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The Student News Site of Saint Louis University

The University News

The Student News Site of Saint Louis University

The University News

Layering 101, a prerequisite for all college students

Every morning I get out of bed, walk over to my closet, and stare for five minutes into the massive array of colorful threads that is my wardrobe. I dramatically sigh to my roommate that I have nothing to wear and saunter away to go eat breakfast, choosing to procrastinate with an easier decision: cereal or toast.

By the time I’ve returned to my closet, I’ve delayed choosing an outfit until 10 minutes before I need to leave for my class. It’s crunch time. Its times like these that layering becomes an useful. Being able to quickly piece together several items of your attire into a fashionable yet sensible outfit is a necessary ability in the fast-paced world of collegiate life. You can throw on several layers at once and then decide later in the day what is truly essential.

If done haphazardly, you could leave the house looking as though you chose your outfit in the dark, or worse, as though you’re attempting to revive the grunge look of the early 90s.  The keys to layering are experimentation and open-mindedness.

Layering at its simplest is pairing cardigans with a blouse or dress. Cardigans are a pretty universal item and a great basic element that is crucial to every wardrobe. Cardigans can be thrown into essentially any outfit without causing too much of a stir; it’s pretty hard to mess up a button-up sweater. Things start to get tricky, however, when you start to stack multiple shirts and sweaters that are varying in pattern, texture and color.

Layering multiple shirts provides outfit versatility, adjustable warmth level, and all-around chicness (Photo courtesy of Atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com).

A properly layered outfit can make perfect juxtapositions, like casual with prim, which can provide a very interesting variance. Whenever we encounter a button-up shirt, it is a common tendency to button it. I mean, that’s the reason it has buttons going all the way up the front, right? However, it sometimes creates a very interesting aesthetic when left open to flap in the wind and become a faux cardigan.

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One of the greatest benefits of layering is that you can get several unique outfits with just a few interesting items. This is especially favorable when working with a skimpy college budget.

Another valuable advantage is comfort. By layering clothes, you allow yourself to dictate your contentment throughout the day by increasing or decreasing the number of tiers in your outfit. It is not uncommon to desire numerous layers during the frigid winter season.

Walking into the arctic chill of the winter, you are happy with your outfit choice. Upon entering a building for class, you feel a warm rush of air. At first it is a pleasant surprise for your numb face. However,10 minutes through your first class you’re starting to feel uncomfortably warm. By the time you finish classes you’re racing to get outside to feel the fresh, cool air on your face.

Layering can solve all these troublesome temperature changes. For example, try wearing a plain white short-sleeve top, an unbuttoned flannel shirt, and finished off with a lightweight sweater or cardigan. Wearing this outfit, it would be appropriate to take off a few layers without off-putting your classmates.

Lastly, layering is a worthy resource due to its versatile advantages. College is such a busy time for most people. So busy, in fact, that food is often eaten on the run, calls from relatives are left to voicemail, and fashion falls to the wayside. Layering provides you the opportunity to choose one outfit in the morning, and based on your use of additional pieces, make it last from morning to evening regardless of the activities you have planned for that day.

A perfectly layered dress and sweater combination (Photo courtesy of Annaelsaa.tumblr.com).

It common to be unable to return home from the time you leave for class in the morning to the formal affair you have later that evening, and it is surprising how casual a simple sweater, a scarf, and boots can make a dress. Simply choose the dress you want to wear for the evening, and then use accessories to dress it down for the middle of the day.

Layering is really a style of experimentation. It may not always be successful, but at least you will be always be at a comfortable temperature in the meanwhile. While it may take a bit of trial and error to get in the habit of laying, stick with it. Layering provides a lot of benefits, especially during the unpredictable Midwest winters.

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