How I wear velvet

Velvet is everywhere and it has been for a while. From skirts, shirts, dresses and shoes: if you can paste a piece of velvet touch fabric onto it, or use it to make it, it seems someone is doing it. And it’s not just black velvet either. Oh no, it has started to come out in many different colors. From pink, bottle green to blue: I have a few items that I already had in my wardrobe that I thought I would style up. Because velvet, being such a rich fabric, can be difficult to style up. Here’s how I would wear velvet clothing items.

The Skirt

Shirt | H&M
Skirt | H&M
Shoes | Asos

I think the easiest way to wear velvet is to go with a skirt. It is easy to dress up or dress down. Pair it with a cropped top and it looks instantly casual, or wear it with a blouse and you can wear this to more formal occasions. This velvet skirt in particular is one that works well as it is very plain and has a straight cut to it. I love pairing pink with blacks as I find they go well together and add something sweet to something more bold.

The Shoes

Sweater | &Other Stories
Jeans | Cheap Monday
Shoes | Asos

If you dare to make more of a statement, then going with a pair of velvet shoes will be the way to go. These blue velvet ones are one of the best finds I ever did. I always get compliments when I wear them. While blue and velvet, because they are on your feet, it’s a statement but it isn’t as noticeable as some of the other options I am showing you today. Because they are blue, these shoes are still very wearable. I like wearing it with other blues to compliment each other. However, these also work with a black/ white monochromatic outfit and add a great deal of texture to an otherwise not so special outfit.

The Jacket

Jacket | ZARA
Shirt | H&M
Jeans | Topshop
Shoes | Nike

Another step up the daring scale is this ZARA jacket. It is a navy velvet bomber jacket that I bought last year. It also has an embroidered appliqué on the back of a floral still life. Combined with the sports lux details on the jacket, this is one that you need to make the center piece of your outfit. So I like toning down the rest of the outfit. Paired with greys and complimentary blues, this jacket truly becomes the focus of the outfit and it keeps you nice and warm.

The Shirt

Shirt | H&M Trend
Jeans | Topshop
Shoes | Asos

On to an item that I absolutely love, but that I really should wear more. The problem is that it is very impractical. The fabric is quite thick that you don’t want to layer any jackets or cardigans over it, but the short sleeve make this quite cold. So while not an everyday piece, this is one that I like to whip out on more special occasions. There are many velvet shirts out right now and while great, it is also a bit too much of a throwback to the 90s for me. That is why I like this one: it has a boxy fit and a baroque style print that make this shirt a little more modern and special.

The Dress

Dress | New Look
Shoes | Dr. Marten’s

The ultimate way to go all out if you want to wear velvet is by wearing a velvet dress. I have owned this New Look number for years (I wore it to my 2013 Research Master graduation!) and I still pull this out every winter. It is quite warm because of the 3/4 length sleeve, but it also has a very flattering shape to it. This is a classic skater dress and it has a scooped neckline that I love. Velvet dresses are another item that is around in abundance and I actually purchased a ZARA number that is a velvet green wrap dress that I hope to wear to my work’s Christmas party next week.

How do you wear velvet?