Transitional seasons mean unpredictable weather, changing temperatures and – quite frankly – a whole lot of bother. YLC’s Victoria Hussey shares with you her tips for elegant, easy autumnal layers.
If, like me, you suffer from the occasional bout of seasonal-dressing confusion – an acute condition with varying symptoms that include wearing too many bulky, woolly items (when it’s not even cold outside) or not covering up enough because you happened to glance out of the bedroom window and saw the sun is shining (therefore it must be warm). Don’t worry for I have just the remedy – this week I’ll be dissecting the art of layering.
Autumn sure is a tricky customer. Back in the UK, autumn tends to be murky, misty rain and whirling winds. It necessitates carrying a brolly wherever you go and generally means any attempt at glamorous hairdos is pretty pointless.
Autumn here in Sweden, however, has had me in somewhat of a quandary. I’ve made the mistake of bulking up in my boyfriend’s thick woollen jumper underneath a very warm wool coat (thinking its colder than it is) only to find myself wilting upon entering any shop or metro station.
I usually end up gasping for air, ripping the clothes from my body in what can only be described as a temperature overload rage. Add to that the fact that with such a bulky jumper underneath a coat, arm movement is pretty non-existent, somewhat resembling Maggie Simpson in a snow suit.
And then, unexpectedly (for me anyway, Swedes appear to have been preparing for this moment for weeks with their leather gloves, woolly hats and the like in+10C; they knew something monstrous was lurking in the shadows) the winter-kraken appears and chills the streets with its icy breath.
And then, unexpectedly (for me anyway, Swedes appear to have been preparing for this moment for weeks with their leather gloves, woolly hats and the like in+10C; they knew something monstrous was lurking in the shadows) the winter-kraken appears and chills the streets with its icy breath.
So much so that simple slim scarves and light jackets are no longer enough.
What a confusing time.
Whatever the temperature outside, there are a few layering lessons it’s always best advised to stick to. A slim silhouette is the first and most important of steps. Note that by this I mean the clothes need to fit your form comfortably, not that you need Cara Delevingne’s slender physique. A form-fitting, but not tight, long-sleeved tee or soft cotton shirt is perfect.
Don’t be afraid to shuffle together textures, shades and prints for the next layer. Layers should always compliment each other with their differing lengths. As long as your silhouette underneath is simple, feel free to mix short with mid-length, long with short.
But a word of warning; it is true eclecticism can equal more personality ergo more style but overdo it and you risk looking like one of the female teaching staff from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Save this look for Halloween.
But a word of warning; it is true eclecticism can equal more personality ergo more style but overdo it and you risk looking like one of the female teaching staff from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Save this look for Halloween.
Next in your arsenal of winter-wear is the humble chill-saving scarf. During the autumn months it’s best to keep it light but winter will of course require a hardier, hairier variety. Go for colour, print and a nonchalantly-wrapped scarf always exudes far more elegance than a knotted one. Don’t you agree?
When Mr Jack Frost arrives with his posse of tear-inducing wind-makers it’s time to amp it up in down-filled coats. If you’ve checked your thermometer before heading out the house and the pesky ice-man hasn’t yet returned, a mac (or trench) is the perfect example of transitional autumn cover-up. It’s light, wrap-able and just a little… Parisian? Mais oui.
With layering the key thing to remember is that, along with everything in life, it’s all about balance – cropped here, long there.
That, and looking achingly chic of course. Whatever the weather.
Victoria Hussey
A self-confessed country-girl, Victoria swapped English village life for city-living in Stockholm in April 2013. She has spent the last five months swotting up on Swedish fashion and grappling with an increasingly Stockholm-influenced (namely black) wardrobe. Victoria enjoys travelling to far-off lands, alternative music and wishes someone would invent some kind of socially-acceptable breakfast ice-cream.
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