Making summer clothes work below 60 degrees

Sydney Shuler | Staff Writer

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Are you one of those people who flips their closet as soon as the wind blows too cold, or the sun shines a little brighter? Don’t you consider the possible ‘fits? Here’s some secrets how to finesse shorts and tank tops in sweater weather.

First tip:

There isn’t anything that can’t be warmed up and made seasonally stylish. Keep an array of jackets – denim, bombers, fleeces, trench coats, fleeces, windbreakers, etc. They can easily take your summer outfit to a fall one. “My oversized distressed jean jacket and my oversized camo jacket can definitely be worn year-round,” said sophomore Tylin Welch. There is great strength in layers, so play with different combinations of long sleeves and t-shirts, tank tops and sweaters, or tank tops and tees with your choice of jacket.

Second tip:

Warm on the bottom and cool on the top. Pants and a warm-weather top, or vice versa, can make for a comfy feel on days where it isn’t too hot or too cold outside. The weather at Hampton is far from normal, so some of the usual rules of dress do not apply. “I’ll wear summer clothes in the winter if I can layer it well, but if it’s a halter top, then I won’t,” says Welch. So, stop dressing for a blizzard in the morning and regretting it when the afternoon sun turns your ‘fit into a toaster oven.

Third tip:

Use your shoes! Close-toed shoes are the one article of clothing that can be worn unapologetically, all year-round. “I’ve got enough sneakers for every day of the year,” said sophomore Nyjil Thomas. You can never go wrong with a pair of sneakers, but different types of shoes can change the entire look and feel of your outfit. In the summer, you may wear jeans, a t-shirt and sandals; but that same outfit can easily be flipped for the fall or winter with a pair of boots.

Take those summer clothes out from whatever dusty and neglected shelf you put them on, and get creative. Who knows? Your summer clothes just might give your winter clothes the dash of sun that they’ve been so desperately needing.