Winter is rearing its ugly head again in Sydney and if there is anything you need to know about me – it’s that I dislike the cold, a lot. So what’s a girl to do when she can’t turn to her trusty denim cutoffs, wispy cotton tees and ever so sheer dresses? I know I’m making the inevitable sound apocalyptic seeing as it rolls around every year yet I still dread it. It’s hard to look on trend when all you want to do is wear sweats, ugg boots and curl up in front of a fire with a cheesy chick flick. Mean Girls anyone?
So here are my tips on how to dress for winter without turning yourself into a contemporary urban eskimo using just basics from one of my favourite brands – Grana.
– Your base canvas should be with a basic top – either in a block color, stripes or a neutral. As you can see I’ve chosen a basic pima crew neck piece to start with.
– The next layer should be something lightweight either an open denim shirt (worn as a jacket) or a cashmere cardigan. I’ve chosen to add a light heather grey cardigan and to add a point of difference; tied this around my waist.
– Last but not least – your statement jacket. This can be a leather piece or a trench coat.
I’ve probably mixed about four different textures in the first look – cotton, denim, cashmere and leather. The easiest way to remember how to layer is to always work from the inside out with the thinnest layers on the inside. Whilst layering is great, make sure you layer smart too. If you’re anything like me, someone who’s pathetic at regulating her body temperature and habitually experiences hot flashes; then you want to be able to strip your layers down and still have a polished look.
Winter doesn’t necessarily mean you need to box away your silk dresses but rather think about all the staples in your wardrobe that you can layer both over and under. I’ve chosen to wear one of Grana’s signature silk dresses and with the morning temperatures dropping below 10 degrees now, to wear that alone would be sacrilegious and downright insane. So I’ve chosen to wear a merino wool long sleeve underneath to add that extra layer of warmth. Check out a selection here from Grana.
Invest in some good quality pantyhose – yes, you heard me; you don’t have to be an airhostess or primary school teacher to wear stockings. Stock-up on some basic go-to scarves to throw over your outfits. Accessories are like the icing to your cake, you wouldn’t serve cupcakes with no icing (or if you do, then shame on you because the icing is my favourite part) so don’t leave without any accessories.
So there you have it – now go through your wardrobe and pull out pieces that act as your base, then your middle layer (which I like to call the filling), followed by your statement layer and then the icing. If you’re finding your pantry is a little low on ingredients then check out Grana for affordable basics and the brand has graciously offered my readers a 10% discount and free shipping by simply entering the code HELENxGRANA at checkout. You’ll be obsessed with their colour offerings- I promise. I’m currently playing a game of collect them all with their silk pieces so have already built a modest collection of basics.
My cake analogy has me craving sweets now so until my next post which will be Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia coverage, if you have any questions or other tips then please drop me a comment below and remember to subscribe to my modest YouTube channel to see backstage and runway footage. I’m off to find myself a cupcake or doughnut.
Look 1: Top, Jeans and Sweater all by Grana, Leather Jacket by Scanlan & Theodore, Boots by Tony Bianco, Bag by State of Escape, Belt by Hermes, Sunglasses by Oscar Wylee, Necklace and Earrings by Veluna Gems
Look 2: Merino knit, belt and suede vest by Kookai, Silk Dress by Grana, Boots by Scanlan & Theodore, Bag by Givenchy
