8 of the Best Winter Fashion Tips

by guest author: Alex

The nights are colder and the days are getting darker, which can only mean one thing; winter is here. Some people love winter, but normal people much prefer the warmer days. Dressing for warmer days is easier too; you can get away with throwing just about anything on and look great. Winter is a different story. You need to stay warm and comfortable while looking chic. To help you out, here are 8 of the best winter fashion tips:

1. Make Sure Your Outfits are Balanced Out

As you’ll want to stay warm during winter, it’s easy to end up being drowned by different fabrics. If you ensure your outfits are balanced out, you’ll look much better. You can balance your outfits out by making sure you wear something tighter on the bottom if you’re going baggier on the top, and vice versa.

2. Learn How to Layer Up

Layering is one of the most useful winter fashion tips you can use. Knowing how to layer will instantly make your outfits more interesting. You can then add layers or take them away depending on how cold the weather actually is.

3. Include a Pop of Colour

The weather doesn’t mean you should stop wearing colour completely. Why stick to blacks and greys and make life seem duller than it actually is? Include a pop of color and you’ll feel much better about the cold weather! Even just wearing a brightly coloured bag could make your outfit stand out.

4. Use Lots of Texture to add Interest

One of my favourite things about winter is wearing lots of texture. Texture helps to add depth to outfits and make them look so much more interesting. I love to wear leather, faux fur, and other wintery textures to amp up my looks. This sort of look can be created with Irish clothing too.

5. Always Accessorize

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you should forget to accessorize. You can accessorize using scarves, hats, gloves, and even statement rings/necklaces.

6. Try to Show off Your Shape

Something I always notice about people during winter, is that they usually disguise their shape with their clothes. This can lead some people to look dowdy or frumpy, which isn’t ever a good look! Try to show off your shape by using a belt outside of your jacket, or on the next layer of your outfit. Looking hourglass is always a good thing!

7. Experiment With Scarves

Experiment with different scarves of patterns, lengths, and thickness to make a statement. You can tie them lots of different ways too, so you can look different each and every time you wear one!

8. Let Your Boots Do the Talking

I love wearing statement boots. Pick a pair you love and then let them do the talking with your outfits. Over the knee boots are set to be huge again this year!

Use these tips this winter and you’ll love the way your outfits look. Leave any tips of your own below!

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The Essential Guide to Strapping Strapless Winter Looks

by guest blogger: Mollie O'grady

Winter is just around the corner, and unless you live in a tropical paradise, it's time to put away your beloved summer wardrobe and pull out the cozy sweaters and boots...or is it?

This winter, the fashion world is exploding with fun looks that weave summer's hottest trend, the strapless dress, long into the winter months.

Try these styles to jazz up any strapless dress.

Warm

Winter can be frigid. Although it's tempting to try on cute, semi-skimpy tube dresses that go perfectly with those new peep-toe heels, you don't want to be caught outside when a gust of wind makes you cringe longingly for the Caribbean. Keeping warm in a strapless dress can be tricky business, so make sure to bundle and layer as much as you can without looking like a bag lady.

Tasteful

When wearing a strapless dress in the winter, start your look from your feet up, when those tootsies are bundled it makes a huge difference. This season it's all about the boots. From rocking boots to stilettos; boots are back in a big way. Boots make a great accompaniment to strapless dresses, as you can throw tights or even hide poodle fleece socks underneath. As noted by Urban Outfitters, this season's cute looks include pairing socks with pumps or even peep-toes to stretch your summer wear as long as possible.

Next, it's time to work those legs! Take advantage of the boat loads of cute leggings lining this year's racks. You can mix and match colors with styles, lacing looks edgy against corduroy, and sparkles match with just about anything. The same goes with tights, you can pair patterns for a fun bohemian look, or spice things up with fishnets over nude tights for warmth and style on a sassy night out.

Comfortable

Although sometimes you have to forgo a little comfort for the sake of style, if it's enough to give you frostbite, then you've gone too far. That's where layers come in. Layers are making waves across runways in a big way this year, and you can easily cash in on the cuteness. If you have fitted long sleeve shirts, or even baby doll t-shirts, you can layer them underneath your strapless dress and throw a cardigan over. Even the added warmth of a camisole paired under your strapless dress can work out nicely.

Last but not least, a jacket or coat is the most important part of a winter ensemble. There are infinite numbers of cute coats out there just begging to be paired with your favorite strapless dress. A fitted trench coat can give a strapless dress an instant elegance, taking you from a cute daytime look to fancy and warm in an instant. Puffy down coats can be added for extra "spunk" and go-anywhere attitude, or a blazer can add a muted respect for business and play time. Top your look off with a cute hat and scarf and you'll be the bell of the winter ball!

fashionado

How to Assemble an Awesome Winter Wardrobe...

