What to Wear to Class: 3 Cute Cold Weather Looks for Fall & Winter
A while back, we featured three outfits to wear to class that were easy to throw on, but still looked put-together. Now that the weather has changed and fall is here (with winter soon to come), it’s time to retire the shorts and sundresses and embrace cold weather fashion.
Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you need to resort to leggings and oversized “college” sweatshirts! Read on for easy tips on how to look chic for class while staying warm in fall and winter.
Tips on Dressing for Cold Weather
- Layers are your new best friend. Most buildings on campus will try to overcompensate for the chilly weather outside by cranking up the heat inside. It’s a nice gesture, but if you’re not wearing layers, you can end up sweating through your classes. Layering in a casual way is easy: start with a tank or tee, add a cardigan or sweater, and top it off with another jacket, scarf, and/or hat (depending on how cold it is outside). You’ll still look cute and will be comfortable no matter where you go.
- Make scarves and hats your signature accessories. I started my love affair with scarves a few years ago, and I haven’t been able to give them up since. They come in literally thousands of shapes, colors, and patterns, and instantly add excitement and warmth to any outfit. Hats are another great option to keep your ears warm and cover up any bad hair days you may have.
- Invest in a great pair of boots. This is especially important if you live somewhere where winter brings lots of snow and ice. A truly great pair of boots will keep your feet warm and match with a lot of different outfits you already have. Whether you like desert boots, riding boots, or an edgier option, find a pair you love and wear them with everything.
- Pants are not the only option. Dresses and skirts are still definitely options when the weather turns colder. As long as you pair them with tights (sweater tights are particularly warm) you can stay true to your personal style without freezing.
Outfit 1: Warm Neutrals
Shirt, Pants, Cardigan, Earrings, Necklace, Booties, Jacket, Bag
Outfit 2: Cute & Cozy
Sweater, Jeans, Hat, Boots, Scarf, Bag, Coat
Outfit 3: Cold Weather Fashionista
Dress, Flats, Vest, Tights, Bag, Earrings, Barcode Bracelet, Chain Bracelet
What Do You Think?
What do you wear to class when it’s cold outside? What are your tips for staying stylish in cold weather? Which outfit is your favorite? I’d love to hear from you, so be sure to leave a comment!
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Posted on on November 1, 2011 / Filed Under: Fashion Tips / Tags: Classes, Cold Weather, Fall, Fall 2011, Featured, Outfit Ideas, Outfits, Weather, What to Wear There, Winter, Winter 2011
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Nicky
Absolutely love all of these outfits! Great post :) Also if you want to wear jeans but still get cold pair sweater tights underneath. I am a huge freeze baby & this helps when it’s freezing & windy~
Maddie
Hey, none of the links work, I really really love the first booties, and really want to know where to find them! Thanks :)
aish
Only thing I like about winter is the fashion….and hot chocolate. I like all the looks.
Sarah
Same problem as Maddie none of the links work and Im dying to look at the bomber jacket.
Emily
bah. Dying for that first cardigan. Links broookeeenn. QQ
Anna
Please fix the links, I want that first jacket!
Allison
Love these outfits – other important options are socks! Warm fuzzy socks in your boots can look cute when they’re sticking out, or you can hide them. They help a lot in snow to make non-ugg boots as warm as uggs.
Amy - St. Lawrence University
I love all of these outfits, especially the third! I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect sweaterdress for the longest time.
Sasha
links are brokeeeeeen :(
Melissa
I absolutely LOVE the whole second outfit! i need to find everything, but the links won’t work :/
Zephyr - CF Editor
Aahh sorry about the links, totally spaced and forgot to upload the file! They’re all fixed now.
Cortney
All these outfits are really cute, but my fav by far is #2! It has everything I love! Stripes, scarf, and a pair of grey boots. :)
Colleen
I’ve been reading this website for a long time, and while I love all the cold weather outfits, I live in Minneapolis. It’s only possible to stay cute and fashionable for so long before you need to pile on your whole closet or freeze to death. Perhaps people could have suggestions or do something for truly cold weather? I already rock the long johns under pants look, and three pairs of tights whenever I want to wear a dress, but it just gets so cold here! I’d love to stay cute year round, but when it becomes an option of freezing my bum off walking to class or looking like your stereotypical unfashionable person, the former always wins.
