Say Yes to Winter White

Forget all the rules about wearing white. Wear it after Labor Day! Wear it on the bottom! Wear it to – no, the rule about not wearing it to a wedding still stands. However, the other rules about white after Labor Day have been redefined. This leaves you with many new ways to wear white, but there’s still a right way. Here are a few new guidelines (I wouldn’t call them hard and fast rules now that we’ve been able to break the old ones) that say “no” to restrictive rules and “yes” to wearing white all year!

Yes, you can wear white after Labor Day. However, if you’re still uneasy about this rule, there’s a specific kind of white you can wear that’s definitely within the new guidelines. The white you can wear when it’s cooler even has an appropriate name: winter white. Winter white is just a fancy name for off-white or ivory; the important thing is to keep it a little bit different and a little bit warmer than summer’s crisp, clean, snowy white. Don’t worry – there are still plenty of crisp whites still up for wearing after the long weekend.

The trick to wearing a bright white in the cooler months is to be mindful of the material. A thin eyelet dress screams summer, but a chunky sweater is thick enough for the off-season. White jeans can go either way; just pair them with a chunky sweater for winter.

Yes, you can contrast it with unexpected pieces. Have a little white dress you were hoping to get more use out of? Pair it with one of the season’s hot leather jackets, a pair of black tights, and some black booties. The extra layers will help you stay warm as you look cool.

Yes, white can still be slimming. Black has long been the go-to color for hiding a few extra pounds, but any monochrome outfit will do the trick. Dressing from head to toe in winter white will make you look smaller, so pair some ivory trousers with an off-white sweater. To break up the look, grab a black or bright purse.

Yes, you can look radiant in white and not get washed out. I’m so pale that winter white blends into my skin and washes me out, so I usually sit out of the winter trend. No more! To look radiant against white without the power of your summer tan, use a tinted moisturizer to add a touch of color. Next, use a peachy blush to bring out your cool-weather glow. Try Maybelline Bouncy Blush in Peach Satin. To really make your features stand out against the white, Cosmopolitan recommends wearing a smoky eye. Lips can be subtle, but you should wear some sort of lip color to avoid looking washed out. Try a soft pink or a mid-beige.

Now that you know how to say yes to winter white, get out there and wear the trend!