Goodwill Fashion Expert—Bjorn Nasett

Just about this time of year when the end of winter still seems like a long way off, I feel the need to see more color. Not only do I want to see color in the sleeping nature of the landscape, but I also want it in the choice and color of the garments I wear every day. It’s a no-brainer to wear color when the weather is bright and wonderful, but it seems more difficult to do it when the gray, black and brown of the sunless season takes over our closets too. A pop of color here and there during these bleak months can literally bring you happiness - I kid you not! There’s lots of ways to bring some color into the winter wardrobe. Case in point, I recently came across some photographs I took at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week a few years ago which illustrate the idea of color as an antidote to the cold-weather blues. These photos are from the 2012 Autumn/Winter Collection from fabulous fashion designer, Rebecca Minkoff. Her streetwise, wearable designs are realistic and that’s what I like about her take on style for today’s woman. Let’s take a look and discuss shall we?  

Here in the Midwest, it’s been on the mild side as far as winter temperatures go. But, as we all know that can change into blizzard conditions quickly! You know what else can change your winter look quickly? A great hat! When I’m attending Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in NYC for the fall and winter collections, the focus is not always on accessories, but there were a few instances in certain shows that definitely illustrated just how much a hat can give an ensemble a little more personality - and even drama! This year there was everything from knit caps, to furry nods toward the North Pole. I thought it would be fun to look at a few of the hat tricks that designers used to complement the fashions that paraded down the runways this week. Let’s take a peek shall we?

Winter is knocking on doors all across the country.  For most of us this means pulling out the heavy-knit sweaters and parkas. But, what about those beautiful pieces of clothing that always look fabulous no matter what season it is? I’m talking about those blouses, skirts, dresses and blazers that really do their job fashion-wise on a day-to-day basis. Could it be possible to have pieces in your wardrobe that work year-round with just a few slight modifications? The answer of course is yes! I culled these lovely examples from a slew of photographs I took at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York City. Twice a year top designers from here at home, as well as abroad show us their ideas. In my humble opinion, the following looks could be worn all-year-round depending on how they’re styled. Here, I went with black-and-white ensembles simply because this is a combination that always proves to be a fashion winner.

There’s a rule in fashion that is never, ever, wrong … Accessories can make, or break, an outfit! There you have it. I’m not talking about jewelry or shoes here, but rather things we can’t do without during the cold-weather season. When it comes to wintertime fashion, there’s a lot of accessory choices that can help ward off the chilly temperatures while looking stylish at the same time. I keep all of my winter accessories in the coat closet by my front door, and I actually installed my closet pole about eight-inches higher than normal. This allowed me to also install some simple shelving underneath where my coats hang. On that shelving I have bins containing everything I might need as I head outdoors to start my day (or evening). I also store some cleaning supplies there as well. To get closet in order, you may want to start first by going through all of your gloves, scarves, hats and even sunglasses and pare them down to the ones you really love to wear on a daily basis. Then take the rest (if they’re in good condition) and donate them to Goodwill so that someone else might enjoy the warmth and style they provide. This will also help you understand what you might want to look for to fill in the gaps in your accessory arsenal. Here’s the top five items you should have in order to keep you toasty warm, and smoking hot fashion-wise, this fall and winter.