When it’s really, really cold, all you want to do is cover up. Rings no longer make sense because you’re wearing gloves. Necklaces are hidden beneath sweaters, turtlenecks, and coats. And bracelets? What bracelets? You are wearing long sleeves; bracelets are a thing of the past (or the future, depending how you think about it). Plus, metal is cold. I want nothing to do with jewelry, aka metal, when the weather goes below 55°. Obviously, San Diegans rarely have to worry about this, but many of us travel to colder cities at this time of year. From Big Bear and Joshua Tree to New York and overseas, I am packing myself and my clients for cities less “fine” than San Diego, and we never forget these winter accessories…
Best Winter Accessory
With most, if not all, of your jewelry out of the picture, the winter accessories that will save your personal style are elaborate scarves. A fanciful scarf will make a simple outfit like jeans and a black turtleneck seem utterly stylish. Plus, a fabulous scarf goes with every winter garment: leggings, sweater dresses, ponte pants, suede skirts, leather pants—you name it. I recommend splurging on a handful of various colorful scarves. If you wear a different bold scarf every day, you could basically wear the same jeans and a simple top or sweater and still be praised for your keen fashion sense.
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Other Key Winter Accessories
My favorite part of winter fashion is collecting boots. I now have boots in each rational color in both casual and dressy styles. With a collection that includes so many colors from silver and gold to navy and burgundy, I am able to wear so many different colored sweaters, coats, and, of course, scarves. I also have the luxury of wearing my favorite grey leggings every day as long as I keep switching out my boots and top. The first day of leggings may feature my embroidered navy booties with a navy v-neck sweater. The second day of grey leggings will incude my charcoal booties with a patterned sweater, and so on.
A fun or chic handbag will also up your style quotient in the cold. The combination of a fabulous scarf, chic boots, and a stylish handbag can be a winter uniform that feels effortless and warm without being monotonous. It is these three key winter accessories that made me feel fabulous in an otherwise boring look in Big Bear last week.
Click here to read about My Winter Fashion Essentials, like the perfect sweater dress, and the one jewelry item I wear in the winter.
Photography by David Storch