late fall/ early winter fashion

Here in Zurich, winter is no fun. Besides the sudden drop in temperature the days get much shorter, leaving us with a few hours of sunlight if the sun even comes out in the first place. But way less fun than the actual winter are the transitional months, where the cold temperatures harshly let us know that summer has definitely come to an end. And it is exactly during this transition that everyone starts becoming seasonally depressed and lacking vitamin D. Obviously, we could just give in and wear our pajamas to school every day and blame it on the harsh beginning of winter and its incompatibility with fashion. But on all those days when you do feel like looking stylish and getting your shit together to satisfy your fashion-obsessed heart, I’ve got you covered. In this post, I’ve collected some of my favorite fashion hacks to get you through those weird transitional months so you can start enjoying fashion in wintertime. So, if you are struggling as much as I am to look cute when the weather just isn’t on your side, I really hope you can take something from this.

---

1. Add a pop of color to your outfits

I’ve grown up thinking that in the colder months you “have” to wear dark, neutral colors and keep your color scheme very monotonous in order to match with your environment. But now that I’m a bit older, I absolutely love wearing more colors, especially in the wintertime, when everything around you is so dull and you start missing the bright colors of the warmer months. This seems like such a minor thing but simply adding a pop of color to an otherwise boring outfit can completely elevate the look. I love adding a bright bag or a statement jacket. If you are looking for the cheapest and easiest way of changing up your outfit, you might want to go for a cool belt or a colorful t-shirt, both of which you can find very easily on a flea market. Either way the touch of color will wake you up and bring some joy into your cold and gloomy daily life.

2. Opt for a lighter jacket

I know from experience that once the temperatures drop just a bit, I tend to immediately grab my big puffy winter coat because I get cold rather quickly. As comforting as it might feel to be swaddled by the big fluffiness of your winter jacket, I found myself sweating a lot as soon as I got on the bus or entered the classroom. In the transitional months where the temperatures fluctuate so intensely and rapidly, I find it so much more convenient to go for a lighter jacket. Instead of throwing on a huge winter coat, try layering your pieces, like previously mentioned in number two. Besides that, it’ll make your life so much easier when hurrying from one place to the next if you only have to carry a light jacket around (this sleeveless puffer jacket shown in the pictures has been my favorite one).

3. Keep your ankles warm

When moving here from Brazil I would say I did a pretty good job at adapting to the cold weather. When walking through the city in the cold winter months, you will see people wearing the craziest, puffiest and thickest winter jackets, scarves and beanies, but their ankles will always be exposed to the cold air. I have to admit that I myself didn’t use to take the cold weather that seriously. My parents would always tell me to wear boots with thick socks instead of sneakers, but I’ve always loved sneakers and I will wear them whenever I can. The up-and-coming flare jeans trend (more about those and how to style them in my other blog post “one pair of jeans, six looks”) was the solution to all my problems. I’m around 1.77m (5.8 feet) and so most pants, especially skinny jeans, are very short on me. With no success, I’ve been looking for longer pairs that don’t expose my entire ankle. I had almost given up and taken my given destiny of cold ankles when I stumbled upon the flared jeans. At first, I wasn’t a big fan, but after having found the perfect pair of black flared jeans, I fell in love. And the absolute best part about them is that they actually cover my ankles, so that they can stay warm during the cold months too.

4. Play around with different textures

Sometimes it is a lot easier to choose a neutral color and go for a monochromatic look, especially if it’s one of those days where you don’t know what to wear. In those scenarios, to transform a boring outfit into a more interesting one, make sure you include different materials and textures. Pairing a knit sweater with some faux leather pants or a faux fur jacket will make an otherwise lifeless, unicolored outfit stand out a lot more. This tip goes hand in hand with the first one because you are adding an interesting detail. If you find you don’t enjoy wearing colors as much (although I highly encourage you to try them out), adding different feels to your look will spice it up and hide the fact that your closet consists of black clothes only.