Chic Geek: Planning Your Winter “Looks”
Nov05

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Chic Geek: Planning Your Winter “Looks”

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A blogumn by Delia Hauser


There was a single winter chill in Los Angeles this past week.  One teeny tiny nippy breeze and I thought, “YES! I can write my chic geek holiday decoration article this week!”  But, after a sobering 80 degree afternoon I realized it just might be too soon after all.  For me, nothing is as exciting as the holiday season except maybe LAYERING.   Ah layering!  How I love you so!  But, like most things in this world, I have some beef with how people approach their winter look.  Mostly, they don’t approach it AT ALL; it is purely functional.  I say, why choose warmth over style when you can have both?!

When most people buy their winter coats, they choose something neutral to go with more things in their closet.  Frankly, I think this is the where everything goes very wrong.  Once you’re all bundled up in a hat, scarf and gloves, your outfit is covered up, so why do you care if your coat matches it?  I think we should approach our bundled look as a separate outfit.  It is our protective shell, but it’s also what everyone sees when we are outside or coming into work or a restaurant, so why not make it really good?  Hell, it’s our chance to have a legitimate costume change during the day!

I suggest having two or three winter looks to switch up depending on the day or occasion.  Buy coats you are happy to put on!  Bulkier doesn’t mean you’ll be warmer.  If you wear a hat with a tailored coat, you’ll be just as warm as your friend in the down puffer coat.  I promise.  If you’re strapped for cash right now, you can still have more than one coat.  Buy vintage on Etsy, ebay or from your local vintage shops.  Once you have a few that you love, buy a scarf, hat, gloves and rain boots to complete each look.  Scarves are taking on new and exciting forms these days.  If you have a coat that buttons higher up, you can pair it with a scarflette that won’t add a ton of bulk around your neck or under your coat. Luxuriate in a pair of opera length leather gloves or warm handmade mittens.  Rain boots are super cute these days too.  Shop around before you buy the standard.  Though all of my examples come from Zappos, even Target sometimes carries adorable striped or polka dotted wellies.

Winter looks don’t have to be mismatched concoctions thrown together at the last second anymore.  Plan yours out.  Buy cozy, but buy chic!

Everything you need to get you fashionably through the winter after the jump:

Hats

a. Anthropologie – click link for price
b. Aspasia – $29
c. Tomoka Tahara – $45
d. S Loves C – $38
e. Maribel – $30
f. Urban Outfitters – $42
g. Anthropologie – click link for price
h. Liza Rietz – $42
i. Paula Deer – $45
j. Piper & Paisley – $32

Scarves

a. Beebun – $20
b. Carmelita Marie – $50
c. Perpetual Downpour – $30
d. Tijusai – $60
e. Spratters & Jayne – $85
f. Just Vic – $39
g. Rosetung – $58
h. Tortoiseshell Bunny – $56
i. PhylPhil – $25
j. Tickled Pink Knits – $74

Coats

a. Marc Jacobs – click link for price
b. Little Houses – $260
c. Nothing.Everything – $136
d. Marc Jacobs  – click link for price
e. Sumomosuki – $79
f. Leifsdotter – click link for price
g. Odd Molly – click link for price
h. Flock – $160
i. Emily Katz – click link for price
j. Marc Jacobs – click link for price
k. Lady Melbourne’s Vintage Emporium – $69
l. 13threads – $320
m. Alexandra Anderson – $90
n. 13threads – $460

Boots and Gloves

a. Urban Outfitters – $20
b. Urban Outfitters – $20
c. Sperry – click link for price
d. Look Around – $54
e. Tretorn – click link for price
f. Anthropologie – click link for price
g. Look Around – $44
h. J. Crew – $75
i. Hunter – click link for price
j. Milly – click link for price
k. Red Phoenix Designs – $89.95
l. Hunter – click link for price
m. 3.1 Phillip Lim – click link for price
n. Shellys – click link for price
o. J. Crew – $130