Layer Cake

Layered clothing. The concept can be elusive and frustrating but is absolutely necessary in these in between seasons.  There may be a touch of chill in the air, but that doesn't mean that you're only options are to wear a button down with trousers or a v-neck sweater with a pencil skirt under a wool coat to work in the morning. Don't get me wrong, I love outerwear as much as the next person; however, it's too early in the season to retire all the summer pieces without challenging yourself by paring them with some fall textures or even considering wearing multiple fall textures together.  I used to wear a size large boy's Hanes t-shirt underneath everything in high school. I do not consider this layering...nor do I consider wearing a camisole tank top thingy under everything layering. Neither should you. Taking the advice from this post, will give you some, what I like to call, fashion balls. Yes, I'm trademarking that term.

Wearing garments in layers can be used to create a variety of outfits and mix colors to add a comfortable chicness to your every day attire. The items that you will most commonly see when dressing in layers are thin, so as to never appear bulky when worn one on top of the other...and another and another. 

1. You need to have a starting point. A dress is perfect. Since we are transitioning from summer, it may be one that you wore on it's own when it was 90 degrees out in cotton or something a little flowy. 

2. Next, wear a long sleeved tee underneath it, yes, underneath in either stripes or solid, depending on what color or print the dress is. 

3. Then, put on a color coordinating cardigan in cotton or lightweight wool. 

4. Now, throw on a scarf and belt your waist. You need to keep your frame in focus, ladies. If you have a colored cardigan on, keep your scarf a basic neutral, like camel, gray, or black.

5. Depending on the weather, put on a vest in fur or military surplus style.

6. Finish it off with leggings or tights and ankle or mid-calf boots. 

So, in review...you need a dress, long sleeved tee, cardigan, scarf, belt, vest, leggings/tights, and boots. Feel free to stop before the vest or nix the tee...but there's a certain power in just going balls out, isn't there? Do it. You'll be happy to keep that winter coat in the back of your closet for at least another month!