STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK: Winter Blues!

With all the beautiful weather we’ve been experiencing in the Mid-Atlantic in recent months, these past few weeks have been a bone-chilling reminder that winter is here and in full effect. Many of us mourn the loss of the warmer months by dressing in drab color palettes, including wearing more blacks, grays and sticking to denim.

This week’s Fashionista definitely has a case of the winter blues; however, instead of rocking a colorless ensemble, she decided to spice her look up through the use of accessories. One piece in her outfit that immediately stands out is her bright blue scarf. It adds a nice punch of color and makes her stand out on a campus that is quickly losing its hue.

It is easiest to rock a bright pop of blue in your ensemble via the use of accessories. You can either add a bright scarf (like this Fashionista did), an electric cobalt bag or teal flats for fun hues that enhance your ensemble.

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STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK: Winter Blues

As the days get shorter and the trees more bare, it’s easy for Fashionista/os to fall into a seasonal wardrobe depression. Blacks and grays replace neons and pastels and oversized coats are thrown atop outfits that consist mostly of sweaters and leggings. This cold weather Fashionista, however, has managed to break through the melancholy of bleak winter days and has inspired a whole new meaning for the phrase winter blues.

From head to toe, this outfit is both practical and effortlessly chic. The sheer white button-down shirt and black leggings create the most basic palette and foundation for chic accessorizing without skimping on comfort or style. The spin on the blue color wheel begins with this navy colored silk Alexander McQueen scull scarf that we all know and love. Though this scarf has been around for seasons, it never seems to lose its luster or charm. Its longevity may make it worth breaking the college student’s bank for; but if not, there’s always bargain hunting.

The winter blues continue with my favorite item of the look, a powder blue wool coat whose color is more reminiscent of cool, poolside waters than the frozen, icy ponds and streams of today. Allow yourself to escape the cold through color; the combination of winter structure and function with a summer-like shade is quite refreshing. Burberry Prorsum and Jil Sander happened to agree, as they took on deeper versions of this light blue hue on the runways in their fall 2011 ready-to-wear collections. To make this coat even more purchase-worthy, notice the bubble-gum pink silk lining peeking through the backside and edges. Cotton candy, anyone?

The ensemble is topped off with a perfect little Parisian accent, a cobalt blue cashmere beret. Berets are a sweet and simple way to add a touch of sophistication to any outfit, especially if styling your hair before an early morning class is just way too much to ask for.

So go ahead, Fashionista/os, take a nod from this gal’s street style and diagnose yourself with a case of the winter blues. The more severe, the better.

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STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK: Winter Blues

CONFESSION. I have an abundance of scarves that are stocked in one of my drawers, but I fail to use them to their fullest potential. Scarves are the perfect accessory to add an extra layer to any outfit and can be worn while walking around campus or even dressed up with a night on the town. When I am out and about, I feel the need to buy more scarves but in all actually I should probably just start wearing the ones I already have. There is all but one scarf that seems legitimate to purchase, which is the infinity scarf. This is one of the must have items of the season which is a quick and easy way for any one to update their wardrobe.

This Fashionista is able to embrace the infinity scarf by playing off various shades of blue. This is a great pop of color and is suitable way for us to transition this fall trend into the colder months. Her navy oversized sweater and knee high boots are perfect components to make this look comfortable and chic! Infinity scarves can be worn with basically anything, such as dresses, jeans and flowing blouses.

Infinity scarves can be worn in an assortment of different ways. The loopy style can be worn as a hood, in a single loop around your neck like a loose cowl or wrapped around twice for added volume and warmth. Since this trend is ever so popular which makes it possible to find these scarves anywhere from Madewell to Michael Kors.

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STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK: Rhapsody in Blue

I would like to think that these recent balmy temperatures are an answer to my whimpering sighs. I had finally come to terms with the encroaching cold — the grey curtain of melancholic winter sky had unfurled and become a permanent backdrop to my life. I was shocked by the audacity of the sun's rays, and as I walked to class I slowly shed my coat, my scarf and my sweater: none of them were needed. As I giddily shed layer upon layer, I noticed a more meteorologically conscious Fashionista. Clearly she knew something I didn't (to trust weather forecasts) and was dressed appropriately for the springy sixty-degree day.

Her floral J.Crew skirt, overflowing with blue, violet and chartreuse florets that seem to tumble into one another, is as energetic as it is spring like. Merely by looking at it I felt enlivened, invigorated and ready to pounce through a field of blossoming flowers. (It’s still December.)

I snapped to, looked from the barren branches to knobbed grass lawn, and my resplendent daydream dissipated. All that was left was this Fashionista, triumphantly denying the season. She dilutes her bright skirt with tones more familiar to the winter season: her nautical striped sweater, from Gap, and her thrifted navy pashmina scarf enhance her skirt’s darker tones.

Her gray tights, likewise, legitimize her fantastical floral skirt. If you find yourself perplexed by the weather forecast, retreat into the depths of your bodoirs and retrieve those garments that you had long forgotten. While you still can, revitalize your spirits and your ensembles with bright, daring prints that laugh in the face of impending blizzards. There’s nothing wrong with using fashion as an escape into an alternate reality — one devoid of whipping winds and blistery storms!