I find that in winter, I lose my sartorial mojo a bit. I feel the cold acutely, and most of the time I am focussed on keeping myself warm, rather than looking good. I tend to pile on thermal underwear, woolly socks and thick jumpers, which keep me toasty but make me look a bit like a bag lady.

 

 

I have been trying to come up with a fashion direction that I can channel in the colder months to stop me from slipping into a pattern of wearing jeans and sweaters every single day.

 

Sometimes, on the coldest days, you need a little bit of magical inspiration to keep you on the right track, clothing-wise.

 

 

For this reason, I decided to delve into the world of Harry Potter style. In the films and the books, the characters always seem to be rugged up against the cold because a. the story is set in the chilly English countryside and b. Hogwarts is set up in a giant stone castle with very few modern conveniences. Therefore, I thought that Harry Potter would be the perfect theme for some of my winter outfits.

 

 

If you are wanting to experiment with the Harry Potter look, here are some elements that you can mix and match into your winter wardrobe:

– Knitted jumpers are the cornerstone of this look. Choose jumpers that feature bright colours or stripes, shapes worked into the front panel or chunky patterns. It is even better if you can find some hand-knitted sweaters, as these have a more homely look a la Mrs Weasley’s home made jumpers.

 

– Scarves are a very important accessory. Choose chunky woollen scarves with tassels, bright colours, interesting patterns and colour combinations. If you are feeling particularly crafty, you could try knitting yourself a scarf using one of the house colours. If you are feeling brave and courageous, try burgundy and gold for Gryffindor. If you are on the sweet, loyal side, you could try black and yellow for Hufflepuff. Intellectual types should stick to the Ravenclaw colours of blue and bronze and crafty, scheming individuals should subscribe to the Slytherin motif of green and silver.

 

– Crazy hats work brilliantly with this look. You could go for a knitted beanie with ear flaps like Ron, Wear a tasselled velvet cap like Dumbledore or a tartan hat a la Professor McGonnagal.

– Layering has never been more important. Wear a couple of different sweaters or long-sleeved tops and then add a couple of shawls and scarves around your shoulders and hips and in your hair for a look that is slightly reminiscent of Professor Trelawney. Just remember to leave the cooking sherry in the cupboard.

– Channel Luna Lovegood with accessories made out of everyday objects. Make a necklace of paperclips or corks and thread small vegetables onto earrings.

– Look for magical jewellery featuring stars, fairies, planetary symbols, runes and tarot themes. Large rings with roughly cut stones are also a great choice.

 

– Cover up with a warm cape, in a wool or velvet fabric.

– Shoes should be comfortable and functional, never impractical. Choose sneakers or warm boots.

 

– Fur, whether faux or real, works perfectly with this theme, just as Hagrid.

 

– Wear socks as a feature piece in your outfit. Choose striped or patterned socks and pull them up over leggings and a short skirt or shorts.

– Choose garments that are slightly mismatched and wear them together for that “wizard masquerading as a muggle” look.

 

– Finish off your outfit with a pair of spectacles.