Accessorizing in winter - YouLookFab Forum

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Accessorizing in winter

cindysmith

Veteran

I need help. I have lots of cool jewelry, and it gets worn rather often in warmer months. It isn't unusual for me to have an armload of small, coordinating, beaded bracelets or a single statement cuff, a necklace (two if I'm feeling "Iris Apfel-y"), and a ring or two (sometimes more, if I'm feeling particularly "Iris Apfel-y"). In spring, I might have all my jewelry hidden under a jacket/cardigan and/or scarf in the morning, but it all comes out to play when the chill burns off.

It's winter that gives me fits. I don't know how to accessorize and have it feel as natural as it does in warmer months. I get all hung up on necklaces with scarves, because I feel like they're competing/hiding each other. I can sometimes get past that when I know I'll be indoors and able to remove the scarf to show off the necklace.

Bracelets are even worse. I can't figure out how to wear them over a sleeve--it just looks and feels weird to me, unless it's something on a stretchy band (even then, it's a struggle). Wearing them UNDER the sleeve feels like it's defeating the purpose of wearing bracelets. Wearing the sleeves pushed up a little so the bracelet shows feels awkward, and the sleeves don't always stay pushed up anyway.

Rings.... well, let's just say that it's hard to feel motivated to put on rings when I can't figure out how to put on other jewelry.

While i do have some actual gold and silver necklaces, I don't have any "fine" jewelry pieces because I can't figure out how to wear the costume/fashion type stuff. If I can't figure out how to wear the costume stuff, then how am I supposed to figure out how to wear the "real" stuff?

If I could figure this out, I'm fairly certain that Sunshine would be open to gifting me a nice piece if I asked. He's never thought to do so because I've never been interested; I even deliberately chose a very very tiny silver band for my wedding ring because I just liked it so much. He buys me the fun stuff all the time, and I feel bad for not wearing it more during cooler months, because he really picks some great pieces for me.

Maybe my problem is a mental block? Like, since it's not expensive/fine jewelry, it doesn't feel as wasteful to NOT wear it. Or maybe I'm just challenged in the "winter accessorizing" department, and need the expert help of some fab ladies like y'all.

Any tips you guys can give me would be very much appreciated!

Dressing

33 replies

Latest reply was from cindysmith

Helena

Veteran

I couldn't agree more - winter is the pits for fashion when you live in a cold climate, as it always has to take a second seat to the reality of seasonal gear.

What about earrings - do you ever wear statement earrings? They won't interfere much with seasonal stuff and look cute poking out from under your hair in a winter hat? Or perhaps it's the seasonal to embrace a minimalistic look? Also, I like to have a few different hat and mitt and scarf combo options, so that at least I can change it up a little.

Good luck, and remember, it's February tomorrow so we're getting through it!

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Earrings, as Toronto girl has already said ,are good.They are just about the only jewellery I wear regularly because they don’t get in the way.Handbag charms can be quite cute as well if that’s your thing,a nice watch peeking out between gloved hand and sleeved wrist?

Joy

Veteran

Jewelry is hard in cold weather. Bracelets are hard with sleeves and coat sleeves. Rings don't play nice when you need to wear gloves. I wear scarves the most and often a necklace with them. I wear two small necklaces all the time, a short chain with a diamond and dmil's tiny gold baptismal crucifix. Earrings are a good idea if you don't wear a hat down over your ears. If it is very cold and I will be outside mostly ( like dog walking) , I do not wear earrings. The metal transfers icy cold to my ear lobes. If wearing a knit hat, they can get stuck in the knit.

cindysmith

Veteran

Unfortunately, I can't do earrings. Neither pierced nor clip-on. Pierced ones got my earring holes infected every single time (regardless of the material the posts were made from); and clip-ons are almost as irritating--they turn my ears bright red and make them itchy.

Toronto, I could definitely add some hats and gloves to my repertoire! TY!

