Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's Genius Layering Trick

When it comes to layering, the strategy is often pegged to function (a.k.a. being as warm as possible, ASAP). That usually involves piling as many sweaters and jackets as will fit under our coats. But Rosie Huntington-Whiteley may have found a brilliant trick for streamlined layering, and it's as simple as adding a belt.

One of the undisputed champions of airport style, Huntington-Whiteley sported an all-black ensemble Friday that isn't just another great travel outfit. The model stuck to sophisticated staples, including one of her favorite jet-set pieces— the blazer. Instead of wearing it as a jacket, Huntington-Whiteley secured it high at the waist with a leather belt. This add-on create structure and silhouette out of a softer, open-front blazer style, and also brings some polish to the getup.

It's a simple but useful lesson in new ways to belt your workwear — why not step up your Monday using items you already own? We're not sure where Huntington-Whiteley was headed weather-wise, but she just gave all of us buried under a few feet of snow on the East Coast an easy way to keep our many, many layers under control.

Fastening your base layer in place, à la Huntington-Whiteley, will also come in handy when you get inside and need to shed all those layers: Normally, when you've yanked on the wrong garment, you end up stuck in a coat/puffer/cardigan trap of your own doing. The whole undressing dance will go a lot more smoothly with some savvy belting. (Plus, it prevents these pieces from shifting uncomfortably or, worse, leaving a little bit of skin exposed to the cold.) Take off the coat, and your put-together belted ensemble will be ready to go.

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