5 Layering Ideas for Soft Fabric Without Bulk
Soft fabric is the best thing to be wearing when the heating’s broken and it’s drizzling sideways outside. The trouble starts when you need to leave the house in it. Velour and fleece have a bit of body to them already, so throw a knit and a winter coat on top and the whole lot can feel like wearing a duvet. Getting it right is less about the soft piece itself and more about what’s going on around it.
Go Thin Underneath
What you wear next to the skin makes a bigger difference than you’d expect. A lot of people pull on a thick ribbed top first, and then wonder why the velour over it looks lumpy, but the ribs show straight through soft fabric. A smooth, fine long-sleeved top is a much better base. If it’s a milder day, a vest that sits close to the body is fine too.
Loose base layers cause their own problems. The extra material bunches up under the arms and round the waist. A snug fit underneath lets everything drape properly. Thin running thermals are great for this, and they keep you surprisingly warm for how little there is to them.
Leave the Zip Undone
A hoodie zipped up to the neck adds a lot of width across the chest. Unzipping it changes the look quite a bit, because the two front edges hang down in straight lines and make you look taller.
Something plain under it works best, and a simple fitted tee is hard to beat. Velour hoodies look really good worn open, since the soft edges hang well and have a slight sheen to them. There’s a handy side to it too. On a stuffy train, you can let some air in without having to peel off a whole layer in front of everyone.
Swap the Puffer for Something Lighter
Big padded coats are the biggest culprit. Put one over a soft hoodie and suddenly the arms are so puffed up that reaching for your oyster card feels like hard work. A thinner coat sorts most of that out. An unlined mac or a light shacket covers you for most of autumn, and when it gets bitter, a slim quilted gilet keeps the warmth round your middle where you need it.
Even a thin coat needs some space in the shoulders, mind. If it’s tight, it crushes the soft layer and pulls across your back whenever you lift your arms. Sizing up in the coat can help a lot. A plain trench in beige or navy works with velour hoodies and looks tidy enough for a day in town.
Only Have One Loose Bit
Outfits look heavy when everything in them is oversized. A big plush top worn with baggy wide trousers turns into one shapeless block, which isn’t flattering on anybody. Keeping one half of the outfit relaxed and the other half a bit neater helps a lot.
A loose soft top with straight or slimmer trousers looks balanced. If the trousers are the comfy, wide part, a top with a closer fit evens it out. It’s the same way most people already wear chunky jumpers, so it isn’t anything new.
Mix Up the Lengths
Layers that all finish at the same spot pile up into a thick ring of fabric round the hips. Varying the hem lengths stops that from happening. A hoodie that’s a touch cropped, with a longer tee peeking out from under it, looks a lot lighter.
A long, fine cardigan over a shorter soft top does the reverse and gives you one long line down the body. It only works if the cardigan is thin, though, as a heavy knit just adds more bulk. Cropped velour hoodies sit at the waist and look good with high-waisted trousers. Tucking a small bit of the front hem into the waistband and leaving the back out shows off the waist without anything feeling tight.
