Aprés-ski essentials
Chalet chic spells chunky sweaters, plaid shirts,
Whether you’re a city slicker or planning to head to local ski hills every chance you get, the chalet chic look, in all its shearling-trimmed, Fair-Isles-weater glory, is one of this winter’s biggest fashion trends. “It’s an active look that doesn’t require much athletic skill,” laughs Lisa Tant, Holt Renfrew’s vice-president, fashion editor, a self-described “terrible skier who’s quite skilled in the après-ski look.”
But before you throw on a bulky parka and slip into your saggy Ugg boots, take heed of a few words of advice to get the look right.
“The overall chalet chic look is an elevated take on traditional cosy and comfy cabin-wear pieces,” says Heather Hopkins, director of public relations at Gap Inc.
While warm, textured knits and wools are key, Tant notes that how you style the pieces makes the difference between looking like a sloppy ski bum and a stylish ski bunny. “If you’re not on an actual ski hill, don’t go overboard with chunky knit leg warmers, for example,” she says. “You want to capture the essence of the look, not appear like you wandered off a ski hill.”
After you’ve swapped your cashmere leggings for a pair of jeans, pay attention to your overall silhouette. “The secret to pulling off this look is proportion,” advises Hopkins. “When layering, it’s important that the full look is styled proportionally.”
Tant agrees: “Have one bulky layer, generally a chunky sweater, and then make sure everything else is sleek.” For instance, pair skinny jeans with an oversized, patterned sweater, a boyfriend-fit Vneck cashmere sweater, or a fitted puffer coat.
“It’s not easy to layer pieces that are too boxy or cropped,” Hopkins adds, “so avoid sweaters in this shape and instead, balance oversized statement pieces with more tailored pieces.”
Don’t forget to play with textures, too. Sure, cosy winter fashion is primarily about warm wools, rich tweeds, faux fur and cosy cable knits, but try mixing and matching fabrics for a more modern, urban take on the chalet chic trend.
Tant suggests juxtaposing a chunky sweater with ultra-sleek leggings tucked into boots, or balancing a padded jacket with an oversized knit hat. Hopkins goes one step further, adding a statement necklace to a cashmere sweater for a more glitzy look, or, for men, styling wool pants with a classic oxford shirt, car coat and leather driving gloves.
It may sound like you need a lot of new pieces to get this look, but if you’re on a budget, affordable updates include streamlined turtlenecks (for layering under more basic sweaters, à la Celine runway), skinny jeans or leggings, and a new scarf (Tant suggests patterned styles for men and fur or faux fur for women). Wallet-friendly cable-knit hats and gloves are also relatively easy to find. If you’ve got a bit more to spend, invest in shearling booties (or anything shearling-trimmed, really), high-quality cashmere knits, a statement sweater such as Stella McCartney’s already-iconic plaid style, and a sleek puffer jacket. “These are timeless winter essentials,” reasons Tant, “so if you invest in quality, you will have them forever — a smart Moncler ski jacket will last for years.”
A final word of advice from Tant for looking chalet chic this season: “Remove the chair lift tags from your jacket zippers!”