Colleen
RE to my above comment: I meant the latter, not former.
Stari
Really warm looking and all cute!! I especially LOVE outfit 2!
Morgan
So glad this was posted! Unlike a lot of places, its already about 50 degrees every day where I live. This will definitely help.
Aali
love Love LOVE outfit 2!
Ashley
I’ve been hearing a lot lately about FLEECE tights, which are supposedly warmer than other ones. So far, I’ve only been able to find them on the internet, but they sound great!
I’m really loving the outfits in this article btw:)
lesley
I love the third outfit! I live in tights in the fall and winter.
Margaret
I survived last winter quite pleasantly thanks to my sweater tights. They are actually warmer than jeans.
Cara Best
When I wear my masculine cobalt boots..I love wearing my woolly socks that I got from Target, they have multiple shades of tan, blue, gray, brown which really make an outfit look put together…Pull them all the way up to almost your knee, then scrunch them down to the top of your boots :)
Alice
All the outfits are really cute, but in Massachusetts, none of them are practical…I would just freeze to death.
Mai
Definitely cute outfits! I love the shoes in outfit 1.
cate
Outfit 2 is PERFECT.
Thank you.
A dress however in Eastern Washington in the winter is a crazy insane idea.
NatalieH
For truly cold weather, even though the furthest north I’ve ever lived is NYC (but last winter was rather brutal), here’s what I’ve got in the name of staying cute but looking good:
1. Get a puffy “sleeping-bag” coat in a non-black neutral, and make sure it can be belted at the waist. This will give you a shape still, and going non-black means you can add in some personal style.
2. Invest in some NICE material scarves/hats/gloves. Look for wool, basically! Get a couple good wool (or alpaca) scarves, a hat or two, and some neutral gloves that you can switch up to change your look. I have gray wool lined mittens with a cute embroidery that are amazing for winter.
3. Water-proof boots. I mean, you have to. There are a ton of cute options these days–look for fleece lined. Check the classic stores like LLBean, Land’s End, and other places that sell for serious outdoor people. Don’t rely on your rainboots–the rubber will crack in the cold.
4. Finally, underneath it all, use a combination of wool sweaters, waffle shirts, wool tights (they make these at H&M!), skinny jeans to fit into your boots, thermal tanks (try Uniqlo), and flannel. You can definitely look winter chic even when it’s negative outside.
5. Skirts? Not when it hits below 20 degrees for me. Sorry fashion, you’re just not worth losing feeling in my legs!
Hope that helps.
jiturka
Nice Autumn outfits, when it gets even colder I add up even more layers that pictured, like a beige tank under another t-shirt or top (or its long-sleeved variants, a cardigan (i wanted to buy a pretty and very warm sweater but haven’t found one yet) + good quality warm wooly coat. Sometime it’s even colder (like -20°C), then it’s time for my skiing jacket and pants. Luckily that doesn’t happen so often here.
I’d say any thicker tights are warmer than jeans ;-)
Emily Sharp
Iv bought some really cute hats and gloves for the weather. I like outfit 3 although im not sure how practical the pumps would be!
Meg
Love this article. My friends always say that I’m scared of the cold. I get a lot of, ‘Why are you wearing that much? Isn’t it boiling?’
I absolutely love wearing skirts and hence the abnormally large amount of tights that I wear. I actually wear up to two pairs of tights (even under skinny jeans) in the winter. Uber comfortable!
For me, scarves = LOVE. They are so warm and colorful – can spice up any outfit. I care a lot about my voice and throat (love theatre…and speaking too much). Scarves can literally save me from a nasty cold.
Love the warm looks, CF!
lubster-lobster
Love the outfits, but ballerina flats in the third one are not the best choice for cold weather
Estella
they all look so amazing! definately going to try them on!!
