the sense of the coffee shop & roasterie, you go in and immediately want to find a place to sit in the sun, take off your shoes and relax).
Let's go through some of the best
Sweater Weather winter outfits and chat about
how to style them and what to watch out for to
ensure that you don't have just the same-old outfit!
While there are many different types of winter outfits and sweaters, every outfit is based on a basic shape or neckline. That said, knowing how to accessorize both the necklines and that additional sweater "bulk" that is so necessary to stay warm, you can take that winter outfit from "ok" to looking next level, polished, complete, and hella-good!
Outfit one :
This is the kind of outfit that you can wear anywhere - work, school, out for dinner, shopping... The black jean could easily be swapped for a nice skinny pant, and I don't know of a single situation where a long sweater or cardi over a lightweight base layer doesn't look good! With these three elements (dark pant + long cardi + lightweight top) you can go anywhere!
An outfit like this is like a blank canvas for your accessories. The open sweater creates a really nice vertical line (and we love vertical lines because of the nice slimming effect it creates), wearing beautiful drop earring paired with a couple layered necklaces continues this line and falls very nicely with the top.
Go ahead and add some delicate rings and a cool watch. If you want to roll up the sleeves and put on a bracelet, that will work too. But when layering necklaces, you'll want to keep the wrists simple so that the look isn't overdone.
Things to watch for : When you have a crew-neck (high neck) top like this, the light fabric allows necklaces to lay flat. If you're wearing a crew-neck sweater that is a bit heavier, you'll want a longer necklace with a bit of weight to it. This will ensure that the necklace doesn't disappear in the bulk of the sweater, but also that it will lay properly.
Jewelry Shown : Bamboo Earrings (contact for details), Sono Necklace layered with the Constant Necklace, Knot Today Ring, Minuit Full Black Watch
Outfit 2 :
Layers are both functional (warmth) and fashionable (there's the "rule of 3" - an outfit should have at least 3 additional pieces to be complete). I love how Janine layered a basic tee with an open denim top and cozy cardigan. This isn't a trio that many of us would think of, but one that we all love (and will likely now try ourselves). Because of the layers on top, keep the denim clean and simple (no fading or distressing). And the piece de resistance, that hat!! A great hat can amplify any outfit and take it to that next level of style.
When it comes to accessorizing this outfit, it's important that we keep it all in balance. With the layered tops, a short and delicate necklace that sits just above the neckline is a great option. Even if your neckline of the base layer is a V-neck, select a necklace that sits within the V-shape and doesn't overlap. This will keep it clean and balanced, rather than having too much going on and creating a top-heavy look.
A cool, bold earring that hangs (or drops) 1-2 inches is the perfect addition to this outfit because it adds a nice vertical line (which we like) and balances the layers by bringing the eye up to your lovely face. And go ahead, roll up those sleeves once or twice and add a couple of great bracelets to finish off the look.
Things to watch for : You might be tempted to wear a long necklace with this outfit, but that will add too much bulk to an already layered area of your body. This is why the earring should be a bit bigger- too delicate of an earring won't look "at home" with this outfit but something bold will balance everything off nicely!
Jewelry Shown : Mezi Large Hoop Earrings, Floating Disc Necklace, Braided Sparkle Bracelet with the Mazi Bangle, and a stack of Glimmer Rings
Outfit 3 :
Who doesn't love a cozy knit sweater?!! Add extra points if it's a little oversized, because that is just the best thing to put on to relax and enjoy a warm drink as you gaze out the window at the snow gently falling.
Now that I have painted that peaceful winter scene for you, let's look at this outfit. Cream or off-white is one of my favorite colours to wear, but while it may not look awesome on every skin tone, something that I do encourage you to look for is texture. A great textured knit not only looks great, but it hides a multitude of sins (such as stains, pilling, lumps & bumps, the turkey-induced bloating, etc). Texture and pattern distracts the eye from such "sins" and I love having at least one item like this in my closet (because let's be honest, I'm clumsy and spill all.the.time.).
When you have a bit of an oversized sweater, I always suggest that you try tucking it in a little. While oversized is super comfortable, we don't want it to make you look oversized, and tucking it in just a little gives you your waistline back without taking away from the sweater. If the sweater neckline is wide (or off the shoulder) or deep, a cute tank or cami underneath adds a great unexpected detail.
To keep this outfit simple, the accessories should be simple too. I love a mid-length necklace that has a little oomph to it- a great chain and/or a cool pendant is the perfect addition, and the mid-length creates that pretty V-shape (or vertical line) that balances the oversized sweater. Finish it off with a classic and simple style earring, and you will look SO good as you gaze out your window, meet a friend for coffee, or have a relaxed night with family.
Things to watch out for : Maintain the casual look of the outfit with casual jewelry. While you want a necklace that won't disappear in the knit of the sweater, or an earring that is so small that its obsolete, make sure you don't have something too bulky, heavy or glam because that will take away from the laid-back vibe of the outfit.
Jewelry Shown : Straight & Narrow Earrings, Triple Charm Necklace
Outfit 4 :
Ahh the turtleneck! Such a great sweater for those winter months, but it is the one look that creates so much style uncertainty. How do I do my hair- up or down? What kind of earrings? Necklace, or no necklace? *insert head-explosion emoji here
With a high neck, I love the look of having your hair pulled back and away from your face- this creates the appearance of a beautiful long neck (plus you don't need to worry about your hair sticking to the sweater, or getting knotty or static'y).
Here is where personal style really comes in, because I like the clean look of no necklace, but also wearing a sleek long necklace is very slimming and is an easy way to dress it up.
With the earrings, I find that a simple stud just isn't quite enough. If you can find a really cool bold stud earring, or even better, an ear climber, this brings attention up to your face. Another great option is a small drop earring or small hoop. This style of earring continues with elongating your neck and bringing attention to your face.
Things to watch out for : If you choose to wear a necklace, I find that a length that hits at or below the bust is ideal for creating a long & lean (aka slimmer) look. A turtleneck sweater already has a lot going on around your neck and shoulders, so we don't want to add more, but we want to draw the eye up and down with a long necklace.
For the earrings, make sure that they aren't so long that they're coming in contact with the sweater. Jewelry should have space to move freely- both for look and function (you don't want to ruin your jewelry or clothing with snags).
Jewelry Shown : Wing Ear Climbers and the Everyday Hoops (coming soon in gold and silver, contact for details), Petite Paddle Pendant Necklace, La Boheme Multi Link Watch
There really is so much potential when it comes to winter outfits and polishing off that Sweater Weather style. Great layers, textured knits,
hats, a solid denim, and of course, the perfect accessories!
It might seem overwhelming, but if there are just two things I want you to take away, this is them :
Balance : Where your outfit has the most bulk, don't add to it with jewelry. Instead, add jewelry to other areas to create balance.
Vertical Lines : We love creating vertical lines and V-shapes, why? Because they are slimming! Use both your clothing (think necklines and layers) and your jewelry to achieve this!
