This winter break, I was able to go visit Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts. Being from the South, I decided to do my proper research and look up the weather temperatures (Fahrenheit) prior to the trip. The extremes were about eight to 10 degrees, and the average was around 26-30 degrees. So, I packed accordingly, but boy I was not prepared. I did not know how needle-pricking, body-numbing 10 degree weather could be. It also snowed overnight—white and fluffy—which called for snowball fights while walking around Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).
Now, personally for me, when the cold weather (anything below 50 degrees) hits Georgia, I put away all my summer clothes and bring out my winter palette, which happens to be majority black, navy blue, and gray. I prefer a darker palette, maybe it is to retain warmth, maybe it is just comfortable and easy to wear, or maybe it’s to parallel my emotions as I mourn for my exam and final grades. Whatever it is, when looking for outfits to photograph, I tend to gravitate to those wearing lighter colors. You know what they say: opposites attract.
So while wrapped in all black (coat, jeans, scarf) passing by RISD’s library, my eyes caught the colorful outfit this fashionista had on. Also stripes are my all time favorite pattern. One thing that I absolutely adore about her outfit is that she was not afraid to play around with color and patterns. Granted, more of the pieces are neutral, but I would never think to double, or even triple layer stripes, just because the colors are so different and pattern blocking .Who knew?
I’m a sucker for a great coat, and this is a great coat. Oversize, masculine and wool, all my favorite characteristics that I look for in a coat. Adding the laying of striped shirts give a very street wear vibe taken in an art student direction. I love how so many aspects of her outfit are kept oversize, because oversize means cozy, and cozy is number one in my books. Speaking of books, a backpack is the best way to go around. Whether it be for school or traveling. A Kanken backpack may seem small, but the canvas material allows one to pack as many objects inside while still retaining the rectangle shape. What screams “art school student” more than a Kanken? It’s a classic, and Fjällräven works to create environmentally friendly and sustainable items, which is a very important mission for a brand to have.
Regardless if your winter is the quintessential snow and ice or if your winter happens to be on the warmer side, I challenge you to add in color and patterns to your palette. Fashion should be fun, mixing items that do not fit the “trendy” guidelines. Hey, like this Fashionista’s shirt says, it’s just “play clothes.”