By guest blogger Kris Williams

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Winter is here, and once again you don’t have enough money to buy yourself anything nice. As the sharp-dressed socialites shuffle down Broadway, you’re forced to look on in your shabby pea coat and duck boots that – let’s be real – haven’t been cool since 2009. It feels like a tragedy sad enough to bring a tear to Mr. Scrooge’s eye.

Well buck up, Tiny Tim (or Tina)! Just because your pockets are a little light at the moment is no reason to content yourself with salivating over window displays. There are plenty of ways that even the most cash-strapped fashion junkies can put together an awesome winter wardrobe. You just need to know what to buy and where to buy it. For example, here’s a brief guide on how to put together an awesome seasonal wardrobe when you’re totally broke. 

Dress Up a Low-End Coat

You know how many people can tell the difference between this

$830 pea jacket

and

this one

that only costs $110? Not many. Winter coats, especially pea coats, tend to look the same across price points. So why spend a fortune on one when a budget model will likely look just as good and keep you just as warm?

The best part about budget coats is that they can easily be dressed up to look more expensive. For instance, you might consider replacing the plastic buttons on your pea coat with brass ones from your local craft store or adding some patches and beading to your military jacket. When it comes to looking chic this season, little touches like these can go a long way.

Get Your Kicks at the Thrift Store

While we’re on the subject of thrift stores, let’s discuss shoes. Leather (or vegan!) riding boots are in this season. These boots are excellent to wear in cold weather and are highly versatile when it comes to styling, but they also tend to be a tad expensive.

With that in mind, keep a sharp eye out for gently used riding boots at your local thrift shops. Though thrift shops are notoriously poor places to find shoes, they always seem to have a pair or two of interesting boots lying about. If you get your boots pre-owned, they’ll be cheaper and a tad bit more comfortable because they’ve already been broken in. I recently snagged a pair for $45 at my local junk shop that fit me like a glove.

Another great place to find used boots is online. There are thousands of listings for gently used riding boots on classifieds and auction sites right now, so it should be easy to snag a pair you love at a decent price. A word to the wise, though – If you choose to buy your footwear online, I strongly recommend trying on similar boots at a shoe store to get the size right before you place a bid. Returning something you bought from a private seller online is a pain, so you want to make sure that the boots you’re buying fit perfectly before you pay for them.

Need a Cute Cocktail Dress? Cut Up a Prom Gown!

Metallic, shimmery dresses are all the rage this season. If you don’t have $500 to blow on one for your wardrobe, you might want to consider making your own out of an old prom or homecoming dress.

While a few homecoming dresses are classy and short enough to wear out without alteration, if all the gowns in the back of your closet are fully bedazzled and ruched, you’re probably going to want to start from scratch. Look for a simple floor-length ball gown or mermaid cut dress at your local thrift store or used clothing outlet. If you’re buying one off-season, you should be able to get it for a bargain. Once you bring the dress home, put it on and use a piece of chalk to mark where you want it to cut off. Try to err on the side of length, because you can always hem it shorter later on. After it’s marked, take it off and inspect it inch-by-inch with a tape measure to ensure that your cut will be level. Once you have your final line marked, carefully cut off the material with fabric shears, trim the lining and voila! You now have a cute little number to wear out this weekend.

Practice Good Accessorizing

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Accessories are a great way to make an old outfit feel new again, especially when your wardrobe budget is less than $50. Therefore, it’s a good idea to stock up on a variety of them.

At the top of your shopping list should be scarves. These winter essentials can help style any outfit and they’ll keep you warm to boot. However, that doesn’t mean you should break the bank on them. Rather than splurge on a designer scarf, look for one online and at your local big-box retailers. Try to find one in a neutral shade or a colorful pattern that matches your coat. Oblong scarves typically work best for this, because they can be tied in a variety of ways and worn with all sorts of outfits.

When it comes to hats, knit beanies are always a safe bet. They’re cheap, they’re versatile and they’re warm. Pick one up in a neutral shade and you can wear it with just about anything.

Finally, you need to get a decent pair of gloves. Try to get gloves that are the opposite, style-wise, of your coat. If you have a black or brown pea coat, get patterned gloves or mittens that work with your scarf. If you have a patterned coat, then stick with solid colors. Again, big box stores are your friend here because you want to keep your gloves cheap. Anything more than $25 should be out of the question.

Looking good and being broke don’t have to be mutually exclusive. When winter comes, practice these smart shopping skills and you’ll be able to put together an awesome seasonal wardrobe without breaking the bank or stepping into “Dollar Store Hipster” territory. If you need something new, buy it cheap. If you can’t buy something cheap, then rehash something old. Get creative. Who knows, your attempt to be fashionable might just kick off a new trend altogether.

Bio: Kris Williams is a proud vegetarian, confessed fashion addict and lover of all things technological.When she’s not busy being the overindulgent mother to a fussy eight year-old, you can find her blogging at StyleCynics.com

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