Cute cold clothes

If I’ve learned anything about the changing of the seasons, it’s that freezing temperatures are on their way.

For some students, the thought of wool sweaters, mittens and earmuffs sounds ideal, but winter fashion makes me shiver more than the cold weather. I don’t shy away from sharing my love of sun-kissed skin, day dresses and sandals — things that disappear as we try to hide the pale skin and weight gain that plagues us in the winter.

I feel as if I lose myself amidst all of the extra frills and trimmings that come along with a cold-weather wardrobe. However, if you share in my distaste, there are still ways to keep cozy without losing your shape beneath all of those layers.

Tights and stockings aren’t just an autumn thing — these pieces take on more knit and bulk in winter but still come in the fun colors and patterns that appeared this fall. Paired with a cardigan, tights can take skirts and dresses from summer to winter and save you from the jeans-and-sweater cycle.

Unless you’re crazy, you’ll be pairing your tights with snow boots instead of flats or heels. Snow shoes have a reputation of being puffy and unflattering, but after browsing the shops during the Black Friday madness, you know boots this winter promise to come in an array of shapes and colors with details, such as buttons, zippers, wedge heels and bold patterns.

If you’re not ready to retire your Wellies for the season, consider investing in a rain boot liner. These can take your boots from mild weather to cold temperatures and can be found online through Betsey Johnson, Target and other retailers, depending on your budget.

While accessories can keep your wardrobe fun, the piece de resistance of winter fashion is where a fashionista’s figure can really get lost — the coat.

Finding the perfect coat involves keeping a few things in mind, the first being to cover up. A winter coat has no reason to show skin — opt for something that hits at your thigh but stops above the knee to avoid cutting off the leg.

A long trench or double-breasted wool coat can swallow up the shape of even the most waif-like of women; a belted coat can solve that. Belts can keep your waistline from disappearing beneath heavy fabrics associated with keeping warm.

Finally, consider color and fabric. I bought my double-breasted black wool trench two years ago, but I know it’s a coat I’ll keep forever because of the classic cut and color.
However, I’m in the market for something fun, and I’m even considering fur, which is popping up on everything from purses to hats this season. Still, you can never go wrong with wool, and if plain black sounds boring to you, consider reds, blues or, if you’re daring, white.

Once you have all of your outfits ironed out, play up your inner seductress this season with deep crimson lips, nails and long, lovely lashes. The holiday parties in the coming months are a great time to go all out with hair and makeup, so go dramatic and try something you’ve never tried before, such as fake eyelashes, a voluminous new ’do or over-the-top eyeliner.

While winter can be synonymous with overindulgence, dry skin and flat hair, there are still ways to remind people that it’s still you somewhere beneath all of that winter warmth. Save the weight-gain fret for spring and enjoy a cozy yet stylish holiday
season.