With the change of season, it’s also time for a wardrobe change. Chunky knit sweaters, long sleeves boots, warm jackets, and coats are finally pulled out of the back of your closet or the attic just in time for that cool fall air. Now, if you’re from the Philadelphia area, you know well that the mornings are cold, and then in the afternoon, the temperature rises and can get pretty warm. Universities usually have the worst cooling and healing. Every building seems to have a different climate; one room is too hot, and the other is freezing. A great solution to expanding your wardrobe and being comfortable throughout the day is layering. This can also help you get the most wear out of all your outfits without having to buy new options. I promise I’m not talking about the early 2000s to 2010 when Hannah Montana took every mixed-matched top, skirt, scarf, and accessory and put it together and called it an outfit. Here are three easy steps to utilizing your closet as the weather gets colder and you haven’t gone shopping yet.
Step One: Take your jumpsuits, rompers, and dresses (long and short), and pick out pieces that you feel could cross over seasons and will fit in with the colder weather. I usually stay away from choosing prints; neutral or solid colors work best.
Step Two: Next pull-out your solid sweaters and long sleeves t-shirts. I usually have long white and black sleeves that are tighter and cropped. For sweaters, I have a little more fun with a variety of colors and textures. This part is optional, but I use tights and socking’s to put under shorter dresses. Maybe it’s for the particular reason I went to Catholic school all my life and wore them every day. Regardless, you can get real fun with these and buy ones that are lacier, floral, or some nude sparkly ones.
Step Three: Trying different options and playing around with what works and what doesn’t is what makes or breaks layering. By testing out multiple options, putting the sweaters and long-sleeve t-shirts both under and over, you can get a feel for what tops work and don’t. I find for heavier sweaters definitely put over the outfit.
My favorite part about layering is getting to reuse my clothes by transforming them into something no one has seen me in. I hate repeating outfits, so to make it more sustainable, I use this trick to make my clothes last longer. Adding a sweater on top of a long sun dress turns it into a two-piece mirage of a skirt and top piece. Just a reminder to do what works best for you and to have fun mixing and matching.