How to Style a Sweater Dress

Whoever looked at an oversized sweater and thought, "This would make a cute dress," was right on the money. Sweater dresses make perfect outfits for colder seasons in colder climates. They keep you warm as everything around you freezes. And they are so cute.

Since that's the case, how can you choose and style a sweater dress of your own? Here are some tips for putting together adorable sweater dress outfits.

Two Kinds of Sweater Dresses

If you do not yet have a sweater dress, you should know there are two basic sweater dress cuts: fit-and-flare and sheath. The sheath dress cut clings to your form until the dress ends. The fit-and-flare dress design is tighter on top and flares out in the skirt, often with a bit of extra material in the skirt so that it spins out when you turn around. Whatever style of sweater dress you choose or if you already have one, all of these combinations will be great!

Two Kinds of Shoes

One element of choosing a sweater dress and making sweater dress outfits is the footwear. While you can, of course, wear anything you'd like, women's boots seem to make the best match with sweater dresses. They are both made for colder weather, so it does make sense. Within the fabulous combination of boots and sweater dresses, there are two main styles of boots that look great. One is tall boots. We are talking boots that reach to your knee or even over your knee. Very tall. The other is ankle boots with tights. Tights look great when they match your boot color, but there are a few fun outfits you can put together with patterned tights. More on that later!

Colorful Creations

If you are a colorful girl, a fun sweater dress in a good color can be a great way to spice things up! Wine red and dark pine green are classic wintery colors that people of all complexions can wear. Pair your red or green sweater dress with black tights and black ankle boots. You could also opt for knee-high boots in black or a warm brown. Add a plaid scarf for women that sports a line or two of your sweater dress color. If you prefer a lighter color, brown boots with a light pink sweater dress will make a sweet combination.

Simply Elegant Looks

If, on the other hand, you are more of a monochrome lover with a preference for classy neutrals, those same brown knee-high boots with a white or cream sweater dress would look great. Add a matching beanie to complete the picture. You could also pair this sweater dress with black knee-high boots or the black tights with black ankle boots for a more intense winter contrast. For another fun addition, add a black leather jacket to give a little attitude to the softness of the sweater dress. Conversely, if you like the boots but not the opposition of tone, opt for a gray or ash brown sweater dress, with or without the leather jacket. There are even some more casual styles of sweater dress you could wear with heavy-duty snow boots in case you need some extra grip when walking about after a recent storm. It's an outfit that is functional and cute! Perfect!

Zany Pattern Combos

The leather jacket may have gotten us a little attitude, but if you are a person who likes to make a fashion statement, patterns are definitely great attention-getters. Many sweater dresses have knitted patterns for texture, but some are patterned all over. There are cute tribal-type prints and other designs that recall some of the gorgeous quilting patterns. These dresses are perfect for a semi-casual wintery day. If you have a bolder dress, go with black tights and black or brown boots. You can even pull darker colors from your dress's pattern. The idea is to let your awesome dress stand out while being fully supported by subtler footwear. If you'd rather put together an outfit with an emphasis on your legs, consider matching a neutral-colored sweater dress with the same color ankle boots, then choosing colored or patterned tights to draw the eye. A great example of this would be a black dress with black ankle boots. Choose bold red tights for a fun color or sheer black tights with a polka dot pattern, or a lacey design for a show-stopping outfit. Both combinations leave you free to express a little style of your own with the classic sweater dress and boots ensemble. Play it up!