5 tips to style your outerwear to avoid winter boredom High Latitude Style

Don’t become a victim of winter outerwear boredom

Besides the cold, wearing the same coat over and over again is why many women do not like winters in the city. In regions where winter lasts more than four months women often have more than one coat, but even then many of these women feel winter boredom style wise. In Interior Alaska, winter stays around seven months. Thus, fighting a winter rut actively is a must.

Tips how to avoid a winter style rut

In this post, I show you by the example of my short shearling coat how to avoid a winter style rut. I bought this coat in 1999 in Germany and wore it over and over again every winter, ever since, and had it altered a bit five years ago to get rid of signs of wear.

Outerwear example 1

#midlifestyle woman in a fashion forward winter look with pops of color — Short shearling coat styled with a Pavlovo wool floral print Russian blanket scarf, beret, purple gloves, and fuchsia 3.1 Philip Lim bag (all own)

The photo above shows how to add color with a Russian floral print wool scarf and matching gloves. The fuchsia bag adds another color. Since the coat, tights and shoes are all black, the bright bag adds interest.

Outerwear example 2

#fashionover50 woman in winter outerwear — Short shearling coat styled with purple gloves, matching Pavlovo Russian scarf, GNW tight, Harley Davidson booties, Kate Moss for Longchamp satchel, and head band (all own)

When styling a winter coat keep in mind that the part of your indoor outfit that is not covered by the coat automatically is part of your outerwear. Let the vibe and colors of the showing indoor wear lead your styling. In the photo above, the blue of the polka dot tight is picked up by the scarf wrap, stone and leather color of the belt.

Example 3

#advancedfashion styling a coat with fringe scarf — Pairing a short shearling coat with a fringe paisley print scarf, a tan crocodile imprint belt, tan gloves and a tan Kate Moss for Longchamp bag, tan head band and black boots (all own)

The photo above shows a styling around a dark denim skirt and blue tights. A skirt should show about two inch (5 cm) out of the coat for best look. In this styling example, I chose the accessories around the theme of black, blue and tan, i.e. three neutrals. The paisley print ties the colors of the tan bag, belt, and head band, the black coat and boots, and the blue skirt and tights together. It also adds a playful interest with the red that is part of the paisley print. The outfit below uses the same idea, but around a gray, black and red color theme.

Outerwear Example 4

#fashionover50 mature styling outerwear — Gray shearling coat styled with red Kieselstein Cord belt, ethnic belt buckle, floral scarf, Vince Camuto boots, tights and hat (all own) for staying warm on a cold winter morning

Outerwear example 5

#advancedstyle Styling tips for cable knit scarf over coat — Short shearling coat styled with Salvatore Ferragamo convertible belt (own), DIY cable-knit scarf (gift from a girl friend), London boyfriend jeans, Modalo Pippa bag, gray hat, and booties (all own own)

The look above shows how to style a coat with boy-friend jeans. The casual vibe of the jeans is picked up by the cable-knit scarf. The belt adds shape to the look. The hat adds height which is always a nice styling trick to look slim in a thick winter coat.

Outerwear example 6

#fashionover40 Styling outerwear in midlife — Shearling coat styled with long burgundy-gray-black scarf with fringes, burgundy beret, and a fuchsia 3.1 Philip Lamb bag worn over gray tights and suede slouchy Vince Camuto boots (all own)

The styling above evolves again around gray tights and gray suede boots like in the second photo of example 3. However, this time a gray-burgundy-black long knit scarf with fringes and a burgundy beret are added for a European inspired look. The fuchsia of the bag adds a pop of color which makes this outerwear outfit stand out in a crowd of black winter coats.

Outerwear example 7

#streetstyleover40 mature woman in street style outfit — Gray, pink and white plaid blanket scarf belted over short black shearling coat with Modalo Pippa shark gray bag, black tights and booties and burgundy beret (all own)

The photo above shows a very northern styling of the shearling coat with a poncho worn on top. The belt keeps the plaid poncho worn-over-coat from looking like being wrapped in a blanket. The black coat, tights and booties ensure a clean sleek line. The bag’s color matches the poncho. The burgundy beret works as it is a darker shade of the pink in the plaid pattern.

In a nutshell

Let the indoor outfit that shows under the coat be your guidance with respect to vibe and colors (examples 2, 3, 5).
Create a vertical line by the same color, a tall hat, or a scarf (examples 4, 5 )
Add interest with a pop of color (examples 1, 3, 6)
Belt for shape
Go for unexpected pairings (example 7)

Have fun dressing for outside. 😉

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Photos: G. Kramm

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5 tips to style your outerwear to avoid winter boredom

Don’t become a victim of winter outerwear boredom