It’s important to stay warm and cozy in the winter but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your sense of style. You can layer in so many different ways, and you’d be surprised how many layers are possible when you’re strategic about it.
{RELATED POST: How to Layer – The Ultimate Guide to Creating Stylish Layered Outfits}
I like to layer by wearing my thinnest article of clothing first and then working up to the thickest ones on top. But for those of you who are confused, don’t worry, we will walk you through three different outfits on how to layer in the winter and still look good.
Table of Contents
Outfit #1
Products: Velvet Skirt – NA-KD, Thick Tights – Urban Outfitters, Over the Knee Socks – H&M, Leather Boots – Ardene, Thermal Sleeveless Top – Marks and Spencer, Button Up Blouse – H&M, Cardigan – H&M, Zipped Jacket – Macy’s, Winter Coat – Haute Look, Scarf – JC Penney, Purse – Ardene.
Wearing dresses and skirts in super cold weather is totally possible with the right layering tricks. You most definitely do not need to sacrifice your skirts and dresses just because it’s winter.
For this look, the first thing you’re going to do is pick a skirt that’s made from a thick material. The one listed is velvet. Other options include leather, wool, and tweed. Then, pair the skirt with thick tights such as 100 denier black tights or even knit tights. To keep your legs even warmer, thick over-the-knee socks are perfect. They’re easy to layer over tights and will give you some style points too. For footwear, rock over-the-knee boots for extra warmth.
Up top, I love starting off with a thermal sleeveless top. Thermal tops are a great way to stay warm no matter what you’re wearing — they’re essential layering pieces. Then, because you have something already keeping you warm, it is fine to throw on a thinner blouse or a cute button-up top. After picking a blouse of your choice, throw on a thick cardigan, which can be removed if needed. If you need an extra layer of protection from the cold, an optional zipped jacket is a great way to be even warmer, especially when the weather is -10 degrees.
To top off this outfit, I recommend adding a winter coat that’s a size bigger than you normally wear, in order to accommodate all the layers. Because you already are layered up, a trench coat, peacoat, or even just a thinner winter coat will suffice. Finally, to top off your outfit, some earmuffs, gloves, and a scarf will definitely keep you warm in any weather.
Outfit #2
Products: Thermal Sleeveless Top – Marks and Spencer, Thick Tights – Urban Outfitters, Thermal Shorts – Walmart, Sweater Dress – Boohoo, Long Thick Cardigan – JCPenney, Combat Boots – NastyGal, Trenchcoat – Amazon, Purse – Ardene.
For those of you who love wearing dresses, here’s a cute sweater dress outfit that incorporates lots of hidden layers for tons of warmth. As with outfit #1, we’ll start with a thermal top and thick tights first. Then, for extra warmth, pair your top and tights with thermal shorts. These shorts will keep you warm while smoothing everything out — they basically act like shapewear that keeps you warm.
Now that you have your base layer, you can throw on your favorite sweater dress. The sweater dress listed above is thick so it will be sure to keep you warm. Next, pull on a long, thick cardigan to complement the dress. Make sure the length is about the same as the sweater dress, this looks fresh and intentional.
Accessory-wise, pair this outfit up with combat boots. Combat boots are thick enough to keep your toes from getting frosted, and they’re super cute as well. Then, layer on a cute trench coat. Of course, in your pockets, make sure to have gloves. And you can finish this outfit up with a pretty thick scarf as well as a cute purse.
Outfit #3
Products: Leggings – Forever 21, Boyfriend Jeans – Forever 21, Wool Socks – Saks off Fifth, Sneakers – Nasty Gal, Thermal Sleeveless Top – Marks and Spencer, Turtleneck Sweater – Nasty Gal, Belt – H&M, Fur Coat – Forever 21, Purse – Ardene.
This outfit revolves around jeans and shows you how to wear trendy ripped jeans without being cold. Boyfriend jeans have been extremely popular over the past couple years and they’re loose enough to layer under — perfect for winter! Before you put on your boyfriend jeans, throw on leggings first for that warm base layer.
Next up, pull on some thick wool socks and your favorite sneakers. As for your top, I still recommend wearing our favorite thermal sleeveless top to keep your body warm. Then, over top, rock a pretty turtleneck sweater.
Complete the outfit with a belt and a fuzzy faux fur coat. Don’t forget accessories like gloves and a beanie to keep you even warmer! A small purse will also help to keep your extras together.
How do you layer up for super cold temperatures?
For more on cold weather dressing, be sure to see our post on how to dress for freezing temperatures.
How do you layer in the winter and still look good? Let us know in the comments below!