The Art of Layering

It's January. It's winter. It's cold. Your nose runs at the first breathe of air in the morning.But you blow it off, slip on your slippers and carry on with your morning routine.

Personally, I don't mind the freezing weather. Coming from the islands in the Pacific, I've enjoyed perfect warm sunny weather all year round. Here winter footwear is considered to be anything that's not a flip flop/sandal. I seriously thought boat shoes were winter shoes. But perfect can be boring.

Winter allows this poor island boy an opportunity to lay it on to stay warm. In Hawaii, putting a tank top underneath an Aloha shirt is layering. In New York, it's a little bit more complicated.

While I was on vacation in Germany, where the average daily temperature rarely went above 30 degrees (Fahrenheit), I wore the following items underneath my down winter coat:

A thermal t-shirt
A cashmere cable knit sweater
A denim jacket
A chunky cashmere scarf

AND I WAS STILL COLD

I practically wore everything I packed for the trip on my daily outings. But it had a happy ending. I was so cold, I ended up buying a soft mohair rabbit fur hat from a Russian trapper. God Bless Russians.

The goal of layering is to stay warm but at the same time not look bulky. Here are some basic tips.

YES
Cardigans and V-necks: They are synonymous aside from the buttons. They create the same effect/look. Personally, I always travel with one of these and sometimes I layer them one on top of each other (see pic above for reference).
Thermals: They now come in camo and are much softer and lighter than the ones that your parents used to buy in packs at Target. Winona Ryder and I invested in Marc Jacobs cashmere thermals since they can be worn by themselves or used as a layer during extra cold days when you end up in jail for shoplifting (for shame Winona...for shame).
Extra Long Scarves: It's not a surprise that at the end of the day, an extra long scarf can be used to wrap up your torso like an extra sweater or just draped around your neck like the French do. For tips on how to tie one on, visit the Watch Out tab above.

NO
1. Avoid putting one thick fabric over another. It's a sure way to add 10 lbs you don't actually have.
2. Don't mix match so many layers that you don't match. Remember to go with complementary colors. But if you want to add a pop of color to an otherwise all black outfit, then you can proceed...with caution.
3. Please try not to be ironic. I've seen guys out there who are all bundled up at top but wearing shorts on the bottom with bare legs. It's not just a cry for help, it's a sign of bipolar fashion disorder.

MAYBE
You're a polar bear and you can bare the cold winter without any layers since you're built for it.