Cool Weather Trends To Spice Up Any Wardrobe

Feeling ‘blah’ about your look? In spite of trying to keep up with the fickle weather patterns, some of us are still bored with the cooler weather cycle of our wardrobes. Leave it to the designers to save the day with three noteworthy trends!

This post gives thanks to them (as well as you, my dear readers for all you do) for coming up with quick creative solutions to keep us modern, fresh, and enthusiastic about getting dressed. All we have to do is incorporate trend elements in small doses with our current staple pieces. And, ‘Voila’! It’s that simple!

Here are just a few of the many fun cool weather trends that will step up our style game in a jiffy:

LACE ACCENTS

1. Elizabeth and James – Lace James Blazer – Neiman Marcus
2. House of Harlow 1960 Lace Ankle Boots – Saks Fifth Avenue
3. Madewell Silk Intermission Top
4. Valentino Day Lace Medium Duffle Bag – Neiman Marcus
5. Rebecca Taylor ‘9-to-5’ Skirt – Nordstrom

Lace isn’t just for evening activities anymore. Lucky for us, we can display a feminine flair every day of the week. Some pieces go all-out and use lace throughout the entire design, while other garments and accessories throw in small accents of lace through inserts, panels, or trim details giving us just a hint of this infectious trend.

It’s important to take into consideration whether a lacy garment has any underlay paneling. Those that have it appear less sexy than sheer lacy pieces. Fortunately, there are plenty of options to suit all of our lifestyles whether we are at work or at play.

To diffuse the sexiness of some lacy garments, we can opt to add a classic conservative piece to the mix. For instance, layer a cardigan or blazer jacket over a more revealing lace top. Even combine a lined allover-lacy skirt with a simple minimalistic designed top or sweater. These style steps will certainly subdue the lacy-look for daytime responsibilities and otherwise.

MESSENGER BAGS

1. Miu Miu Paloma Messenger Bag – Net-A-Porter
2. Chloé Paraty Crossbody Shopper – Saks Fifth Avenue
3. Tory Burch Heidi Satchel
4. Cole Haan Devin Tote – Saks Fifth Avenue
5. Vieta Veronique – Vieta Fashion

One of my favorite new handbag styles this season is the messenger bag. Stick with the versions that have the double straps. It’s like getting two bags in one! Its convenient design is part crossover bag and part satchel bag.

The long body-crossing strap encourages a casual look and allows us to easily free up our hands, of course, to expedite our mobile device usage while we are in-between meetings. Plus, this long strap is often detachable and adjustable.

The secondary satchel strap(s) feature permits us to quickly switch up the entire vibe of our outfit. We instantly appear more sophisticated when holding the bag by our hands or on our forearms. In some designs, the satchel strap(s) are long enough to sling this style of messenger bag over a shoulder, too. Isn’t versatility grand?

It’s a good idea to make sure all these wonderful straps are not fussy looking – we don’t want the bag to overpower the rest of our outfit. We also want to make sure that our messenger bag is not too deep. It’s important to pay attention to the length, the width, and the depth of any bag. When a bag greatly protrudes away from our body, it creates unnecessary bulk near our hip region. No, thanks!

There is more good news; the messenger bag is available in a variety of materials including luscious leather and soft suede – superb choices for the cold winter months. These elements will add spice to any outfit. Let’s take all of these design details into account, so that we find the best double strap messenger bag for us.

FLAT SHOES

1. Jimmy Choo Witty Leopard-Print Suede Flats – Net-A-Porter
2. APC Caramel Tall Suede Boot – Creatures of Comfort
3. Miu Miu Studded Patent Penny Loafer – Bluefly
4. JCrew Camden Herringbone Brogues

For a girl who loves her heels, I relish the opportunity to wear a great pair of flats once in awhile. It’s nice to see that a comfortable pair of shoes does not have to equate with looking dowdy. This fall/winter season, the designers have gone all out and, subsequently, the stores are jam packed with a plethora of fun (and comfy) flat shoes. Don’t you just love it?!

There are exciting contemporary updates to the traditional oxford, as well as the historic penny loafer. Plus, the selection of flat boots and flat slip-on ballet skimmers available in the marketplace is much wider this year.

To add more zest to any outfit, opt for those flat shoes that have extra finesse. Let’s take our flats to the next level and look for those with grommets, patent or perforated leather, flannel/textured inserts, fabric prints or jewel adornment details, just to name a few. This contemporary perspective on the flat shoe will keep us on trend, plus instantly add more pep to our step – something we all could use. Fashion doldrums – be gone!

*Runway image: Chloé – F10 – Style – Marcio Madeira – FirstView