4 Outerwear Pieces to Invest in This Year
As we embrace colder weather, our closets beg for versatile (and stylish!) pieces to keep us warm. Stylist Carson Love offers up four essential outerwear styles to invest in to keep your wardrobe current.
Today’s article comes to us from Carson Love, a Nashville fashion stylist and wardrobe consultant who helps clients find their own unique style and encourages them to be unapologetically authentic.
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We have officially entered the time of year when temperatures are dropping. Simultaneously, calendars are heating up with holiday gatherings, luncheons, school meetings, fundraisers, and all the seasonal soirées. The busy season tends to demand a lot from our wardrobes, and as a personal stylist, a significant part of my job is ensuring that my clients feel they have a fully stocked arsenal in their closet ready for action.
Each season, I work with my clients to take a hard look at each category of their closets to determine if there’s any editing that needs to be done or any holes that need to be filled. During the winter months, in particular, I always take care to examine the category I call “third pieces” — think jackets, outerwear, cardigans, blazers, toppers, etcetera. These are the pieces that get layered over a “blank canvas” outfit to pull it all together (not to mention add extra warmth!). Pieces like these are often overlooked because they might not be part of your typical, everyday uniform. But I can say with certainty that they are the workhorses of your wardrobe!
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I encourage you to examine and audit your closet’s “third piece” department. Is it easy to find or nonexistent? Do you have a current blazer, or is it a relic from office days gone by? If you stopped by your coat closet on the way out the door, would your peacoat add to or deter from your outfit? It might be time to release some items that aren’t serving you and are taking up prime real estate in your closet.
Once you’ve taken a solid inventory of what you already own, you might notice some gaps needing to be filled or third pieces needing replacement. If you’re looking for a bit of inspiration for third pieces to enhance your wardrobe this season, here’s my roundup of outerwear styles I love to see in my clients’ closets (and my own)!
Moto Jacket
Don’t shy away when you hear the term “motorcycle jacket.” A moto jacket does not need to be an overwhelming, boxy black piece that looks like it was stolen right off the back of a Harley (unless that’s what you’re into!). If the harshness of a moto doesn’t suit your taste, try looking for styles with less hardware (think zippers, grommets, buckles) and a smaller lapel. You can also opt for suede over leather, which tends to have a softer look.
Don’t be afraid to branch out from black! Opt for an unexpected neutral like ivory, or a rich color like this beautiful slate blue.
Blazers
You don’t need to work in an office to justify a curated collection of blazers. In my experience, they have proven to be a versatile staple for so many different lifestyles. I love contrasting the tailored look of a blazer with something a bit more rugged, like a pair of raw-hem jeans and sneakers.
I find blazers with a bit of stretch to be more flattering, not to mention more comfortable. Take, for example, this style by Veronica Beard.
It’s hard to beat a classic with gold button detail.
For my petite friends struggling to find a blazer that doesn’t overwhelm, try looking for a knit or cropped blazer (particularly one that is unlined, as they tend to be less boxy). Here are a couple of my favorite examples.
Anthropologie is a go-to resource for me because of their inclusive sizes. I’ve ordered this fun holiday blazer this season for a couple of clients already — and I love that it comes in plus and petite sizes.
Peacoats
Picture it: You’re all dressed up and heading out the door for a December cocktail party. You see snowflakes falling outside the window, so you stop by the coat closet to throw on your dressiest peacoat, only to realize … you haven’t updated your coats since 2003! You can’t tarnish your beautiful, party-ready outfit with a pilled, stained, dated coat. Do you freeze or succumb to the fashion flop?
Okay, that might be a bit dramatic. But please don’t let yourself get stuck between a rock and a cold place this season!
When looking for an elevated peacoat, I like something with clean lines and a neutral color. That way, I know it will go seamlessly with almost anything and won’t take away from any dressed-up looks. Here are a few of my favorites that I’ve been pulling this season.
Parkas
I’m not going to say that this is the sexiest department of your closet, but it’s certainly something you want to have on hand when those cold days hit! A good quality parka will last you for years to come and is a necessity as the temperatures drop. Two things I look for are that it’s long enough to cover your bum and easy to clean.
This is undoubtedly a time when function trumps fashion, but I have a few favorites that are as attractive as they are warm!
Here are more tips on staying stylishly warm this winter!
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Carson Love
Carson Love is a Nashville fashion stylist and wardrobe consultant who helps clients find their own unique style and encourages them to be unapologetically authentic.