Skirting the Winter

 

 

As summer winds down we are kissing goodbye these final sunny afternoons.  But how to make the leap from wearing barely nothing to piling on the warm clothes?  I always get sad at the thought of a season without skirts, as it can be hard to rock them in the winter (for the obvious considerations of not wanting to freeze your buns off!) Here’s some tips on wearing them all year long:

OMG STOCKINGS: Invest in some bitchin’ thick thermal stockings in a few colors/patterns.  Make sure they aren’t regular jersey stockings; spend the extra money and get them in a synthetic fabric designed to lock in the heat. For especially chilly days, you can even layer the stockings! When I went to buy mine, I was going to go for black (it goes with everything!) but the truth is that most of your winter clothing staples like coats, etc are probably all in darker neutral colors; when my boyfriend suggested the fire engine red ones instead, I was scandalized at first but quickly realized the genius: they automatically add a punch to any outfit, and red goes with practically everything too.  

I even feel warmer just looking at the firey color.  Blues, greens, and graphic patterns can be dressed up or down and can add interest and playfulness to an otherwise drab outfit.  Mine are slightly fuzzy on the inside (soo delish on a freezing morning) but aren’t so thick that they can’t be worn under any regular form fitting pants—these are not your granddads longjohns!

MAXISKIRTS TO THE MAX: You can take any loungy maxiskirt and give it some umph with layers!  If you have more than one, try throwing them on together for some added insulation.  For everyday running around, I usually put the shorter one on underneath; for a look that’s a little more bold, try putting the longer one underneath, letting the fabric peek out at the bottom.  

 

For knee to mid calf length skirts and dresses; try throwing on that flouncy summer skirt underneath for an instant petticoat!  It will automatically give some shape to your silhouette, (which can get overwhelmed by heavy coats) and put a spring in your step—plus all that fabric is sure to keep you toasty!  

SLOUCHY SOCKS + LEGWARMERS: I’m loving all the chunky knits this season, and recently grabbed some incredible alpaca legwarmers at our local artisan fair.  Rather than pulling them up straight and tight towards your knees, let ‘em bunch around your ankles—this works amazingly with your skinny jeans tucked in or those new thermal stockings.  You can try a low risk version of this by lobbing off the arms of that old frumpy sweater and throwing them on your legs!  Might just become your new favorite accessory.