Guest Author - Melissa Weise

Now that the colder weather is here, it is time to take stock of your fashion. As a teen, your body is starting to grow much more slowly and so winter clothing that you wore last year is more likely to fit you. Many adults have clothing that they wore in high school that still fits and can be universally used in their current wardrobe.

If you have never before stored your seasonal wardrobes, now is the time to start. Go through your dressers, closets and anywhere else that you store clothes (yup, even the pile on the floor) and pick out anything that is for summer and spring and put it in the pile. In this pile you need to banish tank tops, flip-flops, sandals, shorts, and many of your mini-skirts and short sleeved shirts. Of course, you may want to hold out a few of them but put the majority in the pile. Now, make sure that the clothes in the pile are clean, fold them neatly and place them in storage containers (cardboard boxes will do as well). Clearly mark the containers and then place them somewhere that they won’t be a bother until next spring. This can be an attic, basement, storage unit, under your bed, or in a closet.

If you stored any of your winter clothing from last year, take them out and make sure they still fit and they are still something you would wear. Anything that doesn’t or isn’t should be donated to charity, handed down to younger siblings, friends or relatives or (in the case of anything particularly unusable thrown away. Iron what needs to be ironed and wash what needs to be washed.

Now, take a look at what you have left. Is there enough to make several good looking outfits? Do you like your wardrobe? Do you have enough of the basics (pants, skirts, socks, underwear, shirts, etc)? If not, you might want to start looking into your clothing budget (whether that is a piggy bank, a savings account, your paycheck from a job, or your parents) and figure out how and where you are going to buy what you need. A good idea for chic but inexpensive wardrobes is to find a color scheme that you are going to stick with and buy clothes only within that scheme. That way, everything you buy will match everything else. You can choose half a dozen colors that look good together. For example, a brown color scheme would include light brown, dark brown, tan, cream, orange, and black.

One of the most fun things about winter fashion is the accessory possibilities. Brightly colored and uniquely textured scarves worn with coats or just shirts tied or loose not only help to keep your warm but look very chic. Tights also can lend themselves to make an outfit pop and they come in so many colors and textures these days that the possibilities are endless. You also will want to make sure that you have warm and practical gloves and hats. They can come in sets or be mixed and matched. Finally, make good use of the layered look which is practical and stylish, layering several shirts or skirts over pants.