How to master the art of layering

There's one particular scene in an episode of the hit American comedy series Friends, where Joey wears all of Chandler’s clothes at the same time. Why he took it upon himself to dress like a travelling vagabond, is of no consequence now.

However, it does help provide a visual aid of how many of us feel we look, when trying to master the tricky art of layering. But master it we should. Because learning how to layer your clothes is possibly the easiest way to get a hold on the unpredictability of the weather at this time of year.

And actually, to do this with any degree of success, you only really need to focus on three key items of clothing, the first of which should be the thinnest layer. So a long sleeved cotton T-shirt or a henley style top should be your starting point.

open image in gallery

Worn over that should be a sweatshirt to help trap in the warmth, which should then finally be followed by the vastly underrated overshirt; technically neither a shirt or a jacket but a hybrid of both, this is probably one of the handiest and hardworking garments you will ever own.

And with all of the above, its always worth thinking about the fit. What you don't want are clothes that are too big or baggy as your aim is to keep the overall silhouette slim.

Simple, right? Well, yes, that's the point; it works brilliantly. Indeed, the only risky part of all of this is to remember to keep any textures and patterns to a minimum.

When you embark on your layering odyssey, everything is so much easier on the eye if you opt for block colours in neutral tones like greys, blue and khaki. And not only will you handle any fluctuating temperatures with a dash of panache, you won't have to think about digging out your winter coat just yet.