Matalan, £16
Jersey blazer/coatigan
It's great to snuggle up in a cosy sweater or oversized cardigan, but if you work in an office, say, or just need to look a little bit pulled together, baggy knitwear isn't always the answer. Instead, find a jersey blazer or what the retailers like to term a "coatigan" (it looks a bit like a coat, but it's actually a cardigan. Get it?): it'll be more structured and a little smarter, while still adding some much needed warmth. The jersey fabric, meanwhile, is comfortable enough to wear indoors, and thin enough to fit under your coat when you venture outside.
Nude fishnets
Sick of opaque tights? Join the club. As soon as it gets to around August, fashion bloggers everywhere start enthusing over how they'll soon be all "cosy" and warm in their beloved opaque tights. Not everyone loves them quite that much, though, so if you want to keep wearing pumps (and basically anything other than boots), but don't want to always wear opaques in them, consider investing in a pair of nude fishnets. They won't give you quite the warmth of thicker tights, so they're best left for days when you're not planning to be outdoors for long periods of time, but they're surprisingly warm, and because they don't have the shine of regular "nude" tights, they have far less frump factor, too.
Buffalo, £76
Shoe boots
If you do need something warmer than a pump, but don't want the added bulk that a knee or ankle boot can bring to an outfit, the shoe boot is your new best friend. These are just as streamlined as a pair of shoes, but cover the whole foot, so they're a whole lot warmer. They tend to come in more interesting colours and shapes than knee boots, too, so they're also more fun to wear.
Tara Starlet, £59
A slip
Ah, the "underskirt"! It's not even remotely sexy, but it's a cold weather essential if you're wearing a skirt or dress. Not only will it stop the fabric from constantly sticking to your tights and riding up, it will also add an extra layer of warmth, which is always welcome at this time of year. Choose silk for a bit of luxury, or go all out with tulle for added drama.
Dorothy Perkins, £8
Long-sleeved t-shirts
Why do fashion designers persist in making winter-weight dresses with short, or elbow-length sleeves? It will forever be a mystery to us. We've spotted a few more dresses with sleeves than usual this season, but if your favourite happens to be sleeveless, or otherwise stunted in the arm department, a long-sleeved t-shirt layered underneath makes a handy alternative to a cardigan, particularly if your dress has an interesting shoulder/neck detail, or if you just don't feel like putting it on, only to instantly have to cover it up with a cardi.
2 comments on “Five quick winter fashion fixes”
Don’t underestimate how warm silk can be. My favorite under garments for winter are thin, knit silk long-sleeve Ts and long johns. No bulk, and toasty warm.
Unlike you, I hate dresses with long sleeves (even though it can get really, really cold where I live), because I feel that they cannot adjust properly to the various temperatures a winter day can bring – for example, they may be fine at the office, let’s say, but if afterwards you go to a restaurant where it’s really warm, you’re stuck in something that makes you sweat. So I much prefer short sleeves + cardigan. I suppose it’s easier for me because at least long sleeves can be shortened
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