The Inferno

Issue date: 2/8/10 Section: Frontline

Media Credit: polyvore.com Break out of the winter blues by using colorful accessories to heavy winter wear.

This is the time of year in Chicago that I start to get grumpy. It gets dark by 4:30, I feel like I haven't seen the sun in weeks, and I've been reduced to wearing my Bears puffer coat wherever I go; not because it's my favorite outerwear, but because it's my warmest.

This is also the time of year that my BFF, Meg, and I start plotting the design of a mid-winter clothing line. We want to create aseasons between Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer that caters to our seasonal blues. We'll do this by adding a little color back into the black, white, and gray landscape that is winter in the Windy City.

The clothing line may be just a pipe dream born of cabin fever, but that doesn't mean that the concept can't be realized in our own wardrobes. I'll be the first to admit that my closet is fading color-wise, but there are a few accessories I add to liven up my outfits and my mood at the same time.

For instance, with my black wool coat, I have two brightly colored scarves I like to interchange depending on my mood. One is red cashmere. I like red, it is a power color that was used in ancient Egyptian chromotherapy to stimulate the mind and body as well as increase one's heart rate. Also, wearing red portrays confidence because it grabs a lot of attention.

The other scarf is a kelly green pashmina. Green is a color that conjures thoughts of nature and is associated with spring. It's no wonder I start to break it out more around the end of February and March when I begin compulsively checking the ten-day forecast to find out when warmer weather will arrive.

I also like to incorporate color into my outfits using accessories like a pink headband or a purple cardigan. Pastels like mint green and lavender are going to be huge this spring, so if you want to splurge on some faintly hued pieces now, why not? A lightweight sweater or cotton top will be perfect gear for making the transition between winter and spring.

Keep in mind, when incorporating color into an outfit, do so sparingly, a little goes a long way. If you wear a red scarf with a red coat, all the world will see is a human tomato. However a red scarf with a black, grey, or cream coat, and they see a confident, well-dressed person.

Hopefully adding a splash of color to your winter wardrobe will provide a much-needed morale boost. Maybe someday Meg and I will get that line started and take the guess work out of bringing color back to mid-winter.

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