We are at the height of transitional dressing, friends, what with chilly morning temperatures and tepid afternoon highs. Add in a mix of sun, clouds, and rain, and it’s officially layering season!
Layering garments can result in a bulky mess or an artful use of pieces that can transition from morning to evening, all while being stylish and comfortable. Here are some go-to layering techniques to deploy over the next few weeks.
First, mix sportswear with classic pieces. Try a slim-fit hooded sweatshirt under an oversized blazer with a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. Or swap the jeans for cargo pants. For chillier days, try a windbreaker under a dress coat with trousers and loafers, or if wet out, rainboots.
For weekends, try joggers with a button-down, pullover, sportscoats, and sneakers. Top off with a baseball hat and a fun nail color. The whole idea is to mix the sporty with the preppy to create layers that can be worn all at once and then taken off as the day gets warmer while maintaining a whole look.
Trending this fall and winter is a thoughtful use of grays that call to Nordic minimalism. Think fair-isle sweaters, waffle knits, and fuzzy-ball-topped beanies. Mix your layers in shades of gray, but don’t be shy of color. Various gray tones feel more autumnal when paired with lemon yellows or pale blues. Better yet, incorporate all three tones in one look: blue jeans, a yellow button-down, a gray pullover, and a gray overcoat. If you have a gray and blue or gray and yellow striped sweater, scarf, or long-sleeved tee, pair that with khakis and gray outwear, and a lemony scarf. Scarves, no matter your palette, are an easy way to include color in a monotone look and make a great layering accessory. Scarves can be worn around the neck, head, or shoulders.
Layers work best when thinking about clothing in not just stylish but also functional terms. Consider the technological elements of layers, such as a moisture-wicking base layer, insulating mid layer, and water-resistant outerwear. Also, be mindful of fabrics and heft. You don’t want your thickest item to be the one right next to your skin, nor do you want the top layer to be too thin and unstructured. A good rule of layering is for the first layer to be the most breathable, which can ideally worn on its own as you remove pieces through the day. The second layer should be mid-weight and possibly semi-structured, with the third layer being the thickest with the most structure or volume.
Next up is shirt-on-shirt layering. This can be tricky as not all shirts are meant to be paired together. A big part of layering is being free and flexible, so try out wearing two shirts of different fabrics, like a cotton striped tee and a plaid flannel, to see how it feels. Or how about a rugby shirt over an Oxford shirt? The trick is to not only balance material but also pattern and texture.
From shirt-on-shirt to knit-on-knit. Sometimes, it’s fun to combine the same materials on purpose. Suits are the obvious example, but why not try two different kinds of sweaters? Matching knit sets have been on the rise since the pandemic lockdown. Nowadays, they are veering away from loungewear and more towards office wear. A matching sweater and knit skirt go great with a turtleneck and peacoat. Or try the classic sweater set of a knit shell and cardigan underneath that suit for a double-up on paired materials.
Let us not forget the bottom layers. So far, we’ve been exploring layering shirts, sweaters, and coats, but what of our legs and bums? Tights are the ultimate secret weapon to bottom-half layers. A pair of tights with a dress, skirt, or autumnal shorts helps with coverage while giving us a chance to add some color and texture. If temps really rise, they can be removed and stashed while still presenting an overall look. Of course, socks come into play, whether they are mid-calf or knee-high, and can be paired with tights for extra chilly days. And don’t limit tights or pantyhose to dress/skirt/short styles. What with the wider-leg jeans and pants trend, you can certainly pop on a pair of tights under roomier-style trousers for an additional layer of insulation; this becomes really handy once winter hits.
When winter does roll around, you can swap out the tailored dress coat and blazer for a puffer and down jacket and trade sneakers and loafers for boots. For the really frigid days ahead, swap tights for leggings and t-shirts for a Henley for more coverage and warmth. Hopefully, some of these ideas will help you unlock the secrets of successfully layering. If you find you can’t put your arms down, then you’re doing it wrong.
