Dressing Hot When Temperatures Drop                                                            Back to columns list

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that it snows every Halloween? This seems to be Mother Nature's revenge on any girl who dons a skimpy costume on All Hollow's Eve. All the effort to squeeze oneself into a French maid costume or Brittany Spears-Federline wedding party attire, is inevitably covered up with a heavy winter coat. Yes, Mother Nature may have won this Halloween, but she is about to be beat at her own game. This Fall, when she turns down the thermostat, a fashionista must turn up the heat in a fabulous new coat...or three.

Throw your old winter coat out the window 'cause you're going to need room for three Fall/Winter looks this year. From sophisticated to cuddly, from fab to glam, you will look cuddle-icious bundled up for the cold.

First, every girl with an eye for style and a hand on Vogue knows tweed is the new black this season. Thus, a tailored tweed coat — preferably with a fur collar — is a no-brainer. A tweed coat is a super-versatile piece. Because of its texture, tweed can easily be dressed up with a fab cocktail dress or down with jeans and leather boots. The most important element to remember with this outerwear essential is to make sure it is fitted in the waist or else you will look like you dig through garbage cans, not the racks at your fave boutique.

To give your tweed a rest, alternate it with one of my favorites for the season: a sweater-jacket, or as I like to say, a "Swacket." Hey, I'm a clothing designer, I'm allowed to make up names, right? The best kind of swacket has a semi-fitted body similar to a quilted down jacket, only with sweater-knit arms. This is a great casual look with a few thoughtful design elements a regular ski jacket doesn't have. Try wearing one in a bright color like fuchsia and pair it with a fleece mini skirt and funky sneakers for a fun clubbing look...or for class (yawn). A more sophisticated alternative to the quilted down body is suede. This will take the swacket from street to upscale without loosing the fun sweater arms.

To turn up the heat on your bundled-up-chic look, accessories are a must for coats and jackets. With retro being a major force in trends right now, no self-respecting style maven can go without a matching scarf set. Taking over where the tired Pashmina left off, a scarf set consists of a hat, a scarf and usually gloves. Angora or any fuzzy concoction will do. As long as all pieces are the same color, the set will make your cold weather ensemble smart and put together and oh so Marilyn Monroe. The best colors for the season are pastels that highlight your girlish charm or deep vibrant shades like jade or wine that add an air of sultriness.

The last of the outerwear must-haves this season is a cape. Not a coat and not a scarf, the cape is the piece that you will find whimsical, but at the same time surprisingly practical. Wrap up in a cape for a walk through campus or for an evening out and you'll get a ton of compliments...they are still rare enough on the fashion scene that people will take notice. To find a good cape, look for one constructed of fabric instead of yarn. Corduroy, velveteen or wool lined with a fabulous satin or charmuese is ideal. It should fall anywhere between your waist and your hips. Wear with a denim skirt and school books for a naughty school girl look, or with a cocktail dress and martini for more Lauren Bacall.