Sure, you can always grab your tried-and-true trench coat or your beloved wool sweater to stay warm, but why not mix it up this season? Inspired by today’s seven tastemakers, we’re eager to take our wardrobes to new levels (some more advanced than others). We’ll be swapping our standard ankle boots for over-the-knee styles as seen on Taylor Tomasi Hill, piling on the stripes like Rihanna, and experimenting with bold color-blocking thanks to a stylish civilian. Read on for the rest of our Styling Tips, and be sure to let us know how you’ll be stepping outside your comfort zone this month!
Tip #1: Add intrigue to an all-noir look with a printed bomber jacket.
There are so many ways to spruce up a mix of black separates, but right now, we’re enamored with the idea of layering on a printed bomber jacket. As demonstrated by the street style darling above, this outerwear option feels cool and current, and instantly transforms the look from understated to visually intriguing.
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Nasty Gal Doll Face Bomber Jacket ($68); Anna & Boy Aloha Tropical Print Bomber Jacket ($310); Rag & Bone Cambridge Floral-Print Cotton-Blend and Leather Bomber Jacket ($795).
Tip #2: Throw on a furry-trimmed jacket to add texture to your look.
Winter weather calls for double-duty pieces that will keep you both warm and stylish. Our solution? A furry-trimmed jacket a la model Jacquelyn Jablonski! Snapped at a Tommy Hilfiger event in New York last month, Jablonski tossed Tommy Hilfiger’s Patent Leather Shearling Moto Jacket ($1998, 212.223.1824) nonchalantly over her shoulders, adding texture to her understated top and Tommy Hilfiger Navy Wool Tuxedo Pants ($148, 212.223.1824). The result? An effortlessly cool look you need to try now.
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Neiman Marcus Fur-Trim Leather Moto Jacket ($395); Forever 21 Quilted Jacket with Faux Fur Collar ($48); Juicy Couture Wool Mod Flight Jacket ($348) in Dark Regal; L’Agence Leather Faux Fur-Trim Jacket ($895).
Tip #3: Wake up your winter wardrobe with a bold take on color-blocking.
The skies are gray and the wind is biting, but that doesn’t mean your wardrobe has to be a depressing sea of drab colors! Emulate this street style savant by opting for vivid separates and an equally bright coat to ensure you don’t get lost in a crowd this holiday season.
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Vince Camuto Burnt Orange Wool Blend Two-Button Coat ($139); ASOS Double Breasted Ponti Coat ($53); Splendid Double Pocket Shirt ($140); Antonio Marras Casual Pants ($325).
Tip #4: Create a high-impact ensemble with head-to-toe stripes.
We’re not sure what we love more: Rihanna’s endlessly catchy songs or her wonderfully daring red carpet ensembles. Either way, we’re smitten with the outfit she put together for a performance in London last month. For the event, the singer pulled pieces from the menswear runways, including a men’s Acne top and matching pants from the S/S 13 collection and a cobalt Raf Simons coat from F/W 12, and added a hint of femininity with a pair of Manolo Blahnik heels. Mixing horizontal and vertical stripes is no easy feat to pull off, but Rihanna managed to make it look easy, so we’re eager to test-drive the look ourselves.
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Theory Tommie Striped Sweater ($255); Alice + Olivia Dali Extra Metallic Stripe Linen Tee ($165); Pure & Good Skinny Stripes Tee ($38); Paige Hoxton Striped Skinny Jeans ($199); Blank Denim Striped Skinny Jeans ($88).
Tip #5: Lend a ’70s vibe to an edgy look with flared trousers.
Who knew updating your tough-girl look was as easy as adding flared trousers? This accessible outfit idea came to us courtesy of a stylish civilian who teamed her leather moto and casual tee with a pair of pleat-front bell-bottoms. The sophisticated trousers inject her tougher, pared-down separates with a relaxed ’70s vibe we love.
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TheoryMax C Flared Pants ($245); L’Agence Flared Trousers ($172); Calvin Klein Jeans Petite Welt Pocket Flare Pants ($70).
Tip #6: Balance a short hemline with over-the-knee boots.
Is there anything Moda Operandi’s Artistic Director Taylor Tomasi Hill can’t pull off? We’d venture to say no, as evidenced by this directional outfit she wore to Paris Fashion Week in October. We especially love how she balanced the short hemline of her Rag & Bone skirt with an oversized J.W. Anderson windowpane sweater and Alexander Wang’s Kolfina Boots ($719) for a cold-weather result that is sporty and spicy.
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Diane von Furstenberg Dalad Over the Knee Boots ($249); Frye Over the Knee Slouch Boots ($428); GuessVale Over the Knee Boots ($238).
Tip #7: Elevate pajama-inspired separates with bejeweled heels.
If you want to partake in the loungewear-as-outerwear trend, you want to be sure to avoid looking like you literally rolled out of bed. To take the look from sleepy to stunning, just add a pair of embellished heels like this chic civilian, as they’ll instantly elevate your louche pieces.
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J. Crew Collection Etta Sequin Pumps ($350); Topshop Guilty2 Mary Jane Crystal Heels ($116); ValentinoMicrostud Mary Jane Pump ($995); INC International Concepts Lilly Pumps ($80). —Erin Fitzpatrick