How To Layer Stylishly For Cold Weather

Layering Is Winter’s Best Friend

Winter is almost upon us. This means we’ve said “goodbye” to summer crop tops and light fall jackets, and “hello” to turtlenecks and hefty coats. I don’t know about you, but this transition is always pretty jarring for me.

As someone who grew up in Southern California, dressing for warm weather has always come naturally to me. But when the temperature dips below 70, I’m left scrambling to find something to wear and feeling like I suddenly don’t know what my style identity is. This year, however, I began contemplating a fall and winter wardrobe game plan pretty early on. My strategy: Minimalism.

Though I’ve never been terribly good at the whole minimalist thing, I’m taking some nods from the minimalist lifestyle as a means of curating a stress-free winter wardrobe. I often joke that I wish I could dress like a cartoon character—wearing the same thing every day. But in all seriousness, I’ve found that having a uniform-like wardrobe is incredibly compatible with colder temperatures. For me, that doesn’t mean wearing the same outfit every day, but rather, using what I already own to curate a similar silhouette with my clothes.

Another aspect of building a minimalist wardrobe for fall and winter is layering. I find that by layering my favorite neutral basics with colorful statement pieces, I can spice up my everyday look while maintaining that cohesive silhouette I love.

Below are four ways I’m utilizing this minimalist layering method for chilly days. I’d love to hear how you’re creating a cold-weather wardrobe with the pieces you already own in the comments below!

Turtleneck-Under-The-Crewneck

Name a more dynamic duo than the turtleneck/crewneck combo; I’ll wait. This look, to me, is very reminiscent of the 90s and gives an otherwise-basic outfit a little more pizzazz. In this outfit, I’ve paired my favorite turtleneck from Kotn with this eye-catching crewneck sweater that I purchased from Everlane last year. This is a look I would wear to work or on the weekends, slipping out of the crewneck if it gets to be a bit too warm—which isn’t unlikely in LA! I’m also embracing the super-wide pant leg this season. Because the wider the leg, the more powerful you feel. Obviously.

The Monochrome Moment

Let me tell you about my good friend, monochrome. Monochromatic outfits are a minimalist’s best friend. They’re easy to throw on, make the perfect base for layering, and, in my opinion, gives you at least 10 cool girl points. In this look, I’ve paired my handy-dandy Kotn turtleneck with these secondhand overalls I snagged at a clothing swap (I’m not kidding—I literally snagged from the hands of someone who didn’t want them). The layering component of this outfit is my tried-and-true quilted jacket, thrifted at Buffalo Exchange. The texture of the jacket adds dimension to this outfit while keeping me sufficiently warm in the colder temps.

The Chic Canadian Tuxedo

The Canadian tuxedo is a look you can find me wearing all summer long. You can imagine how thrilled I was to find a way to incorporate it into my winter wardrobe! In my experience, the key to making a Canadian tuxedo look chic (and not gimmicky), is to break up the denim with a bold shirt underneath—or in this case, a green turtleneck! I’ve recently begun toying with the idea of introducing various shades of green into my wardrobe. When I came across this knit turtleneck at my local thrift store, it seemed the stars had aligned. In the dressing room, it also occurred to me that this turtleneck and my favorite Beklina clogs are a match made in sustainable heaven. When I got home, I threw the outfit together and voila! The perfect Canadian tuxedo outfit was born.

Gettysburg Address, But Make It Fashion

I can’t quite put my finger on it, but this outfit makes me feel like I’m Abraham Lincoln on my way to give the Gettysburg Address. Maybe that only makes sense in my head, but there’s no denying I could definitely give a speech in this outfit. I paired a textured cardigan that I found for a dollar at Jet Rag, a Los Angeles vintage store, with my favorite black blazer that I’ve owned for a couple of years now. I’m sticking with the wide leg pant and my clogs, per usual, making the perfect work-to-night-out look for cooler evenings.