Can You Be Cozy, Comfortable, and Cute?!
How to elevate casual pieces with intentional styling
Of course you can! But I am going to say something you might not want to hear… it is more about STYLING than SHOPPING. (Maybe you are happy to hear that, and hopefully, you expect to hear it from me…) Creating cozy looks that are elevated and polished is about creating contrast, and we do that through thoughtful styling.
As you will see below— when styling a casual / sporty / cozy piece to feel elevated and intentional, you want to “overcompensate” and surround the casual piece with things that feel the opposite of casual. More on that concept HERE (and HERE if you don’t have TikTok). The key is asking yourself what the properties of the piece are and how we can contrast it. So, if you are wearing a sweatshirt and you want to add a little polish— you might say that the sweatshirt feels “sporty,” “casual,” or even potentially “sloppy,” which is what you want to solve. So instead of styling it with leggings and sweatpants, which also both feel “sporty” or casual” or even potentially “sloppy” as well, maybe you want to style the sweatshirt with something that feels the opposite— something structured, polished, or elegant. See below for how you can make that happen!
Keep in mind that you don’t have to sacrifice comfort or function in order to make your casual, cozy pieces feel elevated. It is just about intentional styling and being thoughtful with the contrast!! You can wear a puffer coat (duh), but maybe style it with a chicer structured bag and a boot.
Or style your sneakers with a structured coat and a beanie!
Or a faux fur with a baseball hat and sneakers.
It's all about the mix!
A heather grey sweatshirt is cozy, casual, washable, and wearable, and often, our instinct is to wear it with similar or like items (sweatpants, leggings, our pajama pants). To make the sweatshirt look more styled and thoughtful, try the opposite! Style your sweatshirt with something extra elevated, like a pair of leather pants or jeans, or wear it under a blazer or faux fur coat.
I find that often we will go ALL IN on one theme, so if we are doing a sweatshirt and jeans, we will think, “This is casual, so let me grab a puffer.” While that isn’t wrong, adding something that feels totally different (like a structured overcoat or faux fur) will give us the contrast and irony. It will make the sweatshirt feel more INTENTIONAL and styled as opposed to functional. It's the same concept as the wrong shoe!!!
A grey sweatshirt is the white tee of winter— the best way to add a casual element to a look. So if your look feels super polished and you want to give it a twist, throw on a grey hoodie or sweatshirt
Wear a grey crewneck or hoodie under a blazer.
You can even try it with a full suit! That feels very French Vogue editor— black suit with a grey sweater under.
If you want to keep it casual, style a shrunken grey sweater with a wide-leg jean, but to add your contrasting element, throw on a super polished overcoat to give a little structure.
While this is more of a fall/winter newsletter, I also love the look of a grey sweatshirt with a floral skirt or dress— it takes the sweetness out and gives the look some edge.
Throw on a sweatshirt with a sleek black turtleneck under and a pair of denim.
If you want to go for a casual weekend look of a sweater and leggings, you can add contrast with the coat or shoe. As I said above, you can go for a structured chic coat instead of a puffer and add a cashmere scarf or beanie to give a luxe texture and add a little elegance but still keep it functional with the shape. Or, instead of going for a straightforward sneaker, try a lug sole boot or a sock with a chunky loafer.
Use accessories as well— sleek sunglasses, chunky earrings, all of these small elements add to that intentional look!
You will see below that the outerwear and accessories are what make the sweatshirts feel styled. It's all about contrast. If a sweater feels too sporty or too casual, style it back to pieces that feel the opposite!!
If something feels too soft or casual, keep that in mind when styling and try to “overcompensate” by adding things that bring it in another direction. For example, if your pants are soft and slouchy, maybe you pair it with a structured sweater (instead of something really soft and slouchy that technically “matches” the energy of the pant). Or add a coat with more shape and structure, like a wool overcoat or a classic trench! I find that pull-on pants with an elastic waist in more elevated textures like silk or crepe are a great way to feel polished but still be comfortable. And since they have an elevated texture, I think that they look great with sneakers to add some contrast! These pants are a great alternative to WFH or on the weekend when you want something a little more elevated than a legging or a sweatpant. I like to think of these pants as a CASUAL silhouette but in a LUXE texture. Instead of a jersey or a cotton— the pant is still an easy pull-on but in a cozy knit, a drapey crepe, or a shiny silk!
Style a silky pant with a cozy knit and a lug sole boot. You will be mixing luxe textures while also being warm and cozy.
Wear a flowy pant with a white tee and an open button down. This is a great look that you can make summery (swap the silk pant for linen or cotton) or make a little cozier by using a knit pant with a bit more weight.
If you go for a white knit pant like Zoe Kravitz, add some darker pops like a black coat and a black boot to give the look some punctuation!
With a textured knit pant, you can, of course, go for a full set (more on that below!), but I also love the idea of varying the texture and adding a fitted turtleneck to add sleekness. As you are noticing by this point, the key is really contrast. So if the pant feels cozy and textured, try something chic and elevated on top.
If you go for a casual or sporty silhouette in an elevated texture (like the CO flannel joggers), play with the sporty shape by styling it with a fitted cashmere sweater and a sleek sneaker. Do a little tuck with the knit so you can see the drawstring— I think the idea of the sporty details in fancier textures is perfect for working from home, shuttle kids to activities, or doing errands on the weekend!
So, what if you want to wear a matching set? Can you still add contrast? YES! With the set, the contrast will come with the coat or jacket and with the accessories!
Style a cozy cotton sweat set with a structured coat or trench. Similar to the above, you want to contrast the sporty energy with something more polished. A faux fur, leather bomber, or suede texture is also a great way to bring a contrasting texture.
I also like to use jewelry and accessories here. I am often more thoughtful and intentional when adding rings, earrings, and watches, so the look has those finishing touches. Sleek sunglasses are also always great!
This is also a great place for the wrong shoe. A chunky boot with a knit set is great, and I love a sock and loafer combo with a jogger-style sweatpants style!
AND REPEAT On-The-Go Travel Pill Case
OMOROVICZA Miracle Facial Oil
SOPHIE BUHAI Teardrop Embellished Satin Pouch
ANOTHER TOMORROW Lyocell Track Pants
L’ATELIER NAWBAR Double Buoy Ring
MASSIMO DUTTI Satin Bomber Jacket
FREDERIC MALLE Jurassic Flower Perfume Gun
KHAITE Wool Top
COS Leather Belt
MARIA McMANUS Cotton Pant
I can confirm the Vince pants are the ideal comfort and elegance must have. I have two in my carry on right now!!
Thank you. First newsletter as a paid subscriber. I pulled five items from my closet and restyled them. Great way to begin the new year—shopping from my closet.