Shedding light on winter pastels

*Click the images to enlarge. If you repost these photos please provide proper credit to West Coast Aesthetic and Lydia Yekalam for photography, thank you! xo

Pastels have been dubbed the spring must-have but it’s time we start talking about their importance in the winter months. In the winter the days are shorter and darker and as much as I love my monochrome, winter is the ideal time of year to experiment with color and brighten up your wardrobe.

Pastels used to frighten me because I couldn’t find shades that complimented my (then) platinum blonde hair and pale skin without completely washing me out. Thankfully, I’ve since discovered Jergens self tanner and a range of pastel shades that make a positive statement in my outfit.

A surprising discovery of pastel that I had yet to dabble in was lavender – while I’m a fan of purple as a color, I seldom owned purple garments while in my twenties. It wasn’t until I laid eyes on this lavender pullover sweater from Nordstrom that made me swoon. Not only was the color stunning but so was the style – I loved the faux fuzz/fur appearance and the mock neck detailing. I should also mention it’s one of the comfiest tops I own! For such a simple sweater it really makes a statement. For styling, it can go with anything! But one of my favorite ways to incorporate this sweater into a look is with other cozy layers such as knits and cotton.

In this look, I’ve paired my cozy sweater with my go-to pair of charcoal knit Forever21 pants. From head to toe I feel as though I’m in pajamas in this look due to its comfort.

For shoes, to dress up the look and make me feel a little less like I’m wearing pajamas, I am wearing my studded Halogen heels. This outfit can immediately pass off as a date night or work appropriate look with the heels.

Accessorizing was made easy with this outfit because I knew just the perfect statement necklace to compliment my sweater. Mock neck sweaters are ideal for wearing a necklace because they don’t hide a necklace like an ordinary turtleneck or cowl neck sweater would. My Nordstrom necklace with lavender and ivory adds some feminine sparkle to my outfit all while accenting the color of my sweater.