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How to Stay in the Fashion Now: Six of My Fav Fashion Trends for the Cold Season

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Hampton U chapter.

My favorite thing about the cold season has to be the FASHION. In general, fashion is a beautiful thing. From the bags, the jewelry, the shoes, the designers, and the events, fashion has so much to offer and gives us something new to look forward to each year. There’s always a new aesthetic, trend, or hack being created to make your fashion life or sense of style even better. However, the focus of this article is specifically fashion trends of the cold season because there is no better time to step out with a good outfit than fall and winter. There is so much variety to the outfit ideas you can create and the pieces that can be worn. In the summertime, we have to put away a lot of our cold season clothing such as cardigans, long sleeve tops and dresses, heavy jeans and sweatpants, and boots to make room for summer clothing. I love the cold season because, along with your usual winter and fall wardrobe, you can wear almost any summer piece and just throw a jacket over it or a long sleeve top under it. Also, I don’t know if it is just me that feels this way, but I see everyone in the same outfit in the summer: the graphic tee, cargo shorts, and Jordan 1s combo. No one will ever convince me that summer fashion is on the same level as fall and winter fashion. There is just no comparison. Although I wouldn’t say I like summer fashion, this doesn’t mean that I don’t SLAY it…that is not what I am saying, darling. Fall and winter fashion just holds a special place in my heart.

Since I love cold season fashion so much, I am going to spill some of my beloved fashion trends/pieces to pull out in sixty-degree weather and below. On your college campus, workspace, or wherever you spend the majority of your time, you are bound to see someone wearing or participating in these trends on this list. Why is this? Because some other men and women have taste like I do. I’m kidding (kind of), but in all fashion seriousness, I have seen so many amazing outfits that encompass these trends, and I am always in awe at how different people coordinate these trends with their unique styles.

Without further adieu, here are six of my favorite fashion trends for the cold season. P.S. I have also included links to my own Pinterest boards for each trend for inspiration and a visual representation. Enjoy!

1. Layereing

I am well aware that layering is not a piece of clothing you can necessarily wear in the fall and winter. However, it is a trendy method that you can use when styling cold season fashion clothing. Also, it is my favorite way to style my clothes. My layering history goes back to my childhood when my mom would make me wear turtlenecks underdress short sleeve dresses in the winter and short sleeve shirts under spaghetti strap dresses. Back then, I found this to be very unnecessary and overall uncomfortable. It’s odd how some of the ways we were forced to dress as kids become much more appealing now. Turtlenecks, mock necks, hoodies, and just about anything that can be placed over or under another piece of clothing are great pieces for layering. Not only does it keep you warm, but it adds creativity or dimension to a simple look. Layering can also be done with jewelry, specifically necklaces. So throw on a turtle neck under a sweatshirt or a mock neck under a graphic tee, accented by some necklaces of different lengths, and you have completed the art of layering.

Click on this link to view my layering inspiration board on Pinterest: https://pin.it/6JiG7wm

2. Earth tones

Usually, I am not typically a fan of wearing different palettes of color, and I consider myself a minimalist when it comes to fashion. I like to keep it simple with my simple shades of white, gray, and black, but lately, I have been gravitating towards earth tones such as soft greys, greens, dusty and pale blues, and of course, shades of brown. For me, earth tones make wearing color in the Fall and Winter more desirable and achievable. The best thing about earth tones is that all of the colors seem to mesh together very well. Earth tones bring much softer and neutral, less harsh to the eye. So, if you are like me and are trying to incorporate more color into your fall and winter wardrobe without looking like a box of Crayola crayons, try incorporating earth tones. Buy an olive-colored puffer coat, camel brown turtle neck, and some chocolate brown corduroy skirt, and you’ll be guaranteed to give Mother Earth a run for her money.

My earth-toned outfit inspiration board: https://pin.it/xBGixkf

3. Platform & Lugged boots

This year seems to have been the year of any platform or lugged shoe, so you know that the platform and lugged boots are coming out to play. These boots are very versatile and pair with anything from jeans, leggings, sweatpants, and even dresses and skirts. You can dress them down with a sweatsuit to achieve a chill look, or dress them up with a cute bodycon dress for a night on the town. Platform or lugged combat and Chelsea boots take your entire outfit to the next level, and they come in an array of colors, brands, styles, and materials. Not only are they fashionable, but they are perfect for the winter, providing warmth, comfort (depending on the brand), and a good amount of traction on slippery grounds. As far as the boots’ material, I prefer plain leather or patent leather because suede tends to get ruined by wet weather and is more difficult to clean. Also, if you’re the kind of fashionista who likes to wear boots in the summer and spring, then a leather version of the boot is probably your best bet to keep your wear of material in accordance with the season. Dr. Martens and Steve Madden are good shoe brands to purchase lugged and platform boots from, and if you’re looking for something a little bit more affordable with the same chic look- try Shein, ASOS, H&M, or Forever 21.

