Layering is an anglicism which refers to the superposition of several layers of clothing. .
This technique does not only consist of wearing several layers of clothing but of making each one visible and playing with them to create contrasts of colors, materials or volumes.
Now you might wonder why not just wear a really warm sweater or just a big coat. But the benefit of layering is twofold.
It allows you to stay warm with the possibility of removing layers according to the temperatures of the different places where you will be. You can therefore manage your heat well.
And the interest of layering is not only "thermal". It brings a real richness to an outfit, since there are several pieces, colors, and textures.
Play on volumes and your body shape with layering
Layering clothes is a technique that everyone can adopt. But I won't hide from you that it is especially recommended for tall and thin people, to add volume to the upper body. A little catch-up lesson here if you haven't yet watched this video on how to dress according to your body type .
When we start dressing well, we don't think about volume first. It's a shame because it's one of the main ways to enhance your figure.
Layering according to different body shapes
On tall and thin physiques
If you are rather tall and thin , do not hesitate to layer thick layers on the upper body. This will add volume to your bust and shoulders. Here you can turn to parkas, down jackets or any fairly thick coat.
The down jacket worn open over a denim jacket and a sweater adds volume to the upper body.
The idea is to balance the different layers you layer. So if you opt for a thick top layer, underneath think about t-shirts, fairly thin shirts or even denim overshirts or jackets.
But as you can see, with a normal coat and a denim jacket, the result can work very well (and even surprisingly):
The denim jacket is, even if we don't necessarily think about it, a garment that is very conducive to layering. Photo taken from the excellent blog He Spoke Style .
You don't have to turn up the collar, but this outfit is a good example of how a denim jacket, framed by more elegant materials, can easily find its place.
Another way to practice layering in a streetwear style is to let the t-shirt stick out from under a sweater. Be careful, on a very long t-shirt, the style is immediately very sportswear :
We find our good old denim jacket with a very long t-shirt. If we advise against this "gimmick" for small silhouettes, fans of sharp sportswear must definitely go through it. Photo taken from the lookbook of the brand Represent .
On less slender physiques
If you're not necessarily tall, consider shorter jackets that allow for lower layers to show through . This is a great way to practice layering without necessarily adding too much volume to your upper body.
This type of shorter jacket is perfect for lengthening the silhouette.
In a similar vein, if you are rather square at the shoulders, there is no need to add volume here. This does not mean that layering is forbidden for you. Luca practices it a lot even though he is in this type of morphology.
What will make the difference is the thickness of the layers you choose. Opt for thinner layers, especially lightweight jackets such as safari jackets, military jackets or workwear .
Below, treat yourself to shirts - plaid, chambray, flannel, etc. - that you can wear open over a T-shirt or, on the contrary, under light sweaters that reveal the collar.
For example, a lightweight safari jacket works very well.
Here the goal is only to avoid the ball effect on the upper body which can quickly make a silhouette misshapen. But don't worry too much about the right length of jacket or about the fact that a shirt sticks out too much or not enough from a sweater. Do some tests, see what suits you or not, what makes your silhouette bigger or wider, etc. In short, try things 😉
John Wrazel - designer at Ralph Lauren - takes the logic much further by mixing formality and casualness and using a lot of vests, a key recurring element in most of his outfits :
A tweed vest between a cutaway collar shirt and an M65 parka: and there you have it, a surprising but very well-seen little layering! Before you ask yourself how he has such taste, don't forget that it's his job!
1st tip: stack the colors from lightest to darkest
The easiest way to do this is to first put together sober and safe colours: blue, beige, white, grey.
And go from lightest to darkest when stacking the layers .
This is not an absolute rule, but in general it helps you create clothing combinations that work without the risk of error.
The chambray shirt is a very easy piece to wear for layering. No difficulty here.
2nd tip: stack the textures from the softest to the roughest
The other little rule that can help you is to keep soft textures (in order silk, fine cotton, rougher cotton like oxford) close to the body, and rough on the outer layers (in order flannel, fleece, thick wool, waxed cotton, leather) .
Look carefully at the pictures in the article and you will see that this rule is used in most cases.
We find soft textures close to the body and rough on the outer layers.
Tip 3: Incorporate strong colors and bold patterns
The advantage of layering is that it only reveals part of a garment.
So you can allow yourself a brighter color or a daring pattern and wear it subtly without it grabbing all the attention.
We all have THAT patterned shirt that we like but don't really know how to wear because it's a bit offbeat or even out of fashion. The good tip? Wear it open over a neutral-colored T-shirt or in tones close to your shirt with a cardigan or jacket over it, again in similar tones.
Sure, the gray and burgundy plaid shirt isn't that complicated, but worn alone, it would be much less interesting.
Layering starts with two visible layers . From there, you can play with details like rolling up your sleeves to reveal the cuffs of your shirt or, as in the example below, to create contrast between two colors and tone down one stronger than the other.
