Tips on How to Layer

California’s temperature has many layers, and in order to adjust, you need to put on certain layers as well. To wear layers means to wear several pieces of clothes on top of one another. Layers can both help you feel comfortable and add style to your fashion. 

Essential Clothes & Layers

First, we need to know what some essential clothes and colors for layering are recommended. Angelo Damien, a fashion lover, said, “A basic combo I usually do is a sweater and a shirt under. Neutral colors work great–like what I’m wearing right now: brown, beige, and brown pants. I got a white tee underneath my sweater, with light brown and dark brown colors, and black shoes.” 

Ranzer Roque deepens understanding with colors. “It really just depends on your fashion. Like, if you don’t want to stand out too much, then you could go with monotone or neutral colors. Black, gray, & beige are easy colors [to style], but if you’re more out there, you really could do any color, and then start getting into different shades of that color.

“You also want to start off with a tee–graphic tee, blank tee,” said Roque. “Layer them with sweaters if you want to go more into depth. And you could also layer with vests, sweater vests, zip up vests, puffer jackets. Jackets–like varsity jackets–are really good essentials. Jackets can help bring out your tee. “

Layering with the Weather

Of course, there will be times where you won’t be able to wear what you originally planned to wear because of unexpected weather, so let’s see how to layer with warm temperatures and cold temperatures.

“I usually have a shirt, a button-up, and a big jacket,” said Damien. “For warmer weather, I wear a simple short-sleeve, a button-up, and either black dress pants or shorts.

Chloey Mullens had some other ideas about warm weather layers. “A turtleneck, then sweater, leggings, and then skirt with leg warmers for colder weather,” she said. “Then maybe a beanie or hat.” 

While Roque doesn’t layer much for warm weather, he does have a plan for colder weather. “You’ve got to first find something to style, like a flannel. A flannel goes well with graphic tees, hoodies, much more. There’s also sweater vests and vests in general.” 

Brands to Layer

Don’t know where to buy? No worries! David Espinosa recommends a few brands: “Nike, Calvin Klein, and Target – that’s where I get my stuff.” Target, a department store chain known for almost everything, has been upping its game lately. If you were to walk into Target’s clothing section, you would notice that it’s up to trend, and with fair prices.

For those who are into grunge looks, Mullens said, “Go to Hot Topic especially, but basically go anywhere in the mall that has cute clothes for clothes to layer.”  

If you don’t want to shop with a big budget, you could be like Damien. “I thrift and I usually get clothes from my relatives,” he said. Hand-me-downs are actually really useful if you’re into the older brands or older styles. This comes especially handy for when there’s a trend from the past that you like that isn’t in stores nowadays. 

Roque also thrifts. “I thrift, yeah, but really the main thing is to find your own sense of style,” he said. “There’s a lot of ways to do that. Go on Pinterest.” Pinterest is a great way to explore what you like, and you could find your style by making Pinterest boards filled with the outfits that appeal to you, and outfits that have good layers.

Why Should You Layer?

People have different reasons for the way they dress, or why they layer. Espinosa said, “Layering can show that you know what you’re wearing and you know how to style what you wear. Now, I like dressing comfy, because it’s comfortable, I don’t have to worry about other things, so wear what you want to wear.” 

 “I layer clothes to stand out from others,” said Roque. “The whole reason why you dress well is for yourself, so you might want to layer to be different. Dress for yourself.”