An all white outfit exudes luxury, richness and aristocracy. Women who wear entirely white most definitely don’t ride the subway or do any kind of manual labor, and they might not even hold their own children—they have people for that!
During the winter months, it’s easy to automatically reach for dark, somber colors—shades of grey, black and navy do a stellar job of hiding dirty slush stains from the too-close bus that splashed you as you waited to cross the street. And when the sun is low in the sky, you’re covered in blankets and sipping hot tea just to stay warm inside your apartment, black can seem like the only choice.
But during the next polar vortex, why not reach for white instead? Derek Lam, Proenza Schouler, Giambattista Valli and Céline all showed luxe monochrome looks for the season, mixing slouchy wool pants with off-the-shoulder cashmere sweaters or fluted skirts with oversized car coats. Even accessories got a pale makeover—white pointed-toe pumps, ankle boots, bucket bags and envelope purses were all seen in collections.
To master the winter white trend, think about mixing shades of white in various textures and sheens. Start with an oversize statement coat—like this ASOS cocoon coat—and build from there. Keep it casual a la Kim Kardashian (you have to admit, she’s been looking great) with some white denim and team with a cashmere sweater like J.Crew’s second-skin collection long-sleeve tee or Velvet’s slouchy turtleneck.
For accessories, metallics, tans for whites will dictate the overall mood of the look. Metallics are best for nighttime, tans mean a more casual look and whites create the ultimate power ensemble for an important meeting or work event (yes, you can white shoes after Labor Day). To complete the multi-textured look, Dolce Vita’s substantial yet sexy snakeskin pumps and Madewell’s effortlessly cool Transport Tote add just the right amount of tonal variation.
Sure, this look might mean that you can’t ride the subway, but aren’t you always looking for any excuse to take a cab?
