Winter Classics Outfit with Red Accents

Happy Christmas week! Have you kicked into celebration mode yet? I’m wearing ALL the Christmas sweaters, jewelry, t-shirts and pajamas this week. Ha! And I’m listening to Christmas music ’round the clock. I have my Pandora account set to Instrumental Christmas Music (Holiday) Radio, in case you’re interested. And as I write this post I’m drinking coffee and nibbling on a delicious fruitcake cookie a friend at church gave me this morning. Yeah, it’s beginning to feeling a lot like Christmas!

But, while I’ll have a Christmas outfit inspiration guide up tomorrow, today I’m giving you just a taste of a mini-series I’ll be posting through February. I’m calling it The Winter Classics and I’ll be creating outfits strictly from the items in my closet as inspiration. Yes, I’ll still be sharing new fashions here and there for the next couple of months, but The Winter Classics posts will give you outfit inspiration for which you can just “shop your closet.”

I’ll be sharing classic style formulas for winter outfits built with modern wardrobe essentials and statement pieces that hang in my closet on the ready. My hope is that you can then translate what I’ve created to something uniquely and fashionably you, using what you have in your wardrobe already. Of course, I’ll still provide shoppable links to items I show that are still available and I’ll provide links to substitutes when what I show is no longer available. That way if you identify a hole in your wardrobe, you can shop for that item. But the focus will be on style formulas and techniques. How does that sound?

For today’s Winter Classics look I’ve created a casual everyday outfit with my favorite straight leg black jeans. Black is the primary neutral color in my wardrobe (along with brown, white and grey), so I have plenty of it to create cohesive outfits that include several winter layers.

Remember, if you narrow down the number of neutrals in your wardrobe, you’ll be more prone to collect items that work together beautifully. If you need a refresher on selecting the colors for your wardrobe check out this previous post, How to Choose the Colors of Your Wardrobe.

When you narrow down your selection of neutrals, you’ll also be more prone to have the right shoes to wear with your outfits. Footwear anchors your look, so it’s pretty important to get it right. By wearing black boots with my black jeans, my legs look longer and slimmer, even though my jeans are straight and a looser fit.

Red is one of my four signature colors. (The others are green, blue and pink.) Wearing a solid colored sweater in one of your signature colors with black (or blue) jeans is, of course, one of the easiest winter style formulas there is. But don’t discount it just because it’s easy to throw together. When you wear a pop of beautiful, flattering color close to your face, you’ll draw the focus there and shine.

I think it’s a good idea to have a modern, pretty, long necklace or two in your jewelry box, especially for winter. These are ideal for wearing with crewneck and turtleneck sweaters. I chose to wear silver jewelry with this outfit because I like how this cool metal color plays with the cool tones in my outfit.

I’m so glad I was brave enough to purchase this Levi’s plaid top coat in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale a few years ago. Because this plaid coat (similar coats) consists of a dominant signature color and neutrals that are repeated throughout my closet, I don’t have to scrounge for things to wear with it. Remember, during the winter, your coat is the first thing many people see and the only clothing some people will see you wearing. So it’s worth it to own a pretty coat or two, even a colorful, animal print or plaid one. By the way, I’m wearing a small in this coat.

Have you seen my video, 5 Ways to Wear a Colorful Coat?

My grey scarf works well with this plaid coat, but also with my black coats and even my camel coat. Having a versatile scarf in one of your wardrobe neutrals will serve you well. Especially if you have a plaid or other print coat.

I added another splash of color and vibrancy to my winter classics outfit with my red crossbody bag (also available in navy and black). I guess I shouldn’t be, but I’ve been kind of surprised at how frequently I’m carrying this red crossbody. Again, that’s the beauty of knowing and nailing down your personal neutrals and signature colors. You can enjoy the pieces you’ve invested in much more frequently because they work together so well.

I hope you enjoyed today’s post. Like I said, throughout January and February I’ll be posting more of these Winter Classics Outfits created from pieces in my closet. And my goal is for you to be able to translate these into looks you can recreate from items in your closet. But please let me know if you have any questions about the items I’m wearing, sizes, fit, etc.

And if you’re fairly new here and have never read the Building a Wardrobe that Works for You series, you might want to check those posts out. They’re full of helpful information about creating a closet full (or not so full!) of clothes that mix and match beautifully for you.

Have a blessed and beautiful day! ~ Kay

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Blessed for My Day

Sometimes when we’re deep in a season of discomfort or pain or great need, we focus on God and spend a lot of time searching for Him, crying out to Him. But when God moves and answers our prayers, sometimes we return to “normal life” unchanged. Sure, we may thank God for what He has done, but otherwise we appear unaffected.

The shepherds who visited the baby Jesus in the manger returned to their “normal life” but they didn’t return to normal. They were indeed affected by what they had witnessed on that holy night. They returned, glorifying and praising God. That means they put the spotlight on God. They talked about Him, boldly and nonstop. And they probably had huge grins on their faces as they did.

Has God worked in your life this year? Amidst the stay-home orders and the threat of illness and the isolation from family, has God still moved? I absolutely hope we are able to “return to normal life” soon. But let’s not return to normal. Let’s remember the things God has done for us in this unique season. Let’s allow Him to change us from the inside out. And let’s boldly and excitedly glorify God and praise Him for all we have heard and seen.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. ~ Luke 2:20