Cardiff, a watch is a good idea too. I used to wear a watch all the time, I'll have to look into getting another one

Joy, I like the idea of ever-present fine jewelry pieces, especially one with meaning (like the gold charm mom got me in honor of my firefighter dad, see find)

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Christina F.

Veteran

Taking a page for Katerina's book... do you like brooches? They could play well with your scarves. That won't help with the pieces you currently own, though.

I tend to wear statement necklaces and/or earrings in the winter. This works for me because I can wear earrings (sorry you can't!) and because I don't really use scarves for accessorizing. I just don't have the knack. I also tend to wear one piece of jewelry, aside from my "watch" (Fitbit Alta with a nice band) and wedding and engagement rings. I'm been trying to wear both earrings and necklaces together lately, plus some stacking rings I got that are flat enough to be okay under gloves. But generally, since i'm kind of an accessories minimalist, I don't have much of a problem.

cindysmith

Veteran

Ooh, brooches! They can go with scarves, jackets, they could even go on a couple of my sturdier hats!

Sara L.

Veteran

I wear jewelry all year long. I don't wear bracelets in the winter unless it's a 3/4 sleeve top or a top that I know I'll push the sleeves up all day. Like you, I feel there's no good way to wear bracelets with long sleeves. I wear scarves in place of necklaces on some days. I wear my scarves all day - they're part of my outfit and don't come off. I wear lots of necklaces in summer and winter. If you go back through my WIW's you'll see that I almost wear a necklace (or scarf) of some sort. I feel like I wear more large statement pieces in the winter to balance out chunky or long sweaters. I wear earrings too if a necklace won't work (fussy neckline or too much pattern on the top) but it doesn't sound like that's a good option for you.

BTW - Brooklyn has some fantastic mesh cuffs that she wears over the sleeves of her long-sleeve tops. If you look back through her WIW's you'll see them and I believe she may have had a whole post about them.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Scarves, watches, rings, fingerless gloves, some necklaces, and hats. Try a new make-up routine too. Or change up the fingernail polish.

Zibbets

Veteran

I completely agree! I just bought a fun mixed metal bracelet and I'm frustrated it's hiding under my jacket cuff all day.

And rings...my fingers shrink with the cold weather so even wearing just my wedding set drives me bonkers because it spins and constantly rubs on my pinkie. I wouldn't think of adding more this time of year.

With necklaces and scarves, I say go ahead and layer them up. If just a little necklace peeks out, it still gets out to play. Dark turtlenecks are a really pretty way to highlight a pretty necklace if it's on a chain that's not too dainty.

Earrings are mostly good but those big hoops I had on yesterday make my ears hurt if I wear a taller turtleneck. So annoying.

It's not for nothing that they say "Summertime and the living is easy." Winter is a struggle!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I don't bother much with bracelets in winter for the very reason you mention. However, I now have a couple of double-wrap style watches that give a little more personality at the wrist in place of bracelets and have a little "tougher" appearance than the more typical watches.

I find scarves pretty easy to work with in colder months -- they add a little color or texture or pattern and are easy to remove and put back on with temperature changes. I also rely on statement rings.

And I echo Angie's suggestion of fingerless gloves. I really like mine, and I think they add a little of that dystopian, RATE edge that you like.

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karen13

Veteran

cindysmith - I had the same issue with earrings of always having infected ears. Then I figured out for me it was that I wore them so rarely, I was irritating them by almost re-piercing each time.

I had a pair of 14K gold tiny lever back earrings (so no poking when I slept) kind of like the smallest one in the find below and carefully disinfected and wore them for about a week, treating them with polysporin and such. I can now wear anything with no adverse effect, as long as I wear them regularly. I do get irritation again if I go for too long without wearing, which reminds me to put a pair in today. I had tried every kind of metal before that and nothing worked, and now even cheap craft store posts work.

