A simple black or gray coat will help make everything 'POP'!

From the top of your head to the tips of your

fingers,stay bundled up and avoid air pockets!

Selecting Versatile Winter Essentials:

Get The Most From Your Winter Wardrobe

Boring Can Be Better

I like coats and dresses to the point of being a hoarder. If I find a coat that is interesting in any way I will take it home, so believe me when I say you probably don't need a cheetah print coat, especially when a cheetah print scarf can bring the same Carole Baskin flair with much less hassle.

Cascade Scarf in Carpathian Lynx

What you really want is a powerful black coat, a calming brown coat, and some cute winter accessories to distract from your immaculate coat game. If people notice your coat first, you should probably only wear it on special occasions (I don't want this to be true but it is). Most of the winter coats you come across are boring for this very reason, which is why it's so easy to be attracted to the loudest of jackets when you are shopping for them. The winter section is infinite racks of traditional black, white, and navy. This makes it so much harder to ignore the pink, glitter jacket, or the cow print, western duster, but these things can only be worn once or twice before you come off as “that girl.” (It's already to late for me, please learn from my mistakes.)

Stay Flexible

Instead of buying a fur trimmed coat, consider buying a faux fur hoodie vest to add a fresh fur lining to the coats you already have. Instead of buying those fur lined boots you have been looking at, get some fur boot toppers in every possible color and then buy all the regular boots in the world. Check out these beanies with removable pom-poms. You can put those pom-poms on anything you want.

Beanies & Scarves can be styled many ways with Pom Poms

Try to think of women's winter garments like you are building a kit. Buy things that expand on your current essentials and also things that can be expanded upon. You can never have too many black dresses, but you can definitely have too many jackets. So I always aim for flexible. If something doesn't have removable linings or isn't easy to layer, I probably don't need it. (I will probably still buy it. I have a problem.)

Put Your Thing Down Flip It & Reverse It

I love reversible outfits. Not only do they save closet space, they allow for quick costume changes with almost zero effort. My favorite example of this in pop culture is a scene you may remember from Fresh Prince of Bell Air. Will Smith is being forced to wear a school uniform instead of his regular, brightly colored ensemble, so he turned his jacket inside out and wore the brightly colored liner on the outside. This blew my mind as a child. I immediately tried it with my winter coat and was dismayed that the zipper and buttons would not cooperate...and also I looked ridiculous. Nevertheless the idea stuck with me and now I am extremely on the side of reversibility. It's one of the things I really like about Pandemonium, the majority of faux fur items are reversible.

Most of our outerwear, is reversible for maximum versatility.

Stay Warm

Vanity aside, there is really nothing more important when buying winter essentials than staying warm. Faux fur is wonderful for this as it layers much easier than real fur. I don't like being cold so I am a big fan of the sweater, faux fur vest, and wool jacket combo. Try to have an outer layer that will block wind and a fluffy middle layer that traps tiny pockets of air. Remember that you lose the majority of heat through your head, so get a good winter hat, or at least some cute ear warmers.

A solid faux fur hat is sure to keep you warm.

Pay It Forward

One of the best things about buying a new winter wardrobe is that you can donate the old one. Charities are always looking for gently used winter wear. Avoid donating to thrift stores (it will end up on eBay). There are tons of coat drives and shelters that will take your items and put them in the hands of cold people, instead of a reseller.

Did I leave anything out? Comment below and let me know how you have been staying warm.

-Jennifer Oberg