Natalie
I’m really glad to see some winter fashion ideas finally! Last winter I was in Switzerland where it was MINUS 12 centigrade (10 degrees F!) Pretty much all notions of looking nice go out of the window and you end up just wearing EVERYTHING YOU OWN to stay warm!!
Kate
It might be useful to point out that the author goes to Rice. My roommate is also from Houston, and the weather here in Philadelphia surpassed her concept of “cold” two or three weeks ago. Anyway, the outfits look great for the transition to colder weather, but an eventual post on even warmer outfits would certainly be appreciated. I don’t know how cold it gets here, but where I’m from it helps to plan for those days below zero. :P
Carissa M.
The flats in Outfit #3 are so cute! <3
ella
i love all of these outfits! Unfortunately, being from Minnesota, I would have to modify all of these if I wanted to wear them anytime after December 1st. But these looks are all great and I’m hoping to getto wear similar looks as long as the weather holds out.
Melissa
I LOVE the outfits here! Really great ideas, I’ve been waiting for these kind of tips :)
I especially love that jacket in Outfit 1 and the flats in Outfit 3
Do you guys have a Polyvore account then? xxx
Kaitlin - Rice University
I’m glad y’all like the post! As some of y’all pointed out, I am from Houston so my definition of winter probably isn’t even close to what some of y’all consider cold (it’s in the 80s here right now). I tried my best to imagine what would be best to wear in very cold weather, but it was a little difficult. Y’all have some great tips and it sounds like most of y’all manage to stay fashionable no matter what the weather is!
C
So amazing!
Liv
Good outfit ideas!
I’m from Norway, a country pretty damn cold in winter, the usual winterday is about -10 to-15 C, and lots of days even colder. My best tip here is to invest in wool, wool is the best! Some cute wool sweaters to wear underneath a tank/t-shirt, cardigan (preferably with som wool here too), wool thights and some sort of jeans, and also wool coat! It’s also important to remember the need of good socks, hats, scarfs and mittens! You can look good and still be warm, it’s just a little bit more expensive (but soo worth it!), and a bit planning. And, of course, if it’s more than -25C, no one cares anyways..
Annabel
Furry vests are little out there for my tastes…but outfit number 2 is a fave with me :D
Angie
Question: Would sweater/wool tights be warm in -25C to -30C weather?
Emily
hey i love this post! Can u do more of these cold weather fashion outfits??!!
I always love your outfits but I can never wear them because where I live its too cold. Its already snowing.
thanks!
Anna
Love the third one, esp the forever 21 vest!
Molly
I love the first and second outfit. I especially like the first bag, but when I looked it up it just seems way too big. I feel like all the bags now are either comically huge or too small to hold all my things (I haul a lot around in my purse).
Kenadie
Thanks so much for this blog! It’ll really help me, I’m only in middle school but your blogs really help me look put together. When I look presentable I have much more confidence.
claire
Need the scarf in the second outfit!!!
Claire Chen
The #2 green coat is really cute!
Ashley
Wow, I can imagine it being 80 degrees during November. Crazy! Like a few of my fellow CF readers, I live in Minneapolis too, where the Dec-Feb temperatures can reach -10 – -15 degrees. While these are cute fall looks, I’m definitely going to be getting out my parka, cold weather boots, and wool hat/mittens for those snowy treks.
Vanessa
Well I like all items, but I would not recommend any one to wear ballerina shoes in this cold weather.
Ashley Lauren
I love Colorado winters, because I can actually wear tights on many days and not be that cold. We definitely get a mix of 60 degree and 30 degree days here so I like the different outfits for different temperatures, especially the sweaterdress one!
Sofia
I love the 2nd one!
Meg
Great fall pieces for me haha, I’m from northern-central Saskatchewan, Canada (go, open a tab and google a map of it, I dare you) Our Octobers always end in snow, -10 to – 20 Novembers, come December, BAM some -50 days (all in Celsius). These are really cute outfits thought!
Hannah
i NEEDDDD that sweater dress… whereee did it come from?! :P
Ash
Love the last one! It never gets below freezing here. These outfits are perfect!
Emily
Nice cloths !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!