Beauniq 14k Yellow or White Gold 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 7mm, 8mm, 9mm, or 10mm Fixed Ball Leverback Earrings

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Inge

(website)

I hear you too, Cindy. And great suggestions from the other ladies.
This is one of the reasons I want to experiment more with brooches too, they seem like a marvelous year-round accessory.

P.S. Keep an eye on tomorrow's Link Love post. I'll be sharing some visuals on how to wear a brooch.

cindysmith

Veteran

Inge, I love the link love posts! And you're including one that is going to help me? I'm squeeing right now and the dog is looking at me funny LOL

Sara, great ideas, and I DO have mesh cuffs and a few necklaces that are more substantial, so I'm definitely going to be experimenting

Angie, fingerless gloves, that's actually brilliant. And I could make my own, I'm sure, since I crochet and there are so many free patterns available. That would kill two birds with one stone, because I need to stay occupied with soothing stuff when I'm not working or exercising (doctor's orders, to help with the anxiety)

Zibbets, I hadn't thought of turtlenecks. I like the idea a lot, it eliminates a cold spot and I can do a necklace without covering it with a scarf

Janet, double wrap watches definitely gets my wheels turning. There are bracelets that do the double wrap, too
and yes, I think you and Angie are right, I need fingerless gloves!

Karen, I hadn't thought to try again with earrings. Sometimes, people outgrow allergies, and the doctors were pretty certain the infections were an allergic reaction to some filler or another in the metals. Perhaps I could wear earrings if I tried again, and that's definitely an area where I could wear finer jewelry without worrying about breaking/losing it. Thank you!

I just gotta say that I love this forum, because the people in it are so fabulous. Thank you all very much!

jussie

Veteran

Yes winter really isn’t great for fashion imho. I second Angie’s suggestion of nail polish. I think nail polish is under rated in terms of its accessorizing impact.
Also a bright lipstick could be fun! And maybe some funky leather gloves in different colours could really add some polish.
Obviously various hats could be experimented with too.
Oh and also knotting a little scarf to your handbag...
Good luck with it- I feel your pain!

Anonymous

For me, winter is a lot better for fashion than summer. In summer I worry about ruining costume pieces with sweat, gross, I know, and can’t really layer. In winter I love layering and hats, scarves, statement earrings, necklaces, brooches and fun jackets.

rachylou

Veteran

Brooches are smart. Also, long chain necklaces with scarf ends tucked up work I think. And if you’re willing to be weird, a big cocktail ring over slim fit gloves...

Anonymous

A funky brooch on a knit cap is fun, too.

Sal

Veteran

For me in our winter

- a coat I love
- a hat
- scarves
- footwear
- bag

I struggle with necklace and scarf too - some people can rock this but with my short neck it is just too much.

I think fingerless gloves are a great idea...

cindysmith

Veteran

Jussie, I am going to have to start wearing nail polish. Too many people have suggested it, and it is a way to bring some bold color into an ensemble without having to commit to it in my closet. And yes, I'm probably going to go on a brooch buying binge because y'all are giving me ideas

jlpp, part of me does have an urge to just go crazy with a pile of necklaces, a la Iris Apfel. And yes, I won't have to worry about sweat and heat rashes, gross, I know, but you opened the door

Rachylou, I actually like the idea of a statement ring over gloves. I can see Iris doing something like that, and I think Iris is just wonderful, fearless, and bold.

Sal, I do have one winter coat I love and one that I like a lot even if I do wish it were longer. I should wear them more often, they'd eliminate the need for so many layers.

Thank you all for your advice!

Anonymous

Ooh, the brooch idea is kind of brilliant! If you do an Etsy search for “modernist brooch” and “brutalist brooch”, you’ll see lots of cool vintage pieces that, to my eye, would suit your style really well. Most can also be worn on a long chain as a pendant - a style that works better with scarves than most.
Good luck getting this sorted before summer is upon us!

Anonymous

Hahaha!!! No worries, I like that you can relate and btw, I freaking love Iris!
I am on board with full on wacky magpie mode!!

