Guide
The onion principle: layers of clothing in winter
by Stephanie Vinzens
5 simple styling tips to nail that winter layer look
15.12.2022
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Temperatures below zero are no reason to send your fashion sense into hibernation just yet. Layering clothes with class is easy! Here are some tips.
1. Look out for volume
The rule of thumb is: your layer look should consist of four or five layers max. Anything more than that will look over the top and will restrict your movement. Make sure to create a good balance between body-hugging and loose fits as well as between thick and fine fabrics. The more pieces you’re using, the more important that the first layers are relatively thin. No more than two tops of your outfit should be voluminous, and that’s including your jacket.
An elegant look made up of four layers might go something like this: use a thin tank top as your base layer, slip a tight-fitting, fine turtleneck over that, add a loose blouse or blazer and add a woolly coat with wide shoulders as the last layer. This goes well with wide cut fabric pants and thin tights underneath.
Here’s a small tip if you’re about to buy a winter jacket: ensure it gives you enough room to play with, especially in the shoulder area and sleeves. Otherwise layering won’t work. In other words, your movement will be restricted and the taut fabric will no longer flow.
2. Put winter accessories to use
3. Define your layers
For an effective layered look, create visible tiers. You can get the look by playing around with different lengths and necklines. For example, allow a long top to peek out from under a jacket, wear a crew-neck shirt under a loose V-neck sweater, a turtleneck sweater under an unbuttoned blouse, or a slipover over a shirt.
4. Combine textures
Aa mix of fabrics makes the layered look even more interesting. Experiment with different textures and create contrasts by combining wool with smooth leather or bouclé with satin, for example.
5. Keep calm
Has endless love for shoulder pads, Stratocasters and sashimi, but a limited tolerance for bad impressions of her Eastern Swiss dialect.
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