January 13, 2020

How to keep winter brights elegant in your outfits

JCrew Coat Frame Leather Pants Sezane Blouse Mark Cross Bag Look by Modnitsa Styling

Happy 2020! A new decade, New Year, and a feeling of renewed optimism is how I hope it started for everyone.

I love the idea of turning a new page and giving yourself permission to revisit some of the goals/dreams/aspirations you’ve neglected without feeling guilty about it. Statistically, the beginning of the year is the most common time to recommit to workout routines, health kicks and overall self-improvement, and I’ve got one more New Year’s Resolution for you all – not to give up on color in your outfits despite the dreary and cold weather outside (at least here in the North East)!

My clients and friends/family who know me will affirm that I probably don’t have more than 5 black pieces of clothing in my closet, and rely on having color in my looks all year round. I can, however, totally appreciate that some colors feel out of place in the Winter, and with everything being more clear and crisp and sunshine being less present, the natural yearning for color isn’t as strong as it is in the Spring and Summer. This is when I believe that the opposite mentality can really help stay motivated to wear more color – bringing color into your wardrobe will make you feel more uplifted, and therefore, carry you through the “Winter Blues” with more grace and joy.

That said, I wanted to share a colorful Winter-y look that involves 2 of the most intense complimentary color shades – red and green, with tips below on how to still maintain a feeling of refinement in your look despite it being very colorful.

The Leather Pants. I’ve been on the hunt for a pair of leather pants for a few years; mostly, I’ve not really found what I liked, and partially I was reluctant to make an investment, knowing it’s not really a piece I’d wear often. I’ve compared different brands – like Theory, Frame, Rag & Bone, Lafayette 148, etc. and have heard great things about the fit on most of them, but didn’t love anything I tried. Then, this Fall, during my Personal Shopping Sessions with a few of my clients, I styled them in some stunning leather pants – showing them a variety of looks they can create with them: from more casual – with sweaters and urban sneakers, to more upscale – with heels and blouses. That’s when I decided it was finally time to find a great pair for myself. As I often do when I put my mind to something, I scoured all the sites that carry a variety of brands – knowing that ’tis the Season to shop with all the markdowns around. I found a great selection on The Outnet, Saks and Neiman Marcus, and finally saw and immediately fell in love with a pair of FRAME Le High Skinny Pants from Neiman’s (since sold out) but here they are on a different site. I’ve also curated a few pairs I considered – see below. I think leather pants are a great investment as they don’t go out of style, and the trick to keeping them relevant is going for a more matte leather in a color you’d wear a lot (for most – probably black, but also burgundy, deep red, dark green, dark navy and brown are awesome options) in a silhouette that’s more timeless – like a skinny or straight leg. Care tip: as they’re a pretty high-maintenance item, when you store them away in your closet, you want to be sure they’re not exposed to sunlight, and laying some tissue inside while you fold can help keep the leather clean.
The Feminine Blouse. One of the keys to keeping the look elegant and not too loud is continuing the color story throughout, with lighter and darker shades of the same hue (color family) so it looks purposeful – that’s why I chose this light pink Sezane Rox Shirt {sadly, sold out online, but see a few other similar ones below} to coordinate with the red leather pants. It’s silky and drapes perfectly – while feeling proper if buttoned up, or sexy if unbuttoned to show off your neckline.
The Most Elegant Little Bag. I’ve been {not so secretly} obsessed with Mark Cross bags, so when this Mini Grace Velvet cutie went on sale during Black Friday sales at Moda Operandi, I had to have it as my “year-end bonus” and gift to self. I did an unboxing video of it recently on my IGTV (you can check it out here if you’ve missed it) – it adds the perfect finishing touch to this look, grounding it with its neutral color, and refining it with its golden hardware.
Straight-Lined Yet Colorful Coat. This J.Crew Italian Stadium Cloth Cocoon Coat is still one of my favorites in my wardrobe, I wore it while pregnant too as the shape is so flattering, and it’s really warm. I tagged a few similar ones below (and they’re all on SALE!)
High Heeled Booties. I bought this pair of United Nude Booties what seems like forever ago, and while I wear them infrequently due to the higher heels, they’re actually quite comfortable and elevate my looks nicely. They add just a touch of color through the striped details – green here is a nice “link” to the green of the coat, keeping the look quite uniform and purposeful.

I hope this inspires you to try out a some bright colors in your Winter outfits! Please feel free to share the looks you create via Instagram, using hashtag #ModnitsaOutfit in your posts, and I’ll be sure repost them on my stories!