Layering for Cold Weather

I recently shared my coat guide for the cold months. Your comments and emails made my day, mostly because I’m so glad that I wasn’t the only one who took forever to figure out how to dress warmly. Another element of this is layering. Often, you’ll hear people talking about the importance of dressing like an onion, particularly when traveling. What does that mean exactly, and how does one go about this?

It’s a little bit of an art and a little bit of a science. I tweak things as I go, but the best part is that you can end up having a number of outfits, ready for all kinds of weather, with just a few key pieces. I’m walking you through how I like to layer in this post in partnership with Nordstrom. It’s a one-stop shop; my look head to toe is all from there. As always, with free shipping and free returns, you can ensure that you have everything you need before the first real cold snap. (Which seems to be coming any day now here in Connecticut!)

So this is what it looks like to be all bundled up! What you’ll see though, is that you can make all the pieces work together in different permutations.

Here’s the base. It’s pretty simple, but honestly, I’d definitely wear this as is. While it may not be a ~blog worthy~ outfit, it’s an easy one that I feel great in. The sweater is 100% cashmere and under $90. It comes in a bunch of colors; I’m wearing the burgundy which is downright beautiful in person.

Need a little bit more warmth? Layer with a cozy fleece. I think this might be Patagonia’s most popular fleece. It’s THE cutest and even comes in a vest if you want something even more versatile.

Or maybe you just go for an oversized, chunky scarf. This one is ridiculously soft and only $24!!! I tend to pack scarves in my carry-on, no matter where I’m going, because I get chilly on train/plane/car rides. Because this scarf is so big, it can be worn like a shawl or used as a blanket.

And a little beanie for cold ears. This one has a cute faux fur pom on top and doesn’t “slouch” too much.

I topped off the look with a Barbour Beadnell. Barbours are the best for layering. They’re warm (although not the warmest) on their own, but with the right layers underneath, you can really create a cozy outfit for a cold day.

In this instance, I would wear the sweater with the scarf and the Barbour (above) or the sweater with the Patagonia and the Barbour (below). Because the scarf is so big and the fleece is fluffy, it’s a little too much to wear altogether, but it’s nice to have options!

Thank you Nordstrom for sponsoring this post.