No.2 How to Wear Winter's Trickiest Trends: Over the Knee Boots, Puffer Jackets, Faux Fur & Mix-Matched Prints - Women Compus - Women Campus

2.) Puffer Jackets

By far one of the hardest winter trends to pull off, Puffer jackets can instantly go from ski bunny to marshmallow.  Despite their aesthetic difficulties, Puffer jackets provide unparalleled warmth and coziness, so there has to be a way for them to look cute…right? Vogue writer and stylist, Christina Lindsay, has written that the Puffer jacket can absolutely be stylish as long as it’s worn correctly. She suggests buying a jacket with a bracelet sleeve (a sleeve that falls right above the wrist) and longer length to create a more flattering silhouette.  Ideally, the coat should fall about five inches above the knee.

Also, many puffier styles come with a belt. Belting the waistband of a puffier jacket gives a cleaner silhouette and emphasizes your waist, which eliminates the ‘blob-like’ effect of many puffer coats. Another tip is to leave the collar of the coat unzipped—emphasizing a long neck makes the style look less elementary and more polished.

3.) Mix-Matched Prints

As a die-hard fan of Mondo on this season of “Project Runway”, I can assure you that I am as big a proponent of color and prints as they come. However, over-mixing and matching prints and color can leave you looking like circus performer. To wear this trend correctly you have to consider which prints flatter your body type and what patterns look cohesive together. When mixing two different prints it’s important to choose patterns that compliment each other without being overly similar. Here are a few tips for how to combine bold patterns, prints and colors correctly.

Try pairing light colors with dark colors or bright patterns with more muted patterns. Utilizing hue intensity is a great and simple way to moderate the dramatic effect of mixing patterns and colors. For example, try pairing a bright and bold tribal dress with plain sheer tights with black polka dots.  Another suggestion is to pair colored prints with black and white prints—try wearing a black and white horizontal striped top with a boldly printed bright mini skirt and tights.

Mix textures instead of prints! A great way to achieve the creative flair of the mix-match trend without seeming overly runway is to combine clothing made of different materials. For example, pair your favorite black mini dress with a light denim jacket and chunky jewelry for a relaxed going-out look. Or wear silk with leather to contrast feminine and edgy styles.

Know your body type- the louder the print or color the more emphasis it will draw to certain areas of your body. For example, if you want to emphasize your curves wear horizontal stripes or a tribal printed tunic. To that end, if you are trying to minimize curves, stay away from tiny prints and horizontal stripes since they can often make you look larger. If you want to emphasize length try wearing vertical stripes or patterns in dark colors. But keep in mind that if you are on the smaller side you should be wary of giant patterns and prints as they will often overpower your body and leave you looking smaller. 

Accessories are your best friend! The best way to make this trend work is to use accessories as your tool to add multiple prints to one outfit. For a cohesive outfit with flair, try wearing a tribal tunic with chunky black and white printed bracelets, tortoise shell sunglasses and bright earrings.