The joy of warmth and style: our guide to looking your best and feeling comfortable in the chilly months ahead, and getting creative with entertaining in winter weather.
A year like no other is coming to a close, and with it comes two important occasions in the U.S. and abroad: Thanksgiving and various holiday celebrations. For many of us, this season’s greatest joy is reuniting with friends and family to celebrate each other and our victories––large and small––of the past year. However, with COVID rates rising, large holiday gatherings are growing increasingly difficult to organize. So, how do we manage to avoid feeling isolated while staying safe and looking our best all at once? Here are tips from the Image Intelligence team for you and your cohort. We’ll be following our own advice 😉
One: Bring the Great Indoors Outside
Temperatures are dropping and not everyone has personal outdoor space, so take advantage of opportunities to gather outside while you can. For some, this might mean heading to Sheep’s Meadow in Central Park, for others, an open promenade or backyard. In these environments, backyard fire pits work beautifully to create a festive warmth. If you don’t have one handy, grab a heater or fire pit at Lowe’s, Target, or Home Depot (call early in the morning to scoop up their inventory, which is flying off the shelves). These are some of our favorites.
Two: Find a Hug-worthy Sweater
The best type of sweater for this season is one that feels like it’s hugging us and brings us good value for our money. One of our favorite styles making a comeback is the knit polo, in luxurious fabrics and a variety of necklines. Since it fits close to the body, it will feel like it’s enveloping you and will fit smoothly under a winter coat. You can also tuck one into a sleek skirt or pants. Whether you are looking for a tight or loose fit, or long or short sleeves, there are many varieties of the polo knit that will transition well from fall into winter. These are the sweaters we’ll be cozying up in this winter, all under $300.
Three: Let Your Outerwear Do the Talking
“How do you create a full look for yourself? That has always been the root of my personal style––all colors linking, a fab pair of shoes, chic handbag that does not overwhelm, and a fine piece of outwear. Before Covid and during lockdown, I have been getting dressed up head to toe and putting on the most fun jacket in my closet––getting dressed to the fullest. Whether it’s a small gathering for a zoom charity event at an outside restaurant, dinner outside with friends, shopping or a work meeting outside, my outerwear makes the entrance! This year the outerwear is often the only statement that people will really see. This year’s list consists of brands and styles that are warm, easy to slip over layering pieces, and chic for day into night.” –Image Intelligence Founder & CEO Stephanie Coughlan
Featured photo courtesy of Madewell.