With a blistering Canadian winter, there’s only so much fun fashion you can do (without styling a parka every day). That being said, I think us Canadians have found a significant amount of love for layering. Layering is like our style-life-line in the winter months.
I always scroll through my Instagram with lust at the warm, minimalist bloggers in Cali. Their photos remind me that our spring is right around the corner. One winter I even braved the cold and tried wearing a summer-ish outfit for the sake of photos. Needless to say, I regretted it almost immediately. I definitely caught a cold after that.
I learned to embrace our necessity for layering and have very possibly taken it to the extreme. I factor layering into every single outfit. You have to when it’s negative 30 degrees Celsius outside and a toasty 20 degrees everywhere inside.
Removable layering has literally become my best friend. I embrace knits like it’s a school uniform, not even contemplating whether or not to throw on a sweater… the answer is YES, all the time.
This here is basically my winter uniform to a T. I make sure to have a pair of leggings (or long Johns, depending on how you look at it) on and spice up the layering around that.
The key to layering, I’ve found, is making sure to have interesting hem lengths and textures to the pieces you layer. This shirt is a high-low rayon knit and just adds a bit of flare to an otherwise bulky outfit. It adds just the right amount of movement.
I threw on my favourite chunky sweater in a complimenting blue-grey tone (that’s obviously a turtle neck because, duh, it’s freezing out). The boxy cut of it sometimes makes it difficult, but it’s warm as hell!
The scarves were a bit of a “screw it, it’s cold, I don’t care” move. I thought it kind of looked weird at first, but then realized that my warmth was more important than anything. The double scarf thing kind of grew on me as I wore it though. It also includes two of my favourite things in the winter: a blanket scarf and an infinity scarf. Both of which are removable should I get too warm.
Lastly, nothing completes a layered outfit like a pair of knee-high or OTK (Over The Knee… don’t worry, I just learned this acronym too haha) boots. They add a bit of edge to an otherwise basic outfit. They also keep your calves a couple temperatures higher.
The perfect OTK/knee-high boot is basically impossible to find though. For someone like me, who admittedly has clown feet, it’s really difficult to find a pair that fits and doesn’t swamp my calf like a pair of goulashes.
I have a pair of Stuart Weitzmans, but let’s be serious… $1000 boots, hustling through the snow and salt does not make for a great combo. I ended up finding this pair from Le Chateau‘s luxe line Corso Como and fell in love with the way it fit. The elastic back of these ones hugged my calves perfectly – sexy leg silhouette in the winter? I’m so down. They were also on sale which was a huge plus!
They’re still made of 100% leather and are comfier than I would expect from a flat boot (I have flat feet so flat boots are not really the most comfortable).
In truth, there’s no perfect way to layer. I know I’ve mentioned it time and time again, but you should always wear what you’re comfortable in, not what other people tell you to wear.
That being said, Canadians (and fellow cold-bearers) hold strong in your layering efforts! Whatever and however you layer, have fun with it. Try new textures together that you never thought would look good. Colour block away. Throw on as many scarves as it takes… even if it makes you look like a caterpillar.
Most of all, stay warm. My mom used to throw on snow pants over my sweatpants over my leggings to keep me warm as a kid… and I was never cold. I guess she had a point. I uphold that my butterfly snow pants were still chic at the age of 4 haha
That’s what layering is really all about right? Staying warm? But have fun with it! Paint on the layers like you’re stalking up at a sample sale with no tote bag.
What’s your favourite aspect of layering?
