Mellow Yellow

It must be the winter-induced sensory deprivation. Or could it be the resort collections tempting us with dreams of the beach? Perhaps the slightly longer daylight hours remind us that one day it will again be warm and sunny. Whatever the reason, a dash of yellow feels like a welcomed addition to your wardrobe right now. Glorious yellows are popping up everywhere, from light citrine, to bright daffodil, or warm goldenrod, beautifully captured here by brilliant London-based interior stylist Twig Hutchinson. In any shade, a vibrant pop of yellow is guaranteed to brighten the most drab winter ensemble and, along with it, your mood. From an unexpected outerwear accent, like a scarf, to your outfit's center stage in a dress, top, cardigan or sweater. For smaller doses, or if you prefer yellow away from the face, try it in a bag, thin belt, ring or watch face. A print can soften the bold effect, like in this brocade dress, embroidered top, or tunic. Plan ahead for your warm weather wardrobe with a butter-toned trench, or an airy beach dress. Remember, a little goes a long way: Just one yellow piece will do. Mix it with darker neutrals now, like charcoal, mocha, or olive green; and lighter ones later, like ivory, Robin's egg blue, or light grey. Seasonal affective disorder doesn't stand a chance.

Stay Puffed

Once the temperatures dip below zero, where it's been for about a week with no end in sight, the puffer coat is one of the smartest outerwear options. To avoid looking like you're wearing a giant duvet, or being mistaken for a marshmallow man, go for styles that have a belted or fitted waist. Details like a pillow collar, figure-flattering ruching or an A-line shape help balance out the volume innate to a quilted coat. Go beyond basic black with shades of brown, grey, or olive. Fight the winter doldrums with lighter shades of ivory, beige, or even a shot of color like red. Guys, try the urban parka look. Found at a range of price points, from styles designed for seriously cold Swedish winters, to those for more moderate climes and budgets. The goal is retro-cool: think Jimmy from Quadrophenia. Ladies, stick with sleeker cut parkas paired with more feminine elements to avoid looking like a carbon copy of Marge from the movie 'Fargo.' Fortunately, you don't have to sacrifice style to stay warm this winter.

The Earl Of Cardigan

The cardigan sweater is no doubt a hero of the season. Quite unlike it's notorious namesake, James Thomas Brudenell, the 7th Earl of Cardigan who seems to have been sort of a twit, most infamous for leading the tragic Charge of the Light Brigade. Despite all of his alleged character flaws, we must thank him for inventing the "button jacket." (Which begs the question, how did they do up their jackets before?) Beyond the battlefield, the cardigan is universally useful and, with so many renditions to choose from, universally flattering. Functionally, a cardigan adds warmth, of course. But you can also infuse interest and dimension into pretty basic pieces by layering one on. A cardi can reshape or define your silhouette and can be worn in many different ways. Belt it to add a waist, or simply button it at your waist to give it more definition. Keep them fitted. A sleek open cardigan streamlines floaty or voluminous pieces and gives you sleeves on sleeveless dresses, tops and tunics you want to keep wearing despite the chilly weather. Forge ahead with your own collection.

From Russia With Love

After such a mild and sunny November, it's hard to believe that bleak, cold, dark winter is basically minutes away. Besides Vitamin D supplements, lots-o-caffeine, and a requisite warm climate escape, how are we to cope? Look to the experts. Those clever Russian peasants, with their vast experience in the harsh realities of winter, figured out how to counteract the dreariness of it all with their amazingly colorful textiles and boldly painted folk art. A current exhibit of Matryoshka: The Russian Nesting Doll at The Museum of Russian Art is a great example. Who knew there were so many different styles of Matryoshka? Who knew they were called Matryoshka? We can imitate their coats of many colors. Or at least throw on a colored scarf - er, around the neck, not on the head, unless you're going for the full babushka look. Layering not only to keeps you warm, but brings a range of colors to the same outfit. Another lesson from these vibrantly dressed dolls (and people) is to not worry too much about matching. Just go for a variety of hues, even patterns, that compliment and enrich each other. A stylish way to end the cold war.

Chains of Love

The holidays are a time to turn up the bling, sparkle and bauble factor. This year, one of the easiest ways to do so is to simply pile on multiple necklaces - preferably long and varied. This look lends itself well to the season and to hiding the fact that you may be wearing the same dress you wore to last year's round of parties. Coco Chanel knew how to wear simple outfits with as much jewelry as possible, combining real with faux, claiming that no one could tell the difference. And really, who cares which is which? It's the overall effect that works the style impact, not how much you paid for it. Even en masse, pearls alone can feel a bit too serious, so try combining chains of various glitter quotients, metals and lengths. Longer is more lengthening, and adds definition to a simple, monochrome tunic or top. You can find this multi-strand look almost anywhere now, at all price points. And not just for holiday parties. Try it on a regular day as an easy, uplifting update.

Tiers of Joy

Lately, there's been a deluge of every day pieces with the whimsical addition of cascading tiers. Like the now ubiquitous ruffle, on overdrive. Feminine, fun and super flattering when the layers hit or float away at the right places. The effect works well in coats like these from MM Couture, Dorothy Perkins or even Target; or in dresses from Chloé, Bailey 44 or Camilla and Marc, which is actually more of a top. Tiers add dimension to a t-shirt and curves to otherwise straight skirts from Twelve by Twelve or Temperley London. They define a waist in this dress from Maeve and top from Seven For All Mankind. Of course, it goes without saying, our leader in the current mass market frill revival (with just enough irony), J Crew, has many a tiered item this season. From everyday tops to, quite possibly the closest thing to the tiered-wedding-cake-like inspiration for the whole effect, an actual wedding gown. To avoid seeming overly frou-frou, it helps to keep the rest of your outfit fairly basic with structure and clean lines.

Falling For Fall Nail Color

In the late summer, I indulged myself in what I thought was going to be just one last pedicure before the long months of socks, boots and closed-toe everything. Little did I know that I would be completely won over by one little nail polish from SpaRitual's Fall/Winter 2009 Forbidden collection. It was the color that had me at hello. It's called Mystic - sometimes it looks taupe, others mauve-ish, others almost mocha-brown. A hard to describe color only matched by how perfect it is for this season, when anything too beachy or bright is just a sad reminder of our upcoming hibernation. To top it all off, the entire SpaRitual line of nail lacquers is vegan and has none of those toxic-sounding additives found in most nail polishes (like DBP, formaldehyde and toluene). All the more reason to schedule an off-season pedicure.