Subtle ways to look glam in cold weather

What has been up with the weather in Toronto? Hopefully temperatures will only go up from here- I’m so ready to bid goodbye to winter. A friend and I recently did a photoshoot out in the snow. I’d pose for a few minutes in a cropped sweater and jeans, and then I’d put my coat back on to warm up, and then we’d shoot without it for another few minutes. Having to wear a winter parka really puts a massive damper on fashion, and it got me thinking of little ways to not feel like a blob.

Offset primary colors

I have this weird relationship with color theory. It’s great to work bright colors into winter style, but nobody wants to end up looking like Cartman. This may just be me, but I could never wear bright primary colors together! It just makes me feel like I’m back in the preschool days, and I’m trying to be glam here!

For example, if I’m wearing my bright red winter coat, wouldn’t wear bright blues or yellows in the same outfit. So if I’m wearing jeans that day, they’d have to either be a very dark wash, or very light.

Heeled boots

I’ve said in a post long, long ago to never underestimate what a heel can do for your winter outfit. The key is to find a pair with really good traction to prevent yourself from slipping. A pair of black heeled ankle boots pairs with virtually any outfit and is good for fall, winter, and spring.

On days when I have to walk around a lot, I wear beige faux leather ankle boots.

Manicures are a classy woman’s best friend

I used to (and still do) have a bad habit of extensive finger-picking. I thought that if I started taking care of my nails, the habit would stop. Spoiler alert: I’m still a finger picker, but not nearly as bad any more.

Having your nails taken care of is such a subtle way of telling the world “hey, I’m a lady who can take care of herself” even if you’ve eaten cereal for dinner. Another benefit is that nail polish acts as a barrier between your nail and the environment. In other words, it can help your nails not break or chip as much in cold weather!

These are my real nails and surprisingly, I still manage to get stuff done! Lately, I’ve been obsessed with Simply Nailogical, a Canadian youtuber who does nail art/humor/randomness.

Quirky Accessories

I met a girl over the long weekend who was wearing the most stunning, long earrings. They sort of reminded me of space. She said that she got a pixie cut (which framed her face perfectly) so she could start showing off her earrings!

Statement accessories can really amp up an outfit or even be conversation starters. I can’t say much for earrings since I have seven ear piercings in total and almost exclusively wear studs. But I love a good statement necklace! They can instantly dress up any cozy sweater.