Coastal Grandmother Winter Wardrobe

Start With Basics

Hopefully by now, you have taken the color quiz and the personal style quiz on my website, tonitalksyouthru.com and you know your "Season" and your "Personal Style". Once you know these two elements, you are ready to pick the neutrals for your winter wardrobe. True to my "Winter" palate, I chose black and grey for my winter neutrals with some red for the holidays and some fuchsia for a little “punch”. Both mix well with grey and black.

Naturally, I already had some black pieces in my wardrobe. I like the brand “Sympli” because the pieces mix and match. They are a bit pricey, but they launder beautifully, and they last forever! If you like to travel, you can roll them up, stick them in your luggage, and just shake them out when you get to your destination. You can’t beat their basic pant. You can put them with any top and look appropriate for any occasion. The photos here show them with a casual outfit and a holiday look. I buy them in regular length and capri length, and I can go anywhere with them. They are sold mostly in boutiques and specialty shops. I buy mine at “Miss Lizzie’s” in Kitty Hawk on the Outer Banks of NC.

As with summer, I found I only needed a few pieces to round out my winter wardrobe. I love cashmere sweaters because they are warm and not bulky. I try to buy at least one each season when they go on sale. I already had black and grey, so I added a bright magenta last year. I love to dress that up with black velvet pants for a special occasion. For my neutrals this year, I added a gray Eileen Fisher vest type sweater (from Dillard’s) which can be paired with my black or white tee and my black or gray pants. Large cowl necks and ruching are “in” this year, so I added a houndstooth vest with ruching on the neck and sides that will go with black, gray or red. I also found a great rich red dress in Dillard’s (Bryn Walker) that is cut beautifully and can be dressed up with a satin cowl neck jacket.

The houndstooth vest is so versatile. For a casual look, I can add it to the red dress with black boots or put it with a black knit dress that I have had for years. Vests work well for our weather in Virginia, which is mild, and they can be layered with a jacket if it is truly cold. I hope you are beginning to see that by starting with neutrals, in your seasonal palate, you can add a few pieces and have a whole new look for the season.

I believe in investing in a good winter coat. I bought a long black leather coat about eighteen or twenty years ago,and, I cannot tell you how many times I have worn that coat over the years. I talked my "Spring" daughter into a camel wool dress coat a number of years ago, and she wears it season after season. A good coat in a good fabric never goes out of style. That, and a good trench coat will be staples in your wardrobe for many years to come. Less expensive jackets can fill in for everyday wear.

Boots are warm and can be worn with almost any outfit. They come in a variety of styles and price ranges. I find I wear basically either an everyday ankle boot in black or a higher, up to the knee dressier style with a small heel. I do have a pair of gray suede boots with a wedge heel that are more trendy, but I wear them often enough that I consider them a staple. This is another place you can save money by buying them on sale. A good basic leather boot does not go out of style and can be worn year after year.

I will be taking a break from my blog until after the Holidays so I would like to take this opportunity to wish each of you a wonderful Holiday Season and a very happy and healthy New Year.