Can any dress be winterized? - YouLookFab Forum

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Can any dress be winterized?

Tricia

Veteran

Ok, maybe not something like voile or chiffon. But as far as anything else goes - short sleeve, sleeveless, thinner fabrics, etc. - can any of them be worn in cold weather if you layer over and/or under?

What about skirts? I have a cotton, unlined pleated skirt that I usually only wear in the spring, but was wondering if I could pair it with tights and a cardigan.

Dressing

23 replies

Latest reply was from cloud9

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

I think it's just one of these things you need to try and see. Some prints/fabrics just look summery to me, and so I wouldn't wear them in winter. It's a personal preference, though. The other issue is just of warmth. Cotton always feels cool to the touch, and so it isn't the best thing for winter. If you are warm enough in your layers, that's all that matters.

Louise

Veteran

Nearly all of my wardrobe is warmer weather based and then I just layer it up for winter wear x

catgirl

Veteran

I was wondering this myself. I think the only thing I would not try this with is linen... Interested to see what people say!

cloud9

Veteran

The color, and the weight of the fabric would determine whether it's summer or winter. A thin white cotton skirt with small colorful flowers would not look right in 40F degree winter.

Isabel

Veteran

What about "winterizing" white cotton jeans. I have been hearing/reading alot that is THE chic winter thing to do - but I can't get up the courage with the frost and the sand and the wind blowing dirt.........

Queen Mum

Veteran

my short answer is no.
I have 3 dresses that due to the coloring I've placed in the back of my closet for the winter. Some prints, color combiniations and fabrications just say "summer" to me.

celia

Veteran

I'm with QM, some things are better left for spring and summer. Besides i like the feeling of having 'new' clothes with every change of season.

Queen Mum

Veteran

that was my other thought Celia.. it's fun to pull things out of the closet after their winter of hibernating.

Beth

Veteran

Yep, I'm with Kim and Celia. Some dresses just say summer and would look odd layered.

Christie

I'm curious too. I have a black elbow sleeved shirt-dress that I definitely will wear in the warmer months, but I've worn it as a dress-over-jeans already this winter. Its a cotton poplin kind of fabric, so feels like a button-down. I wouldn't choose a lighter color in this same dress to wear in the winter though, as I think it would look out of season.

Queen Mum

Veteran

Christie.. that sounds like a perfect candidate for a dress to winterize.

Sandi

On the white jeans question, I always wondered the same thing. Then I read something that hit home. It was a response to the articles about "how to wear" white in the winter - the author's position was that if it wearing white jeans in winter is that complex, it's probably better to skip.

Queen Mum

Veteran

here are my 3 dresses that I wouldn't even try to winterize.

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Sandi

Queen Mum - fabulous dresses. But I agree - they would not accept winterization.

yublocka

(website)

Veteran

I agree there's a lot of factors that come into play - fabric, weight of fabric, colour, pattern. Agree you won't necessarily know until you try either!!

Lisa

Veteran

I agree, experimentation is in order but certain prints will put a dress into non winterization for me, even if the silhouette is layering friendly. I have a couple of dresses that I will store til spring due to the patterns and light weight fabrics.

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

I agree that it is the color and print, rather than the weight or fabric, that make a dress non-winterizeable.

Here is my dress that I wouldn't winterize

If this print had a darker background it might work for winter.

I have silk dresses that I have (attempted to, anyway) winterized, but they are dark colors. This is one. I have another in purple silk. But I always have issues with static when wearing silk dresses with tights. )-:

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Kristen

(website)

Veteran

QM, I might try to winterize the first one, myself. The colors in are rich enough it might work.

Tricia

Veteran

Thanks for the input - I have a couple that I'm not sure about, maybe this weekend I'll take some photos and see what you guys think.

April

Veteran

Tricia, I can't remember where you live? If you're in a warm climate, you probably can do this, but given the weather in most of the U.S., summery dresses are not going to look right in winter, no matter how much layering you do. A sheath in a substantial fabric is easy to winterize; I don't think a breezy cotton will work.

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Winterizing white jeans is an interesting topic. I could see skinny white jeans tucked into light colored boots with a chunky fisherman type sweater for winter. I guess it would be that Winter Beach look that Lucky Magazine was doing.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I bought my white jeans in winter last year and my BF and I had a go around about wearing white in winter. I told him it was just shoes and that was an old rule anyway. And then I pointed out each person I saw in Safeway that week wearing white pants with their boots! The pants color was listed as SNOW afterall, lol.

cloud9

Veteran

you can wear winter white in winter, but the fabric must be of substantial winter weight. Jeans are typically heavier denim, so they can be used in winter... as long as the rest of your outfit spells winter, not summer/spring.

I can envision white skinny jeans tucked into bootie/boots, wintery tops/coats, topped with scarfs & hats.. would be very chic look!