Photo by Priscilla Hernandez

“… a great lady, taller than any woman that Edmund had ever seen. She also was covered in white fur up to her throat and held a long straight golden wand in her right hand and wore a golden crown on her head. Her face was white—not merely pale, but white like snow or paper or icing-sugar, except for her very red mouth.” —from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

When the air starts to turn crisp, the leaves fall, and the sun vanishes for long periods behind gray clouds, it’s easy to lose the inspiration to dress as your most magical self.

Soft hoodies and fleece leggings call to be worn under cozy blankets while sipping hot chocolate. But just because winter weather presents some challenges to enchanted dressing doesn’t mean there aren’t options for the discerning modern witch or fairy!

The best place to embrace a fae style in your winter clothing is undoubtedly a warm coat. We recommend you look for one in a rich, bold color that makes you stand out against the harsh elements! Look for embroidery, velvet, and faux fur trim for an extra dose of magic. A little silver embroidery across a dark wool coat can go a long way. If you’re feeling especially bold, you might even try a cloak instead of a coat. Cloaks are incredibly warm, and you really can’t beat them for drama.

Winter is the time to embrace contrasts in your clothes. Pair wool with lace, a fuzzy sweater with a skirt of sheer layers, or velvet pants with a filmy top. Color-wise, think particularly about employing colors that pop against each other, like red on white. (Picture the White Witch’s mouth on her pale face.) You can also try throwing in an unexpected color—like bright pink—to shake things up a bit!

With jewelry, it’s always tempting to go for all silver and clear or white stones like quartz, moonstone, and diamonds. This kind of jewelry recalls the shimmering snow, the bare trees, and the storms of the winter season. We’d recommend looking for pieces that incorporate branches to increase that effect. That said, don’t snooze on gold at this time of year—as the White Witch demonstrates, a golden wand and crown can be quite striking too.

Lastly, it’s hard to get around the fact that winter commonly means you have to break out your heavy boots. But even boots can contain a spark of enchantment. Seven-league boots aren’t a staple of fairy-tale clothing for nothing! Look for a pair that have a little something special to them—maybe it’s a pretty design sewn into their sides or a flash of color in the lining. If you have lace-up boots, you might consider swapping out the plain black or brown laces for something more fanciful. If none of those options work, a pair of fun, warm socks can really perk up your mood too.

In winter extremes, you might be tempted to throw on any old thing as long as it’s warm—but that doesn’t have to be your only option. Finding small ways to add a little magic to your cozy outfits can make a big difference when you’re facing the gloomy skies of winter!

Note: The line “cloaked in silver frost” appears in Lorraine Schein’s poem “To Chione,” published in the Winter Solstice 2018 issue of Eternal Haunted Summer.