Daughters of Promise November/December 2014 | Page 47

MAKE BOLD-COLOR STATEMENTS: Seasons
invariably impact the way we dress. Winter may
seem to call for neutrel tones like tan, white,
gray, and black, but don’t confine yourself to
only these. Add some bright pops of color to
your winter wardrobe by pairing bold hues
together: purple and lime green, kelly green
and black, mustard and blue. Again, the
options are endless. Sometimes the colors we
feel certain would never go together, actually
compliment quite nicely. Experiment! Maybe
do a little research on the fascinating science
of colorblocking. Mostly, just be creative with
what you have! Your closetful of summerwear
can work just as swimmingly in this winter
climate if its paired properly.

GIVE IT THE CHOP: The goal of this
little section is to inspire creativity and
frugality in freshening up one’s winterwear. One
of the best ways to do this is by practicing contentment, and a
great way to get there is by intentionally purging your closet.
I know it sounds counterintuitive. We may already feel bored
with what we have; how could getting rid of clothes bring a
fresh flair to our wardrobe? I stand by the theory that the more
options a person has, the less appealing those options are. The
more of something we have, the less valued and necessary the
individual items become. Excess creates boredom. This winter,
instead of adding to your stash, try getting rid of a few things.
What haven’t you worn in the last 6 months? What do you
have multiples of, but really don’t need? Trimming down to
the items we actually love for their fit, comfort, and practicality
leads us to appreciate our wardrobe more as a whole. Rather
than being overwhelmed with too many average options, we
can focus on a few of great quality. Pure your closet.
Go on, I dare you!

ACCESSORIZE: Add some flair to
your winter outfits by accessorizing.
Scarves are not only pretty but add
an important layer of warmth to the
neck and upper chest. Give your outfit
an extra dose of femininity by learning
some clever ways to tie the scarf, rather
than simply slinging it around your neck
like a noose. Belts provide an attractive
way to draw together multiple layers and add
that extra bit of cohesion to an outfit. Bring a
pop of color with a handmade flower pinned
to your sweater. Crochet your own fingerless
mittens. A few simple sccessories keep outfits
fresh and fun. Add them to create an entirely
new look to those “same old clothes” you are
tempted to ditch for new ones.

EMBRACE THE LEGGINGS: I grew
up with a bitter abhorence for all things
“tights”. To me they represented ghastly
white sheaths of ugliness that itched and
got unbearably hot during those long
church Christmas caroling sessions.
However, with age comes ingenuity, and
I have actually learned to love the twin
sister of tights: leggings. They serve the
practical purpose of keeping legs warm
duuring long, boisterous romps in the
snow (etc), and can also double as super
cute extensions of one’s outfit. I have
a fantastic collection of leggings
(see photo for a sampling),
being a lover of all things
colorful and cozy. While
still not a huge fan of
tights (aka, the kind
with feet), I found a
great way to redeem
them. I cut mine off to
a desired length and
hemmed the edges using
a simple zigzag stitch.
Voila! Leggings are also a
great way to add length and
warmth to the sundresses or
shorter skirts we might otherwise
avoid all winter. Pair leggings with some
(handmade!) leg warmers or boot c ՙ