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How to Layer Your Clothes Creatively & Without the Bulk

This article has been syndicated from Coming in Clutch, an InfluenceHer Collective Member. Read the full post here.

It’s that point of the year where the weather can’t make up its mind. Dressing for the weather can be a little bit tricky, because it’s so unpredictable. That’s why layering has become such an essential tactic to winter styling. I really wanted to chat about how to layer for these unpredictable weather conditions, but with fast results. Nobody’s got time to change outfits 20 times (even though we already do that). Today, I want to share my secret tips for creating interesting layers on the fly!

1. Go for a monochromatic palette 

By keeping your color palette to one range of a color, this narrows down your closet search. I always come up with the most unique outfits (I guess I’m a bit biased) when I stick to one color. For some reason, pairing different shades and tints of a color really blends nicely together. For example, I went for the brown color family with this outfit. White and creams are the tints of brown, and black is the ultimate shade of it. It really adds more definition and depth to the layering game, because a monochromatic look is an act of layering. Adding black and white to a base is the layering for colors. I find this is the quickest way to get a cool look together. 

2. Layer your coats and jackets

This tip needs a little bit of effort, because you have to look out for adding too much bulk and fabric. Although, coats and jackets tend to be a bit bulkier. Its purpose is to layer over top of the rest of your clothes and serve as a shield against the weather. Really use this to your advantage, and have fun pairing your jackets together. I layered a black denim jacket underneath this Free People bomber jacket.

First of all, denim goes with everything and is the perfect fabric for layering. Plus, a bomber jacket is meant to be a little bit more on the oversized spectrum. The arms especially are meant to provide a little bit more fabric, which makes it perfect for layering coats under. Use this as an experiment to see which of your coats would look cool paired together! This is why I have such a difficult time saying no to buying jackets…

3. Overalls are the new jeans

Because the retro trends are so popular right now, overalls are taking the fashion scene by storm. I’ve been using them as my go-to piece to adding a unique vibe to my basic look. A sweater and a pair of jeans look nice and super casual. By incorporating overalls into the look instead, you instantly have elevated your outfit to a whole new level of style. To me, overalls are so much more interesting and eye-catching than jeans. Don’t get me wrong, I have a committed relationship with jeans. As of lately though, they’ve just been the quickest way to style a really cool look.

I know there are a million other tactics for layering for the winter months, but these are my not-so-secret-anymore tips to mastering the innovative layering game. Not only are they easy to implement, but they’re foolproof for anyone to use. Plus, it allows you to really utilize what you already have in your closet. Let’s be real, we gotta save our money for all those spring and summer trends! Regardless, I hope these tips are of use to you in some way this season.

Read the full post here.

Amanda graduated from Carthage College with a Bachelor's degree in both Communications and Public Relations. She also proudly served as the Editor in Chief of her college's Her Campus chapter, and as a Her Campus Editorial Intern. She is from Chicago, Illinois, which she can confirm is indeed a windy city. Today she can still be found furiously tapping away at her laptop keys and producing content for the internet. In her spare time she enjoys reading books (before watching their Netflix or movie adaptions), running for fun (yes, it can be fun) and spending time with her friends and family.