With the fall and winter months fastly approaching, bundling is one of the basic tenets of not only staying warm, but also fashionable.
Layering is the basis of outfit building for a good chunk of the year. It’s not as simple as just throwing on layer after layer until you aren’t cold, at least not if you want to build a cohesive and visually appealing outfit.
Essentially, most outfits will consist of at least two or three layers of clothing, depending on the temperature.
Personally, I like to make two main layers, followed by a removable layer to account for possible changes in the temperature around me.
Here’s essentially what I go for when building my outfits:
- Core Layer: Plain shirts, turtlenecks, undershirts, stockings, tights, pants, skirts
- Mid Layer: Statement pieces, blouses, baby dolls, lingerie/corsets, tank tops
- Typically where you want to put your statement piece…
- Outer Layer: Jackets, coats, parkas, sweaters
- Accessories: Jewelry, hair pieces, gloves, scarves, shoes, hats
Beginning with the Basics & Selecting your Statement pieces
Before one jumps into outfit building, they’ve got to set the stage. You can begin by picking out one or two basics to be the base or complimentary pieces for your outfit, or by choosing a statement piece to build around. In either case, basics will serve to frame the outfit around your selected statement piece.
In terms of basics, there are a few things one can never go wrong with: solid turtlenecks, plain jackets/coats, plain button-downs, mesh tops, t-shirts, and basically any solid-colored and comfortable piece of clothing that is easy to match.
Personally, I start off many of my layered outfits with a bell-sleeved mesh top and pair that with my statement piece directly on top, which is usually a baby-doll or some other piece of bold lingerie that I am trying to dress down.
Now, a statement piece, to me, is typically something that needs to be paired with plain clothing in order to look good, or just something that would be the center of my outfit that I cannot afford to draw attention away from.
Once you have chosen a statement piece, make note of the textures, patterns, and colors. Everything you build around it must either match or complement it in some way. Try going for complimentary colors, play around with texture, and maybe even give pattern mixing a go. But the main point of layering is to keep the outfit as cohesive as possible, so try and stay on track and make sure you have sort of a “theme” going on, or just try not to detract from the piece itself.
I typically make note of the color of my statement piece and one or two of the basics and colors to match my accessories to it. If, for example, I am styling a red baby-doll top, I’ll throw some red ribbon in my hair, rock a red lip, and whip out the cherry-shaped earrings I pair with nearly everything nowadays.
Avoiding the Bulky Look & Building Your Silhouette
As much as I love wearing layer after layer, it is super easy to fall victim to the bulky outcomes it can have. When piecing together a layered outfit, be mindful of the texture, thickness, and bunching of the fabric.
Look for pieces that have dynamic/breathable fabric, a smooth texture, and that don’t bunch up.
Think about what parts of your body you want to accentuate and dress accordingly. For a thinner waist, add a corset, belt, bodycon top, etc. For wide hips, consider using a pleated skirt layered with a tutu or petticoat underneath, a bodycon mini skirt paired with tights, or even just tight bell bottoms. Contorting your body through clothing is not the key to looking good, but admittedly, we all do it, so let’s at least do it right.
As much as I would love to sit here and give you an end-all-be-all guide to layering, I can’t speak for your fashion taste. In the end, it’s up to you to find what works and what doesn’t for your taste, body, and style. Layering is one of my favorite parts of building outfits and hopefully this article helped spread that love by making it simpler and more accessible.