There are a lot of fashion “rules” that I don’t particularly like, not wearing white in the winter is one of them. My wardrobe is largely based on monochrome and neutral shades with colour being weaved in through accessories and a few printed or patterned shirts. For me, cutting white, or any other neutral for that matter, out of my wardrobe for an entire season doesn’t only seem a little silly but would also make getting dressed that bit harder. It also means that I revert to an almost all-black wardrobe and whilst that is fine, and an all-black outfit is still my happy place, it doesn’t really accurately reflect my style.

Over the past few winters I have been getting a little braver with incorporating the lighter shades in my wardrobe all year around. Instead of packing away my white jeans they have remained firmly within my rotation and I’ve been loving the added touch of variety that they have been adding to my wardrobe. They’ve opened up a whole lot of outfit opportunities and I love the way that they stand out and make more of a statement at this time of the year than they do in the spring and summer when they are usually worn. There are a few ways that I have been incorporating brighter shades into my outfits and keeping everything looking on-trend and modern.

The easy ways to include white: One of the easiest ways to include more white in your winter outfits is to swap out your usual black or blue denim for white. My white jeans are a skinny cut and I find these best as I don’t have to contend with chilly like with a straight or wide-leg cut so they still work well in the colder months. Swapping out any of the darker colours for lighters shades works well, also think shirts, blazers, and roll neck jumpers. Keep the other colours darker and you wont look out of place.

Introducing other light shades: Mixing in other light but neutral shades is a great way to create a cohesive look. Including bright pastels can leave you looking like you’re a little too eager for spring but incorproating camels, browns and light greys gives a contemporary finish to an outfit that is still classic and simple.

Embrace monochrome & clashing: Embracing the clashing of black and white or heading out in head-to-toe white makes the whole process of including winter whites much easier. A black roll neck with white denim and black boots is one of my favourite looks at this time. While throwing on a chunky white knit with a camel coat is another of my favourite looks. I find steering away from structured shirts and going for slightly off-white shades helps to stop this from looking too clinical.

Stay warm: Unlike their darker counterparts, white denim tends not to be quite as warm. The same can be said for blazers and some knitwear which was designed for when the weather is slightly warmer. To overcome this pick up some skin coloured thermals and you wont have a problem. Investing in some nude leggings to wear under my white denim has helped me to get so much more wear out of them this winter and the lighter thermal tops have helped me to get more wear out of white blouses without showing through.

Styling your favourite white items in the winter can seem a little daunting and take you outside of your comfort zone, it certainly did for me. But once I started to employ these tips and just not care about what others thought I enjoyed the added touch of variety that I now had in my wardrobe. Styling different neutral and white tones has been one of my favourite things to do this winter and I plan on continuing all the way through to the spring.