Inserting Subtle Color into the Winter Drab

I don’t know about you but when the winter gets cold and gray my wardrobe gets layered and dark. It’s as if my clothing choices directly correspond with the color of the sky and the feel of the day. So I’ve been trying to break out of that rut and be a little more colorful in my winter wardrobe choices. Honestly, it’s not an easy task.

This mint green sweater was a find at Kohls last year and while I wore it on occasion last winter, it’s this season that I find myself reaching for it more and more. It’s easy to wear. Easy to match with a pair of black pants or a black skirt. Easy to put on with a pair of jeans and feel just a little dressed up on a weekend. Easy to pick when looking for something a little feminine and less frumpy than a lot of the thick cable knit sweaters. Now I wish I got it in multiple colors or styles - if they were even an option - so that I can rework an outfit like this in different permutations.

It’s not a new revelation but every time I remember the great power of the clothing we put on each morning I’m blown away by the significance that is easily overlooked. Drab days often mean we are in lower spirits and lower spirits can mean reaching for darker colors or even frumpier clothing. Something that matches the outside day and mood that just surrounds the day itself.

On the other hand, pick out an outfit that is bright and colorful or maybe it’s just something you love and suddenly the day seems better, brighter, more alive. That simple daily task of picking out something to wear has the power to change whole mindsets about the day or about ourselves. We can view the drab winter as beautiful and enticing. We can see ourselves, which we often view full of flaws and failings, as something beautiful and unique. All of this because of a clothing choice. Maybe that’s why I love clothing and fashion so much. One dress can change the woman wearing it and therefore the world around her.

Sweater: Kohls
Skirt: via Le Tote
Tights: Target
Heels: Diane von Furstenberg from Second Time Around (similar to these)
Earrings: Claire’s
Watch: ??
Necklace: Mimi Boutique