Cool-weather combos: How to wear 1 sweater 3 ways

The wind chill factor in the air is way too real right now; it's time we put our thick, woolly sweaters on heavy rotation! It's not unusual to favour that one sweater over the rest, when the more you wear it the more you realize that it just seems to go with everything. So to help you create some fashion-forward winter looks, here are three ways to take your go-to pullover of the season from a quick errand to brunch with the girls and beyond.

Errands

When you need to make a run to the grocery store, you're naturally grabbing your comfiest and no-fuss pieces out of the closet. Sweatpants are my staple for a quick dash out the house. I go for a tapered fit because the narrowing effect minimizes the frumpiness that straight-legged ones tend to give me. You'll notice a common thing that I do with my sweater: there's always a part of it tucked into a waistband, belt or a bag. The tuck is a little interesting detail that all the fashion "it-girls" add to their looks. On mild-weather days, I reach for a parka because of the ease of throwing one on top. They were all over the runways this season; Balenciaga had a bubble-hemmed number for their fall/winter 2018 collection and the fashion house took extreme layering to another level with them. Style tip: Never shy away from checking out the men's section. This green pair of joggers is from ASOS' plus men's line.

Brunch

After a long week, meeting friends over brunch is always invigorating. Sartorially, you're not restricted to your office dress code (if you work in a corporate environment), which is just as energizing! My go-to when building this look is starting with a pair of mom jeans. I threw on some white boots, which I've been seeing all over my Instagram feed (this wooden ball-heeled pair from Topshop worn by Lily Yange definitely stood out!). In this look, the belt bag serves as your carry-all, and something to create fun tucks and shapes with the sweater.

Beyond

Just because warm weather has passed, that doesn't mean we can't still rock some of our favourite dresses. This is where layering comes in — the trick is to start with lighter pieces and build from there. Hidden in this look is a turtleneck, then a thin shoulder-strapped dress, followed by the sweater. On frigid days, definitely throw on tights to cover your gams and swap the mules for a pair of boots. Unless you're a little rebel in the winter! This skirt has a bit of a billowy effect, but a more form-fitting alternative will work just as well. Don't be afraid to put the belt over the sweater to see if that's an alternative you might like.

Musemo Handahu (@misslionhunter) is multi-faceted fashion creative based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. As a writer she has contributed to The Huffington Post and covered fashion weeks in Toronto for Fashion Magazine and in Johannesburg & Cape Town for Essence Magazine. When not sharing her fearless sense of style, she has used her eye for the cool and buzz worthy to moonlight as a style expert for TV segments and was the stylist for CTV Atlantic's Makeover Monday.