If there is one thing these ping-ponging temps have taught me, it’s the value of a good dress. Layer it up to walk the kids to school…..then rip off the layers when noon hits and you suddenly find yourself walking around in 80 degrees.
A jacket is the obvious choice, but I’m such a creature of comfort, I wanted to play around with warm, cozy sweaters. Something where restriction of movement (‘help I can’t move my arms’) isn’t an issue. So. Here are the sweater + dress combos that have been in heavy rotation lately.
Oversized Sweaters + High-Low Hem
As long as your dress is somewhat clingy, shows a little leg, or – bonus! – does both, a fuzzy oversized sweater totally works. (And is easy to tie around your waist.) The general shapelessness of the sweater is offset by a little leg (or cling). It’s the dress equivalent of the half-tuck. (This trick works great with those high-low skirts or dresses, too.
Outfit Details
dress: Riller and Fount Cristiano Dress (on sale for $115!) (Or maybe this one?)
sweater: Vince from two years ago. This season it only comes in gray.
shoes: Superga in blue
bag: Rebecca Minkoff Julian Fringe Backpack – the black leather seems to be sold out everywhere, but I found it in tan for under $200, or black suede for the usual $395.
Swingy Sweater + Trapeze Dress
Sweaters with a trapeze or cape shape are genius over swingy trapeze dresses, or any sort of short dress. The idea is that the hem of your dress should just peek out. If volume is a concern (like it was here), add a bit of a heel to keep the look intentional. But if you layer a cape sweater over a short little bodycon dress, you can easily get away with flats. (Even sneakers!)
Outfit Details
Everything I’m wearing is really old, so I just tried to recreate the spirit of the outfit as best as I could. (Lip color is crimson, BTW.)
Ponchos (or Capes) + Mini Dress
If your dress is a tricky shape, ponchos almost always do the trick. Seriously. They work with literally almost every kind of dress.
Outfit Details
Most pieces are old (except for the shoes), so I tried to recreate as best as I could.
Cropped Sweater + Maxi Dress
Cropped sweaters were made to be paired with long dresses. (Even a midi dress would work!) It’s the long-short proportion that works so well. Legs for days.
Outfit Details
All old stuff, similar pieces only.
Oversized Cardigans + Peekaboo Leg
I think big cardigans work best with a little leg – try a dress that’s very short, or, in this case, very long with a nice big side slit.
xo,
S
Thank you so much for this! I’m participating in Dressember (http://www.dressember.org) this year, and this will really help me put together 31 winter outfits using the summery dresses I already have on hand.
Thanks for mentioning this! I decided to join this year!
What did you do with the belt on the bottom of the slouchy Free People jacket? I bought that jacket last year and liked it but returned it because I couldn’t figure out the belt on the bottom.
Hi Julie,
she removed the belt, so she doesn’t wear the belt with the jacket. I remember reading about it in a few posts back when she was at the beach.
I love the long dress with the crop sweater!
Swingy sweater and trapeze dress = Love with a capitol L. Thank you for this! Also, I must say, photo #7 (2nd photo in “Swingy Sweater” bit) is off the charts girl. Magazine quality! And, love, love, love the hair in that photo. You rock your stuff lady! 🙂
Now that I’ve decided to join Dressember I am wondering about tights and knit dresses. What to do? I try to pair tights and dresses/skirts every winter and they are very clingy. I do not want to have this happen and need a full arsenal of accesories to winterize my deep south dress closet.
And I am fully aware as I type this in hot and humid November that bare legs may cut the mustard some of the time!