My Platform and Lugged Boots Inspiration Board: https://pin.it/6RMxOOF

4. Telfar bags

Of course, purses are a year-round aspect of fashion, but the Telfar bag is one that I believe is specially made for the cold season. The Telfar bag is a black-owned, everyday shopping bag and, depending on the size, can be used for anything you can think of. Telfars come in three sizes-small, medium, and large, and in a variety of colors. From the simplistic design to the versatility of the bag, the Telfar bag is a must-have. I am currently saving up for my cream-colored one now. The Telfar bag can be used during any season, but for purposes of supporting and advertising black-owned fashion brands, the Telfer Bag graces this list with its presence. Another reason why the Telfar bag has made this list is because they are dropping a collaboration line of bags and boots, as well as other apparel, with UGG. Yes, UGG. Everyone’s favorite cold season suede and Sherpa fur-lined boot, put together with a Telfar bag? Oh yes, I can already see how impactful this drop on November 12th will be. No matter what version of the Telfar Bag you buy, you’ll be doing yourself a favor. Click the link below to be taken to the Telfar website.

Shop Telfar: https://shop.telfar.net/collections/shopping-bags

My Telfar Inspiration Board: https://pin.it/5pbmDhB

5. Flannels

The oh, so classic flannel is suitable for both lumberjacks and anyone that adores plaid as I do. Flannels are one fashion piece that seems to leave fashion culture but always ends up coming back to us. I call it boomerang fashion-it leaves but finds a way back. In 2014, we were wearing our flannels tied around our waist. Now, for what reason? I am not sure at all. These days flannels are used less as an accessory and as a plain button shirt and more as a layering or outwear piece. Flannels come in all different colors and types of plaids and are a great option to add some color or fun pattern to a plain solid color shirt or dress. However, flannels are just as great when paired with a graphic tee. You can wear flannels true to size or go up a few sizes because oftentimes, an oversized fashion life is a happy fashion life. Flannels can be dressed up or dressed down which is what makes them so cool. Having at least one or two flannels is essential for the cold season. They can be found at almost any clothing store.

My board for flannel outfit inspiration: https://pin.it/tGuleCF

6. Baggy Jeans

Unfortunately, our time together is ending, but do not worry because we are going out with a FASHION BANG. The list of my favorite fashion trends for the cold season is ending with another “boomerang fashion”-baggy jeans. Baggy jeans are a great example of boomerang fashion since they were all the rage in the 90s and some of the 2000s, but faded out due to the increasing popularity of skinny jeans, but have recently come back. Skinny jeans are cool, but boy, do I love a good pair of jeans that are fitting and baggy in all the right places. The perfect baggy jeans, in my opinion, accentuate my figure, making my upper thighs and backside look good while giving me the ideal baggy effect that begins a little above the knee. In addition, baggy jeans make denim much more comfortable and less restricting to wear. Whether light, medium, dark-washed, or colorful, ripped, patched, printed, or patterned-baggy jeans will always be a mandatory fashion buy during the fall and winter. I shop online at Shein and sometimes even Walmart (don’t sleep on Walmart) for my baggy jeans, but baggy jeans can be found at almost any modern clothing store.

Here is a link to my board for baggy jeans inspiration: https://pin.it/3pfq1ZF

The Fashion Finale

I hope you have found this article about my personal favorite fashion trends for the cold season amusing, agreeable, and, most importantly, helpful. Hopefully, you’ll add some of the things to your wish list or adapt some of these styles to your fashion repertoire.

Lizzy Veal

Hampton U '24

Elizabeth Veal is a sophomore, Sociology major and Criminal Justice minor at Hampton University. She is from Baltimore, Maryland (shout out to the 410) , and recently joined HerCampus in September 2021. She is excited to make new memories with her fellow members, improve her writing skills, and become involved in all that HerCampus and Hampton University has to offer. In her spare time, she enjoys watching classic Black films, listening to R&B and old school rap. Her favorite artists are Jhene Aiko, Giveon, J Cole, and Tupac.