As a fashion editor, I’m used to being asked what to wear to specific occasions or at different times of the year by friends and family. What should I wear to a wedding at a registry office? What do I pack for a city break? What shoes should I bring for a weekend in the country with my boyfriend’s parents? These are all questions my inner circle has presented me with over the past couple of months, and I’m always happy to oblige and talk shop. And the sartorial dilemma I know they’ll be asking me about next? Winter.
Getting dressed in winter isn’t easy—it takes a lot of practice to get your outfits just right. Some people love layering, while others prefer to hone their looks to a couple of key pieces, and it can take a while to work out which category you fall into. This makes sharing advice on the subject quite tricky, as it is dependant on the person’s unique style and preferences. So I thought I’d enlist the help of my colleagues, all of whom have very different aesthetics, to show you—and any of my friends who happen to ask—what six different editors consider to be their go-to outfits for winter. I’m a visual person, so I thought this would be the best way to showcase some fashion-editor winter outfits, which will hopefully inspire your winter looks, too.
With advice on what to wear if you don’t really like wearing jeans (if this is you, rest assured you’re not alone) to the boots everyone on our team loves, scroll on to see six fashion-editor winter outfits you might be tempted to re-create for yourself.
“I switch between two very simple outfit ideas in the winter: either knitted midi dresses with boots or a jumper-and-skirt combination. I’m not one for jeans or complex layering—both feel too tricksy and difficult at 5’1” with an hourglass figure—so that cuts a few options out. A belted knit (cardigan or jumper) over a slinky skirt feels like a good way to segue into the colder weather without overheating or leaving all of my summery clothes behind. Tights and boots make the skirt more seasonally appropriate, and a cashmere jumper brings the cosiness!”
“In winter, it can be easy to rely on a very muted colour palette, and so I try where I can to add bright colours into my winter wardrobe. This ombré M&S jumper is punchy, but the darker-red hue at the neckline means it blends perfectly with darker winter colours, such as this chocolate satin slip skirt from Vince. I also love how knee-high leather boots look with a slip skirt with a slit.”
“There’s something a little bit Alexa Chung about this winter outfit. I think it might be the pairing of a military-inspired coat with leopard-print trousers. In fact, on reflection, the whole thing is quite mid-noughties, which, as someone who was not keen on the decade’s return, is certainly unexpected. It makes for the perfect easy-yet-fun pairing for my first day back in a real office. All it needed was a pair of chunky Chelsea boots, and this Kurt Geiger pair fits the bill nicely.”
“This type of look is my typical go-to most days during winter. I’ve owned this Topshop coat for a few years now, and it’s still one of my favourites to dig out at the start of the season. I always receive compliments every time I wear it, so that must count for something! I tend to pair it with trousers that are wide to balance out the silhouette; for my most recent wear, I also opted for a fitted polo-neck top to break up the bigger pieces of my look. Chunky boots are also a must-have for me in the colder months; you can never go wrong with them. I’ve been carrying around this brown leather bag from Vagabond religiously, too. It almost feels like a Mary Poppins bag because it fits so much. I’m definitely one of those everything-but-the-kitchen-sink kind of people.”
“My winter-outfit philosophy is the more layers, the better—I cannot get enough. This is why I always buy into oversized coats, too, as they need to be roomy enough to house chunky knitwear, blouses and thermals underneath. Looking at my collection of jumpers, stripes stand out as an overarching trend. Perhaps this shouldn’t come as a surprise considering the neutral palette I prefer wearing. Like Hannah, I’m not really into trousers, so I like cracking out a miniskirt instead. I only really wear shorter hemlines in the winter months and always with opaque tights. Then, I finish things off with sleek leather sock boots—anything too clunky just doesn’t look right on my petite and curvy frame. Sometimes, I’ll also add a wool beret into the mix, but with my Breton knit, I vetoed it at the risk of looking a tad Emily in Paris.”
“Considering most of my wardrobe is geared towards warm weather (I am Australian after all), in winter I spend the majority of my time making my summer clothes feel cold-weather appropriate. Today is an example of just that. I’ve taken a favourite silky blue slip dress and added layers on top to make sure I don’t freeze, finishing the look with a trusty navy coat I’ve had for years.”
