This morning I showed how I’m using the Cuddl Duds Fleecewear with Stretch Half Zip Fleece Hoodie in combination with a range of dressy and casual toppers. Now I’d love to hear how you would incorporate Cuddl Duds pieces into your style. 

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post that includes:

1. Links to your favourite Cuddl Duds Items
2. A brief explanation of how you would wear them to reflect your own personal style 

The winner will be chosen randomly from amongst the valid entries.

Unless you are logged in to YLF when you comment below, be sure to provide an email address where we can reach you if you win.

Entries close 5 minutes before midnight on 30 November and are open to US residents only. Good luck!

Update: Deckled Edges was the winner of the random draw. Congratulations, and thank you to all who participated.

Combining dressy and casual elements in one outfit is a trend that is defining our fashion era — and I’m all for the modern juxtaposition. So when Cuddl Duds asked me to create an outfit with one of their pieces, I immediately knew what I wanted to do. There are several fabulous Cuddl Duds items that suit my style despite the fact that I am not an outdoorsy and sporty gal at all. As long as I’m remixing active pieces with luxurious fabrications and structure, I’m in my comfort zone. 

My favourite piece in the Cuddl Duds collection is the Fleecewear with Stretch Half Zip Hoodie made of lightweight fleece. I prefer the half zip style because it’s streamlined, with a short zip and no pockets. I chose the grey and black leopard because the pattern makes it look less like sports gear and more like a casual fashionable piece. It’s stretchy, wow warm, and ultra cozy. The “sleek but not clingy” fit makes it ideal for layering under blazers and jackets, which is a vibe I’ve been wanting to sport for a while. Here was my opportunity to roadtest the combination and I took it. 

I tried the hoodie layered under three jackets that vary in dressiness. A formal ink blue blazer as the dressiest option. A black military jacket as a playful alternative. And a distressed two-tone denim jacket as the most casual. I’ve kept the palette dark and monochromatic, which pushes me a little out of my comfort zone because I prefer to lighten up a dark outfit with shades of white. But Greg loved the change so I went with it. 

I bat for Team Faded Denim because I love the shade of blue and don’t need to worry about dye rubbing off onto to the rest of my outfit. I also like how light denim lightens up a dark outfit. And with a dark hoodie layered underneath an ink blazer or black jacket, I welcomed a lighter blue.

I like to wear denim on denim, but not when the rest of the outfit is sporty and a little androgynous. And since I’m not wearing girly heels I swapped out the jeans for black cigarette skinnies when pairing the hoodie with the denim jacket. Ironically, although this denim jacket is very rigid, the colour of the faded denim softened the dark hoodie against my pale complexion. 

I continued the dark theme by finishing off the outfit with pointy toe ink blue booties and my ancient doctor’s bag. I tried pairing the outfits with chunkier boots, but did not like the effect at all. Things fell into place when my feet were structured. Or at least that’s how I prefer most of my outfits these days — with structured and refined footwear. I’d also wear Converse sneakers with each combination, but I’m glad I kept things a little more dressy on the hoodie’s first outing. I wore white specs so that I had a dash of white close to my face to soften up the dark colours. Silver watch and wedding ring are all I need in the jewellery department. 

The hood on this particular zip top is not bulky, so much so that I forgot I was wearing a hoodie under my jackets. No collar popping this time round. And no sleeve scrunching either. Apart from the fact that it’s too cold to scrunch jacket sleeves at this point, I loved popping my thumbs through the thumb holes on the cuff. It’s tremendously toasty — like you’re wearing fingerless gloves with your outfit. A fun and practical detail. 

Wearing a hoodie under a formal business blazer is an irregular juxtaposition, and not everyone’s cup of tea. It’s easier to like the combination with a more casual jacket. Either way, I enjoy the jarring juxtaposition for casual settings. It’s visually dramatic, interesting, and warm. But if you’re not into the hoodie, you can substitute it for a Fleecewear with Stretch Long Sleeve Classic Crew, which provides a similar effect without the hood. 

