THIS WINTER, IT’S ALL ABOUT LAYERS

Winter fashion, for many of us, is boring and functional. But we like to say that fashion is never functional. Even through a chilly storm a woman can carry off an outfit that is chosen carefully and matched with panache. Here in this article, we give you just five ideas of how you can layer up for the winter and still look good.

Ogres are like onions, says Shrek, once you peel off one layer, there’s another right underneath. We want to make sure right at the outset that we don’t mean onions when we say this winter is all about layers. Nor do we mean ogres. We mean clothes. Because after the passing of summer in which we enjoyed showing off our skin, now is the season to pile on the layers of clothing to protect ourselves, but what’s the fun in doing just that?

So we’re here to tell you the coolest, most chic way of mixing and matching your various layers so that you dress both to suit the weather and also to inspire onlookers.

1. The strategic flash of skin
Go all black on a frosty winter day. Wear your knee-length boots and match it with a mini-skirt that grazes the thigh, so that when you wear them together, you only show a sliver of skin on your upper thighs. A black overcoat could complete the third layer of clothing. It’s best if you can leave the coat unbuttoned and flowing down to your knees so that your legs are covered from the back. That way you make the show of skin even more strategic.

2. Cotton and leather
Don’t throw away your summer cotton tees yet, because they can still play a big role in your winter wardrobe. Layer a cotton tee under a leather jacket, unzipped and falling away to one side to reveal a bit of your figure. You can go classy with a black on white or a white on black, but feel free to experiment with colours. The higher the contrast, the more heads you will turn.

3. Scarves
Scarves. Yes, just one word, and yet there is a world of meaning hidden within it. Has any fashion-conscious woman gone through a cold season without a scarf? We certainly hope not. For this winter, go scarf-shopping right now and pick an assortment of them in different lengths, materials and colours. Trust us, you will need them. For a modern look, pair a leather jacket with some wools and a long scarf worn right down to your thighs.

4. Go collarless
Nothing makes you look younger or more hip than a collarless top or jacket. How about you pair them together and wear the latter over the former? To nail the look, you will choose a bright colour for your jacket (say orange) and a neutral colour for your tee. But nothing’s stopping you from experimenting with a contrasting palette either. While you’re at it, throw in a purple handbag and waltz down the street like you own it.

5. Whites
Winter is the colour of snow, remember. What colour do you think the Snow Queen likes to dress in? Well, you guessed it. It really doesn’t matter what your choice of actual garments is, but see if you can pull off a completely white attire from top to toe. That means a white jacket, perhaps a white lace top on the inside, a white pair of pants, and white shoes. Or just tease your admirers by making just the shoes jet black. And raise the heels by an inch or so.