Monday 6 February 2012

How to be Chic in Winter

How to be chic in winter is easy when you know how:

In this post I talk about the two essentials items of any winter wardrobe - winter coats and boots, plus ideas for chic accessories and keeping warm through  layering. there are also other great ways to look chic in winter by using my chic winter make-up, hair and nail colour tips. So read on if you would like to know how to be chic in winter.

Chic Winter Essentials - a stylish coat and pair of boots.  

For winter most women in colder countries own a winter coat and pair of winter boots. Winter can last for six months (Oct - March), so it makes sense to make these two items a priority in your winter clothes budget.

Your coat and boots are also the only items most people see you wearing. If you think about it, when you are out and about, going to work or running errands, all anyone sees is your winter coat and boots. It doesn't matter what you are wearing underneath, no-one can see them.

So, the first tip on how to be chic in winter is to treat yourself to a stylish winter coat and pair of boots.

Choosing the right colour for your coat is important if you want to look chic in winter. Neutral colours are very chic, but you may also spot a coat in a beautiful rich colour.  Avoid any colours that are bright and look cheap.

For the winter coat, try to choose natural fibres such as wool as it is warmer than synthetic materials. For your boots, again try to choose leather or if you are anti-leather a leather look boot.

The second tip is:

Chic accessories for your Winter Coat.

Add a stylish hat, scarf and pair of gloves to your coat. Again these are all essential items for winter, so are not frivilous purchases, but there is no reason why they can't be stylish. Suede or leather gloves are chic and once purchased should last for years. To change the look of your coat, you could buy another scarf.


Winter Nail Varnish colours

Nail varnish is a cheap and easy way to update your look.  To make sure that the nail varnish that you choose is chic, make sure it is good quality and the colour is classy rather than brash.

So, treat yourself to a nail varnish in one of winters newest shades. There are so many colours to choose:

Chic neutrals:  Colours include chocolate, dark grey, black and navy, dark greige - a mixture of grey and brown.

Chic colours:  Think of all the deep berry colours such as plum, wine, burgundy, purple.

Chic winter make-up

During winter, you may find your skin becomes more dry due to indoor heating and therefore you need to make sure you moisturise more.

Winter Coloured Lipstick - The easiest make-up trick to look chic in winter is to choose a winter coloured lipstick.  If your colouring is cool, you may like to choose the berry colours that I have suggested with the nail varnishes, so berry, wine, plum. If you have a warmer colouring, you may prefer more orange tones such as terracotta or brick.

Winter eye make-up - For eyeliners and shadows to shade in your socket choose the darker winter neutrals - dark brown, dark grey, dark navy.

 These are great colours if your colouring is cool, if you have a warmer colouring, you may prefer to go for colours that are a little bit more orange, such as


Layering

The key to layering is to keep the items closest to your skin simple, such as a skinny polo-neck or long sleeve t-shirt, and then style and personality with the top layers. You can have two layers or three.

Base Layer Items 

The first layer that you put on can include items such as
  • Long Sleeve Jersey T- Shirts
  • Skinny Polo-Neck jumpers
  • Vest Top
Middle Layer
  • A blouse or shirt
  • A Sweater
  • A cardigan
Top Layer Items
  • Chic Knitted Waist Coats - This extra layer really keeps you warm.
  • Gilets
  • Jackets
If you are not very confident with layering start by layering items all in the same neutral colour, such as black. Then, getting a little bit more adventurous, try layering lots of different neutrals together. Then as you get more confident you can add a splash of colour, by making one layer colourful, such as red.

Print, Embroidery and Texture.
Once you get really confident with layering, you can add items that are printed, embroidered or textured such as faux fur.

Chic winter accessories

Accessories are another way to add stylish extra layers to your look. Try adding:
  • Chic jewellry such as necklaces, brooches, a bracelet or ring.
  • Silver jewellry is very wintery as is jewellry with clear glass or glass in light shimmery colours.
  • Scarves - not the scarf that goes with your coat, but a medium weight scarf in a plain neutral colour or print that adds some personality to your look.
  • Shoes - If the weather is milder and you don't need to wear your boots you could add a pair of stylish shoes.
  • Handbags.
The key is to keep it simple and not go overboard with the layering. For example, keep the layers simple and add a fabulous necklace, or scarf. Or have a plain first layer and add a printed blouse topped with a plain jacket and a brooch that matches the blouse.

Layering takes practise and time to learn but is a great way to be creative with your wardrobe and achieve a chic look.

I hope you have found this article useful. If so, you may like to visit the home page of this blog for other articles and ideas on "How to be Chic".

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