I wear layers, a jacket, stretchy jeans or pants, and ankle boots on long flights, so all of the outfits in this post are ideal for travelling. I’m often cold around my ears and neck on a plane, and have frequently wrapped a blanket around my head to combat the arctic air conditioning. Wearing this hoodie, and popping on the hood, solves this problem. I’m going to be much more comfortable on my next long flight.

Cuddl Duds are giving a $250 gift voucher to one lucky YLF reader. Click here to read more about it and enter the giveaway!

Presented by Cuddl Duds® Live in Layers.

At this time of year I’m frequently at BCBG with clients shopping for party wear because their party separates are a little different to everything else on offer. The quality is generally good and the fabrications are luxurious. I’ve found BCBG great at taking a classic piece and remixing its vibe with a good dose of modern. 

• Bess Lace Pencil Skirt: A lace skirt with length and a decent lining. Non-scratchy and beautifully made. For high-end lace, this is not a bad price. Lace of this quality is usually at least twice as expensive. Runs true to size, and tapers beautifully at the hem to showcase your curves. I want this lace skirt. 
• Keline Printed Tuxedo Shirt: The back of this blouse is as beautiful as the front. Wear it with dressy trousers, a pencil skirt, or faded jeans. Add clutch and heels and you’re set. 
• Kasen Long Jacket: This is a stunning silhouette on tall gals. Nicely tailored and a little edgy with the waist zippers. The jacket also looks amazing with the zippers partially unzipped and loose over a soft flowing blouse. 
• Philipe Floral Lace Jacket: An ink jacquard tuxedo jacket in a short and fitted shape is hard to find. It’s gorgeous on petites, and looks just as good left open as it does closed. The shoulders are pretty sharp though, so consider yourself warned. The sleeves are easy to hem if they are a touch too long.

BCBG is also a good place to look for a tuxedo trouser suit, both in black and off-white. I must admit it’s a lot of fun shopping for party pieces at this time of year.

Mid-calf and knee-high boots are hard to fit when their circumference is wider than your calf. The visual of a stem in a flower pot comes to mind. In some cases the gaps are intentional, and tend to work best with slouchy boot styles. The gaps work less well with boots that are supposed to create a tailored fit around the lower leg. 

As a gal with a 13 inch calf measurement, I know how hard it can be to find tall boots that create a snug fit around the lower leg. One solution is to wear boot liners, leg warmers, or knee-high socks to “fill the gap” around the top of the boots. Pull the socks above the tops of the boots, then scrunch them down to close the gap. Leg warmers, in particular, are a great way to create bulk on the calf but not on the foot.

The photos below show examples of boot liners and leg warmers peeking out from the tops of boots worn with skirts and dresses. But feel free to wear the same boot and sock combination over skinnies, leggings or jeggings. You’ll create a fun textural interest and layered effect on the leg line, which works especially well with chunkier knitwear and casual outerwear. 

Keep the socks low contrast or the same colour as the boots so that they are an extension of the boots. Match black or charcoal socks with black boots, and brown socks with brown boots. Alternatively, keep the socks low contrast or the same colour as the pants so that they appear to be an extension on the pants. For example, wear burgundy boot liners or leg warmers with burgundy skinnies and tall black boots. You can also create a high contrast between both the pants and the boots, which can be a fun look if you don’t mind the horizontal break across the leg line. 

The sock filling technique is best suited to casual and smart casual wear, and is less fab with dressy outfits or formal career wear. The visual effect is also quite maximal and heavy, which might not be your cup of tea if you prefer a simple and streamlined look. That said, purchasing an inexpensive pair of boot liners or leg warmers might make an existing pair of ill-fitting boots wearable by masking the gap. It also might make you purchase a pair of casual boots that are perfect in every respect except for a calf circumference that is too wide.