‘Tis the season for fireside cocktails, evenings spent at home, snowy walks with warm matchas to-go in hand, sleeping in, and resting. The winter months are about honoring love and life with ritual, for taking care of ourselves, for little luxuries, for gifts, for practicing gratitude, and for gathering to celebrate. It’s essential these months to stay warm—and to look put together, gorgeous, and glistening.
Accessories are the perfect way to elevate any winter outfit—they’re the gleaming flame on a menorah candle, the ornaments on a Christmas tree, the snowflakes in a dark, cool wintery sky.
Here are ten accessories that we’re deeming essential for the colder months:
Sunglasses
It may be freezing out, but an amazing pair of sunglasses is totally essential. These will protect your eyes from the sun, which is important even in the depths of winter. They’ll also protect your eyes from the glare that white, glittering snow can cast, and they’ll keep you looking and feeling stylish, composed, and fabulous all winter long. Our sunglasses collection consists of colorful frames that will bring a dose of radiance to any winter outfit. We recommend going with something classic and sophisticated like our Courtney or Hillier frames—both of which are timeless and will make even the most practical of winter outfits into something magical.
A perfect cashmere wrap
Perfect for holiday season travel, days spent running endless errands (hello, season of countless trips to Whole Foods for holiday provisions), holiday shopping, days at the office, and cozy days off with the family, the cashmere wrap is a warm and elegant that you’ll treasure for years to come. You’ll likely find yourself wearing it every day, so select a color such as black, emerald, or navy that goes with everything.
Warm, stylish gloves
Practical, necessity, and stunning. A good pair of gloves—be they cashmere or leather—are essential for keeping your hands protected from the cold. They’re also guaranteed to make any outfit look more polished. We love the cool collections by the up and coming brand Seymoure, but just about every good label makes a pair of gloves that’ll keep your fingers warm and fashionable.
Lace up boots
Think a fashionable snow boot—something with a bit of a heel, so you can wear them to work and holiday events, but also something totally practical that will get you across your snowy driveway and support your legs as you go about your holiday errands and to do’s. Pair them with tights and a wintery dress, or printed socks and trousers—the lace up boot is your winter sneaker, and it’s dressy enough to wear to casual parties. M. Gemi makes a great pair, but there are tons of amazing options out there. For bonus points, find a pair that’s lined with shearling. Your toes will thank you, and shearling is a classic winter look. If you find a pair in suede or leather or crocodile, these boots can also serve as your footwear for casual winter events (think happy hour dates and holiday celebrations). We also recommend that you invest in an elegant pair of more dressy boots, too, for more formal winter celebrations and events.
The cashmere beanie
Heat escapes through the head, so to make sure that you stay warm all winter long, invest in a fabulous cashmere beanie. Find one that isn’t snug on the head—a slightly oversized beanie is a timeless and adorable look. There’s something endlessly elegant about cashmere, and it’ll keep you looking cool as it warms you. For a timeless, neutral look, find a camel or black beanie. For something a bit more playful, go for something emerald or shell pink. Choose a tone that’s flattering with your coloring. We love pairing cashmere beanies with everything from straight jeans and sneakers to an elegant party dress—the cashmere beanie is a cold weather must have.
Gold jewelry
It’s a season for celebration, so be sure to wear gold every single day. Gold jewelry will turn any winter outfit into a glowing, glamorous ensemble. Think a pair of hoops that you can wear every day (and elevate with jeweled charms), a stack of fabulous gold bracelets, and a cluster of rings. The gold will turn the cool winter blues into a glowing sensation and will keep you looking glamorous. We’re fans of wearing gold jewelry all year long, but there’s something especially warm and fabulous about gold during the winter months.
Patterned tights
There’s no need to put your dresses and skirts away in the winter—simply pair them with patterned or glittery tights (we like the classic Sheertex), and voila—you have elevated, adorable outfits to wear with boots and a great coat. Patterned tights bring an element of interest to any outfit and will keep you looking out together and sophisticated everywhere from the office to dinner to moonlit strolls through your city. Find a great pair of diamond print black tights for work, and slip into a shimmering, glittery pair for evenings out. You can also never go wrong with a sophisticated pin stripe print.
Elevated ear muffs
Evocative of cinematic fantasies, snow-capped ski trips, and winters of decades past, ear muffs are adorable, sophisticated, and utterly elegant. Find a luxurious fur pair of earmuffs—Gucci made an amazing pair for the cold weather—and you’ve got yourself a stunning winter accessory that’ll keep your ears warm and protected and make you look endlessly more ornate than those who surround you. Ear muffs happen to be the perfect accessory for ice skating—but they’re also just great for everyday wear.
The elegant hair accessory
Whether you’re partial to a French hair pin, an oversized scrunchie like those by Atelier de Femmes, a velvet or jeweled headband, or a simple hair clip or claw, and elegant hair accessory is a total necessity. It’ll keep your hair neat and will make any and every winter outfit more stunning. We suggest finding a great claw clip to do your hair half up, half down for day, and investing in a crown-like headband (think gold and jewels or a stunning velvet piece) for evenings out. The elegant hair accessory is your wintertime crown.
The sophisticated handbag
Store your wintertime necessities (a great, strong lip balm, clean snacks, electrolytes, your credit card, CBD mints, hand sanitizing wipes, gum, etc) and everything else that you schleppe around in a stunning, structured handbag. Think something in a bright jewel tone that will make any outfit more celebratory and elegant. Look for a classic, framed bag—it’s a sophisticated must have accessory that you can use long after winter has ended. Find a bag that you can use day to night—wintertime is busy, and we urge you to spend your time celebrating rather than transferring your carry on items from your daytime tote to your evening bag. The perfect bag—think something along the lines of a Vintage Prada number—will make you look polished and amazing all season long.
So there you have it. Winter is about staying warm and cozy, while also incorporating glamorous touches into your outfits, every day and every night, so that you look sophisticated and beautiful all season long. From fuzzy earmuffs to an essential cashmere wrap to a great pair of comfortable shearling boots and, of course, an amazing pair of sunglasses, you’re now ready for everything that may come your way this winter—from long days at the office to lazy days off with the family to seeing your ex at the bar to candlelit dinners with old friends. Each of these accessories will keep you looking and feeling amazing for years to come.
Happy Holidays, and may you accessorize well.
Written by Alexandra Malmed