So far this holiday season, I admit, I have watched an almost unhealthy number of Hallmark Christmas movies (it’s definitely a guilty pleasure of mine). However, these hours and hours spent staring at my TV screen weren’t necessarily wasted time, because I’ve learned quite a bit about winter fashion from some of these characters. For years I’ve been trying to crack the winter fashion code, finding the best way to look cute and stay warm at the same time, and the stylists on these movie sets seem to have figured it out already.
It all starts with your choice of coat.
Since Maryland can get pretty cold in the winter, I usually go for one of those long, puffy coats to keep me warm. However, I run into trouble when I want to dress up a bit because these coats are sometimes too casual for certain outfits. Most of the women in these movies wear a nice, long wool coat. A wool coat should definitely keep you warm, but looks a little more stylish than a puffy coat, which sets the right tone for the rest of the outfit.
Next, make sure you choose the right pair of shoes.
When I was in high school, the only winter boot people wore were Uggs. And even now, I can’t say that I’ve fully grown out of that stage yet. They’re super warm and comfortable, but just like those puffy coats, Uggs are sometimes too casual for the look I’m going for. I noticed that all of these Hallmark characters have some type of heeled bootie on in every scene. Whether a shorter heel, taller heel, neutral color, or something more eye-catching – it’s always a heeled bootie.
Hey, they may not be as comfortable as the Uggs, but if you’re going for a more chic winter look, you’ve got to go with the booties!
Don’t just pick any ol’ hat and gloves.
Another thing I’ve noticed about a lot of these outfits is that the choice of hat and gloves deserves as much attention as the coat or shoes. Most of the characters I’ve seen are always wearing leather gloves and a beret of some sort. Rarely do I see someone wearing regular cloth gloves or one of those knitted hats with the ball on top. So, the material seems to matter when choosing the accessories for the winter. The stylists seem to know that leather gloves and a wool beret to match the long wool coat looks way more put together.