We already know that the Urban Prairie Girl ruled summer, in her high necks, apron details and ruffles, making “Amish dowdiness seem a provocative fashion choice,” as noted by another writer in The New York Times. But with temperatures already dipping to 40, how will the U.P.G., whose look centers on calico and gingham, acclimate?
Here, five ways she can update the aesthetic of the moment for colder days so that instead of hibernating come winter, she’ll thrive.
Ruffled and Floral Outerwear
Essentially the U.P.G. dress in coat form. Choose your own adventure: Either embrace hyper-femininity by pairing the coat with other frilly and floral pieces, or subvert its saccharine nature by anchoring it with something like combat boots.
Ulla Johnson wool coat with ruffle trim, $1,195 at mytheresa.com; Simone Rocha cotton-poly brocade coat, $1,915 at matchesfashion.com.
Lace-Up and Velvet Boots
If you’re wearing a more traditional coat, make your feet the focal point of your ensemble. Instead of summer’s Birkenstocks and huaraches, reach for low-heeled, lace-up boots that lend an Oregon Trail vibe, or floral velvet ones that feel very Laura Ashley.
Intentionally Blank lace-up patent leather boots, $249 at needsupply.com; Anthropologie printed velvet ankle boots, $148 at anthropologie.com.
The New Textured Purse
That love for earthy bags (wicker baskets, straw totes) doesn’t have to die in winter. Just swap those materials for ones that feel more seasonally appropriate, like macramé cross-bodys and shearling shoppers. (Shearling in particular will make a U.P.G. dress more fashion forward, less farmers’ market.)
Barneys New York shearling patchwork tote, $450 at barneys.com; Ulla Johnson tasseled leather bag, $695, shopbop.com; Numero 10 shearling bag, $581 at farfetch.com.
Open Layers
U.P.G. dresses often have high necks and long sleeves, so winterizing them with the old layer-a-turtleneck-underneath move doesn’t really make sense. Instead, reach for a shawl sweater that provides real warmth while still showing off a punchy printed frock.
Goodnight Macaroon cotton-blend cardigan, $128 at goodnightmacaroon.co.
Top It Off
When it’s just too cold to do the dress-and-tights thing (maybe it’s a leggings-under-jeans kind of morning?), ditch the U.P.G. dress in favor a U.P.G. top. Batsheva, a label wholly committed to prairie, has good ones to pair with vintage denim, but this velvet number would also keep you snug on polar vortex days.
From left: Shushu/Tong velvet top, $475 at shopbop.com; Batsheva ruffle-neck cotton blouse, $225 at matchesfashion.com; LoveShackFancy openwork knit sweater, $325 at shopbop.com.
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