Bon Appétit

WORDS by MILLA HIRSCH PHOTOS by FRANCES CARLSON ART by CLAIRE TOLLES

This winter, Santa Barbara temperatures hit new lows, allowing students to break out their cold-weather gear.

Santa Barbara fashion is infused with flip-flops and jean shorts year-round.

“I love to have comfort in the wintertime,” said eighth-grader Ginger Finney.

Puffer jackets, notably North Face, dominate this fashion season. Ginger says she loves “the timeless big puffy ones.”

Other items often accompany the puffer look, including trendy shirts and tank tops. “It’s good to layer, especially if it gets hot,” Ginger said.

A popular accoutrement to the look is new styles of knitwear. “I love Paloma Wool,” said senior Paloma McKean.

Brands like Paloma Wool and House of Sunny have turned knitwear into trendy pieces with lots of color and patterns. Navy, black, and beige are winter’s classic colors, but sage green made a pivotal appearance this year. “I wear a lot of blues,” Paloma said. “I don’t wear very bright colors in the winter.”

Ginger likes darker colors; “darker greens or tan,” are some of her favorites this season.

Green isn’t the only color to make its debut this winter. While brown was once unpopular, now it is “embraced on runways and in street style alike,” according to Vogue, and popular on most teen-clothing destinations and among countless media influencers.

Winter fashion in this town is more of a mindset than a necessity; it’s a lively time of year to experiment outside of one’s comfort zone.