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BY MAYA MARZOUK

In print | Published November 19, 2009

It’s mid-November, and stores all over America are putting up Christmas decorations. Starbucks has its signature winter lattes available again, and we all have coats and scarves in our closets ready and waiting. These closets are — inevitably — filled with a lot of black. After all, black has always been the color for winter.
But not this winter. No, this winter, what’s in is color. From pea coats to boots to cardigans and pullovers, color has taken the place of the bleak browns, grays and blacks that used to dominate winter fashion. And I, for one, could not be happier.

Let’s start with boots. Aside from the recent thigh-high boot trend, it seems that color is making its mark in the shoe world. Take Giuseppe Zanotti’s blue studded suede platform boots, for instance. These shoes are, if you’ll excuse the Anglicism, “bang on trend.” They’re a beautiful cerulean in color, covered in studs, and feature the concealed platform that’s all the rage right now. The only downside to these boots? That’s right. The price tag. These boots are just about $900. And very few college students can afford to spend $900 on boots.

Luckily, for $112 one can get a similar look with the metal studded boots in blue by Woorisin. The color is identical, and they’re both studded, though the Woorisin boots only come up to just above the ankle while the Zanotti boots are knee-high. Red (like the Sam Edelson fringe boots) and purple (like Steve Madden’s Tyller boots) are also very “in” right now color-wise. Basically anything with a splash of color is great in footwear for this winter.
Colored coats, too, seem to be really in this year. From scarlet to mustard yellow to emerald green, pea coats and down jackets alike are appearing with splashes of color.

Vivienne Westwood makes a red wool coat that is absolutely to die for with a $1,145 price tag that may actually make your heart stop. Marc Jacobs, for $660, has a gorgeous purple-and-green checked coat that would update any winter look (and look totally sweet over a dress).

For just over $100, you can have a bright red winter coat a la Vivienne Westwood by Miss Selfridge. For $129, you can have a brown-and-red plaid coat by Victoria’s Secret has a similar shape to the Marc Jacobs version without a similar price.

Another great way to add some color to your winter wear is with scarves. Burberry and Hermes are two top designers who have truly made a name for themselves with scarves; Burberry is famous for its plaid; Hermes for its gorgeous prints and bold patterns. However, they’re both also famous for their ridiculous price tags: Hermes scarves are nearly $400 each, and Burberry scarves go from $200 – $700.

However, a scarf is one of the things that is easy to find cheap: For those of you who can get to NYC, Chinatown always has awesome knock-off scarves. H&M is also a great resource for things like these. On the mid-high end, Coach silk scarves have a similar feel to Hermes, and are only $68 each.

Gloves can also pick up color in the wintertime. Any designer dabbling in gloves is bound to have some colored versions.

On the affordable end, however, I love looking at Macy’s and Loehmann’s (Loehmann’s is actually my personal favorite store because you can always find designer gear for less) because of the variety.

My own purple Prada gloves were discovered in a heap at Loehmann’s and cost $45 dollars last year. Look around; you’ll be surprised how much you can find.

However, the best tip I can give for coloring your winter wardrobe comes from my years growing up as a spoiled Long Island princess. The answer to your black winter worries can be found in one simple word: Sugarlips.
Sugarlips are spandex ribbed tank tops that come in an array of colors for anywhere from $12 – $20, depending on where you find them.

Because they’re spandex (and by definition, ridiculously tight) they work perfectly as a layering tool. And also because they’re spandex, they stretch out to be however long you need them to be. They’re great to peek out from under a long sleeved top and look cute poking out from the top of a button-down. Really, they’re an all purpose accessory.
And the best thing about them is that unlike the colorful boots and the coats and the scarves, they don’t get packed away for summer: You can layer them with each other or under other tanks and T-shirts throughout the rest of the year.
So I hope that if nothing else, I’ve inspired you to put a little bit of the rainbow into your winter wardrobe.
It’s about time we transform winter into as colorful a time for fashion as the rest of the year.

Maya is a first-year. You can reach her at mmarzou1@swarthmore.edu.

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