Workwear enthusiasts are familiar with this type of layering that lets the sleeves show through with the famous "henley" t-shirt:
The t-shirt called "henley" is a long-sleeved t-shirt characteristic of the workwear style, as in this outfit from the Primer website . In France, it is the Hemen Biarritz brand that offers this type of piece.
4th tip: lighten up an outfit that is too dark
Speaking of details, the other trick that layering allows is to brighten an outfit that is too dark or whose colors are too close.
Show the collar of a white T-shirt or shirt under a sweater, for example. You can also brighten up your face by wearing lighter colors near it and darker ones on the outside. .
Here, the color of the sweater and the jacket merge. The collar of the shirt helps to avoid a look that is too dark.
Don't be afraid to let the collar of your t-shirt show if the outfit lends itself to it. Here, it subtly recalls the white pants.
5th tip: the color palette technique
Another way to exploit the superposition of several visible layers is to create a monochrome of colors, or even an outfit composed of a single color (= monochrome).
What will be interesting here will be to give relief to the look only through the volume and the contrast between the materials.
The different shades of blue are highlighted. And the raw denim brings even more contrast.
Here the shades of gray are almost identical but the relief is at the level of the volume created by the coat worn on the shoulders.
6th tip: play on contrasts of colors, patterns, materials and styles at the same time
The most interesting contrasts to create are at the level of the different fabrics. Raw, soft, thick, thin, smooth, etc. And these mixtures are also easier to achieve than you might think. You should not be afraid to wear a denim jacket under a wool coat, quite the contrary!
It is in these specific cases that layering takes on its full interest in terms of style.
Don't hesitate to mix different textures to really give consistency to an outfit. Don't be afraid to overdo it as we sometimes think, if you don't go for overly complicated colors or a multitude of layers, there is no risk! On the contrary, the contrasts thus created will highlight each element of your look.
Consider the chunky knit cardigan and the sleeveless vest to create looks that stand out from the crowd!
I repeat myself, but aim for originality. Get out of your comfort zone. Dare to make incongruous combinations to stand out. You don't have to be extreme, however. For example, a thin turtleneck sweater - which generally doesn't look too interesting in an outfit - can find its place under other layers that dress it up.
Great mastery of layering in this outfit with a "Canadian costume" (= wearing a denim jacket with jeans) perfectly highlighted. Nothing is eccentric here.
If you're more daring, you can perfectly mix pieces from different styles. The goal is to stay more or less consistent, for example by choosing fabrics that work well together like denim, canvas and a finer voile: all made of cotton .
Credits: FASHIONBEANS.
And as always, John Wrazej is a master at putting together pieces that you would never have imagined together. Remember what Benoit said about his intensive use of the vest...
By the way, I advise you to take a look at Barbour's lookbooks to find sources of inspiration! They are very rich and offer a lot of layering ideas.
It's not for nothing that a Barbour is ideal for putting together outfits with several layers. With a suit, denim, in a workwear style, or even more rock: it really looks good! And it's not long who will say otherwise 😉
The wool of the vest, the waxed cotton of the jacket, the reminder of the checks between the shirt and the lining, everything is perfectly highlighted here.
Some mistakes to avoid
Think of layering as starting with two layers. If you play with details like making a collar or the end of the sleeves stick out it's interesting, but try to play with more layers. 3 or 4 is good. Beyond 5, it becomes very complicated and especially risky (and too hot).
Ok to mix styles but avoid overdoing it! Be subtle and keep a sort of common thread in the outfit : coherent materials, a play of color gradients, reminders of patterns, etc.
The pieces are way too far apart and there is no relevant reminder. An outfit that is not really credible for everyday use...
And even more than mixing styles that are too opposite and without coherence, pay attention to volumes.
By piling on too many layers on top and very thick (like a sweater under a big cardigan under a parka or a down jacket) this risks creating too much volume on the upper body... And giving the impression that your legs are tiny. Not great.
The result doesn't really work... Does it? Impractical and inconsistent!
Finally, let loose on jackets and coats! We tend to choose them in blue, gray or black, telling ourselves that we will wear them every day and that they will go with everything. So yes: they go with everything, but they are boring... Dare to add a bit of color, patterns, or think about more unique jackets underneath.
A military jacket with camo patterns or an orange down jacket under a coat that is a little too sober will bring originality and cheerfulness to your look. And, believe me, in winter we really need it.
Finally, the last question we can ask ourselves is: should I choose a larger size if I plan to wear my coat or jacket with several layers underneath?
The answer is not obvious since it will depend on the type of jacket and coat. But generally speaking you do not need an upsizer. The cut and ease of these pieces accept up to three layers underneath.
If you want to wear more or you are really very square in the shoulders, in this case, a size above may be necessary. In any case, the best thing when buying is to try it on with the number of layers you plan to wear underneath.
Now it's your turn!
