By Heather Hawkes
Columnist
Layering is a balancing act — no single article of clothing should throw off the other. Rather, each piece should serve a purpose and compliment all of the other components of your ensemble. The beauty of layering is that you don’t need a whole lot of different articles of clothing to create a completely unique look. Here are the Golden Rules:
1. Be Color Conscious:
In order to pull off the layering look, it’s important to stay within a very refined color scheme. Whether it be neutrals, darks, earthy tones or all-white, make sure it’s consistent and concise.
2. Pick Your Patterns:
Though pattern clashing is an awesome trend that can make a bold statement, it’s extremely easy to overwhelm an outfit with too many patterns. As a general rule, stick with one pattern that adds a pop of color, yet remains within your color scheme. A patterned oxford poking out under a big, chunky sweater is a great way to layer in patterns.
3. Keep Your Balance:
One of the biggest dilemmas people run into with layering is looking too bulky. This often happens because bulky items are paired together. It’s important to remember the shapes of your clothes and how they accent one another. If you have on a huge chunky sweater, make sure to wear dark slim-fitting pants with short ankle boots of the same (or similar) color to lengthen your legs and keep lower half sleek and slim.
4. Take on New Textures
Texturizing is one of the key components to layering. If you decide to work with a single-color outfit, make sure to incorporate at least one textured piece (a tweed skirt or fur vest) to add personality and dimension to your look.