LaPed

Veteran

I support the brooch suggestion. I used to wear cute tack pins on my hats all the time (I have a whole collection of critter-shaped tack pins that people have gifted me over the years), and need to start doing that again.

I also agree with the fingerless gloves, or even just wrist-warmers suggestion. You could go all out and add some leg-warmers -- iirc you wear skinnier silhouettes on the bottom, no? Fingerless gloves should give your rings some mileage.

Definitely hats, and if not hats then sparkly clippies for your hair. DS put a headband (with kitty ears!) on me the other day and it looked so cute, now I wish I could wear headbands everyday -- but I'll have to wait until toque season is over.

Also, I'd encourage you to experiment with your current collection and find some go-to combos. Maybe you have *certain* necklaces that work with a scarf, and you can call those your "winter necklaces" and maybe you have certain tops whose sleeves you like to wear rolled up a bit and you can think of those as your "bracelet tops" -- I mean, bracelet sleeves are a thing, right? I'm not sure if bracelet or 3/4 sleeves appeal to you, but that might be an option, too.

Mainelady

Veteran

I believe that jewelry was meant to be worn, so I wear it year round. Some pieces, like necklaces with shorter chains get rare wear in the winter, but everything else I wear. I wear a lot of turtlenecks which make a great base for longer necklaces and pendants. This winter I have paired necklaces and scarves and like the look. I have also layered my necklaces and liked that look too. Bracelets can be a bit more challenging, but my trusty turtlenecks have sleeves that I can push up, so I do. I adore rings and wish God had given me more fingers. I can wear gloves over most of my rings, but when those don’t work, I wear mittens.

Lynn

Veteran

I have no suggestions as I am accessory challenged but thanks for posting this. The responses have been helpful to me.

Anonymous

I’m a big jewellery lover , and I think I know how you feel . Earrings , although an easy answer , aren’t always great in winter either because they get tangled up in hats , scarves etc. Well , here in Canada , anyways . Necklaces work if you don’t need a scarf , and I can’t imagine you do . Rings and nails in great colours are a great solution too- but I know that may not work with your lifestyle ....

Joy

Veteran

Ooh, you must get a pretty gold chain so you can wear the fire fighter pendant ! Take it with you when picking one out. I wear mine when sleeping, showering, ALL THE TIME.

Gigi

Veteran

What excellent suggestions! I have favorited this thread so I can come back to it later.

My suggestion was going to be to change your makeup somehow. I don't often wear makeup, but I have been lipstick shopping lately to try to find some shades that go exceptionally well with my skin color so that I can wear them with minimal makeup. A bold lip will really be a noticeable accessory.

The other thing I have found with bracelets is that if you can find one that is sparkly, with crystals, it will be more noticeable. But maybe sparkly stuff is not your thing...

I don't wear much costume jewelry because I have problems with the metals. My jewelry is nicer stuff, though not super high-end. Maybe you'd like to consider getting a nice bracelet or pendant for, say, $50, and see if you like wearing that better. I do think that the quality of the nicer stuff makes me want to wear it.

Brooklyn

Veteran

I love accessories. I wear a necklace virtually all the time, including cooking, gardening etc. I just tuck it inside my top when it gets in the way of a particular activity. Mine aren’t precious though so I don’t worry about damaging them.

unfrumped

Veteran

I mostly rely on necklaces work backwards from what top, usually a sweater, I’m wearing re: neckline and length of top & textures. I don’t wear low necks so the most useful pieces are delicate ~16” necklaces to be at collarbones, or longer pendant, or really I have some kinds of metallic rope necklaces, for longer tops.
I don’t bother these if I’m wearing an indoor scarf for an accessory, but if I’m wearing a scarf for warmth to and fro I’ll just wear it over.
If I can find shoes with small details like 2- tone or buckle that I like, then that adds a little something to the black pants routine. Or metallic zipper details on some sweaters or vests.

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