Color Coverage: Winter White
Look as Unique as a Snowflake in Winter White Styles
It's a classic, elegant color. It transcends seasons.
— Annie Ladino, chief stylist for Shop It To Me
While white after Labor Day was once a faux pas, no rules are sacred when it comes to fashion. This year, white clothes and accessories are popping up everywhere for the fall and winter.
“[White in winter] exudes a very Jackie O style; it’s an exquisite, almost elite look,” says Los Angeles-based personal stylist Heather Snow.
However, because white is often associated with iconic spring and summer looks, it’s important to know how to wear it, so you don’t look like you went straight from a pool party, to your office’s holiday party.
Fabric-Focused
In the winter, it’s essential to avoid wearing white garments made from traditionally summer fabrics; linens and light cotton pants, blouses and dresses all scream summer. Snow recommends looking for white shades in denim, cashmere, wool and thicker cottons.
A garment that carries through from summer to winter is a pair of white denim jeans. Try pairing the jeans with a chunky sweater and boots to winterize them, Snow advises.
White wool trousers are a great winter look, according to Annie Ladino, chief stylist for the website Shop It To Me.
Jackets or blazers are another great opportunity to wear white, Snow notes, and those garments are usually heavier and structured. They lack the whimsy of summer white. Similarly, trading out your flowy white cotton maxi dress for a structured, body-conscious white dress in a thicker fabric is a perfect look for a holiday party.
Color Combinations
Since it's a neutral, white can go with just about anything, but there are a few key parameters when it comes to rocking the hue in December. Avoid white-on-white for the winter months, as that’s very much a spring and summer look. In fact, Ladino said that Calvin Klein’s runways were packed with all-white looks for the spring 2012 collection.
Instead, try pairing a white piece with darker hues to make the look more wintery, Snow suggests. Black and white is a classic combination, but white can also look fabulous with deep colors like maroon, eggplant or navy.
To really step up your style this winter, Ladino suggests matching white with the popular jewel tones. Patterns are another excellent way to counterbalance whites. And this fall and winter, patterns -- be it polka dots, Navajo, animal-print or houndstooth -- are everywhere. Much like the choice of fabric, it’s important to match a white garment with more distinctively wintery colors and patterns, which make your winter whites more appropriate for an evening snuggled by the fireplace, rather than a beach bonfire.
Accessorization
While white clothes aren’t a fad per se, the popularity of winter white garments can come and go from year to year. Kick off your winter white collection with accessories.
“With any trend, accessories are always a great way to try it out and not fully invest in expensive pieces,” Ladino says. A pop of white in gloomy weather can brighten up a look. White knit caps, cream-colored scarves or off-white purses are all excellent choices for exploring the trend.
While matching hats and scarves might be a more traditional look, Snow recommends having only one white accessory in an outfit. “Have fun with it, mix it up,” she says, “Use the color white almost as an accent piece.” Ladino agrees, and suggests pairing a white hat with a patterned scarf, which are plentiful in stores this season.
A white leather purse is another option for lacing white into your winter styles. Ladino says that she loves the Yves Saint Laurent white leather purses for the season. White shoes, however, are a bit trickier to wear. Ladino says she doesn’t usually go for white shoes because of how easily they can get dirty during colder months.
However, if you are insistent on picking up a white shoe for winter, Snow suggests a pair of tasseled patent-leather oxfords. This style is in line with the menswear-inspired looks that are popular right now, and as long as you pair the shoes with wintery garments, it can be a playful way of wearing white.
Layered Look
Layering is a big trend for this fall and winter – and a bright white piece is a fantastic addition to any layered outfit. Snow suggests layering a white button-down shirt under a cropped sweater and trench coat -- in varying colors and patterns -- for a chic look that's also decidedly seasonal.
Even white T-shirts work well as a base layer. Simply add a dark-hued blazer and a chunky patterned scarf to create yet another winter white ensemble. The plus of layering is that the look is so typically seasonal that you won’t risk looking too summery with white basics.
Overall, you should have fun experimenting with a variety of white looks for winter. And while it's a trendy shade right now, it’s OK to invest in white garments without fear of it being a passing fad. “White is a color that never is going to go away,” says Ladino, “It's a classic, elegant color. It transcends seasons.”
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images Dynamic Graphics/Creatas/Getty Images Getty Images
