The sudden plunge into cold over fall break caught many of us in Middletown off guard. With the sun coming out at unexpected times and gusts of wind reminding us that winter is near, dressing for the colder weather transitions can be difficult. The transitions from winter to spring and spring to summer are met by many with more enthusiasm than the summer-to-fall shift we’re currently enduring.

Personally, I always look forward to the temperature drop, ready for an end to the heat and a wardrobe change. Along with many other students navigating the not-too-cold-but-definitely-not-warm climate, I’ve returned to taking precautionary measures against winter diseases and have started to take out my scarves.

Chelsea Abowitz ’15 commented on her favorite transition piece of clothing, a hooded leather jacket.

“I like my leather jacket because it’s not too warm, not wool,” Abowitz said. “But the transition from summer to fall always makes me cry…I don’t like having to wear pants every day.”

Matt Fine ’15, who hails from Florida, admitted to not always knowing how to dress for the weather.

“The fact that the weather is really sporadic right now, between pleasantly cool and really, really cold, is throwing my outfits off a lot,” Fine said.

Mainly sporting American Apparel hoodies under denim jackets, Fine described his colder weather style.

“My favorite transition pieces are probably when I can finally bring out my favorite form of clothing—flannel,” Fine said. “Too much flannel, probably one for every day of the week. I love it so much: so warm, so comforting, so heroin-chic. Perfect.”

Fine concluded that his facial hair is his most important warm accessory.

“The most important aspect of my ensemble is my mustache, which not only makes me look a lot more like ‘Girls’ celebrity Adam Driver, but also keeps my upper lip nice and cozy,” Fine said.

The inevitable return of layering has begun already, with temperatures signaling a colder shift ahead. Layering is often the best solution for weather that seems like it could change at the drop of a hat, or for repurposing pieces otherwise obsolete in this season. Noah Hamlish ’16 is a fan of this fall fashion trick.

“Layering is great because it’s like three outfits in one,” he said.

Natasha Cucullo ’15 considers herself skillful in the art of layering, carrying her summer dresses into fall with a few key pieces.

“I think a fall jacket is very important,” Cucullo said. “I’m a huge fan of jackets. I also have little fingerless gloves that are nice. Tights and just layering shirts over dresses…I just ordered this military jacket, and I’m really excited to wear that because it’s heavy enough but light enough to wear on a day like today.”

Puffy vests from North Face and similar brands are a favorite for some, providing insulation without the overwhelming amounts of fabric that a full coat brings.

“My favorite transition piece is my swimming Patagonia because it represents my school spirit and my rugged love of nature and the finer things in life,” Hamlish said.

Annie Maxwell ’15 has stood out during the colder weeks, donning a bold leopard coat.

“I love my leopard coat: it’s furry and warm,” Maxwell said. “My mom picked it out for me four years ago, and I thought I’d never be caught dead in it…but now every time I wear it I feel like Beyoncé.”

Maxwell added that pretending to be Queen Bey isn’t the only way she plans to keep warm this season.

“I recently got this poncho/shawl/curtain/blanket that is really nice to wrap up and takes zero effort to put on but is very hippie chic,” she said. “I really prefer flow-y summer clothes to the layering of winter clothes, but I really like mixing patterns and textures, [and] it’s a little easier to do that when there’s more layers to clash.”

The full-on winter renders few articles too heavy or too fuzzy. I’m sure that not long after the first snowfall, the cold will become tiresome, but until then I look forward to winter dressing instead of this dance around the cold weather.

As the temperatures drop, students scramble to assemble going-out outfits and begin the saga of party jackets. In Eclectic on Saturday night, the corners of the dance floor were littered with the piles of coats and jackets that become such familiar party staples come winter.

Abowitz had a few tips for dressing for the chilling temperatures when preparing for a night out.

“I like to wear thigh-high socks and boots with my little dresses and then my jacket and just find a safe place to deposit it at the party,” Abowitz said. “I usually don’t wear scarves or hats or gloves because they’re too hard to keep track of.”

Whether dressing in a grunge, bohemian, athletic, or any other style, many Wesleyan students brave the perplexing colder seasons in boots. The sunny cold may be confusing, but this ever-adaptable footwear has the power to bring together style and utility.

“My favorite part about dressing for the cold weather is boots,” Maxwell said. “I love boots. Brown boots, black boots, short boots, tall boots. I have an awesome pair of purple boots…I don’t discriminate.”

I may not always know how to dress during the seasonal shifts, but I can definitely draw inspiration from the Wesleyan students braving the chilling winds around me.