This shearling lined suede clutch marries an easy, tuck-under-your-arm shape with a plush, luxurious texture.

1. Veronica Beard dress,
2. Topshop faux fur vest,
3. Topshop shearling clutch,
4. Jimmy Choo,

Over the weekend, a good friend and I were going over our fall shopping checklists and she crossed off the fur vest, explaining it was not worth the closet real estate. I'd beg to differ, particularly with this example, which would work over a silk blouse, under an army jacket or a pea coat. And it nails the season's boho spirit.

I'm obsessed with 's clever take on the faux fur vest. Since it's backless, it adds warmth without heft! Perfect for layering under jackets or over lightweight sweaters.

Introducing the next act in the layering movement: vests over dresses. Suddenly, I am seeing this look everywhere, and, in my opinion, it's a styling trick worth trying out, particularly when summer-to-fall's transitional weather ping pongs in. To pull it off perfectly, you have to counterbalance the oversize menswear-like vest with a soft, feminine dress (or blouse and skirt). Here are some vests to consider by , , , , , and .

It actually cooled down in LA the other night just enough for me to bust out my new faux fur citron-hued . Yes, I already own more fur vests than is practical or even sane, especially in LA, but this layering staple is so easy to justify, with its ability to be worn under my army and moto jackets and over filmy dresses and, well, really just about anything, as demonstrated in the pics above and below (note how they're worn in both warm and cold climates). Plus, the citron color is so different, so unexpected, so not like seasons past. Just so good! Spurred by my pat-myself-on-the-back-enthusiam (and in the wake of compliments I received the other night!), I sought out a few more furry, fresh-looking vests, like this and this from Dorothy Perkins, both so tempting (and inexpensive!), along with these plush guys from , , and . Love and desire them all!

This past week, I did a quick ski trip to the Sierras with my family and forgot to pack....my ski jacket. Luckily, my husband had an extra, which I borrowed. The oversize jacket effect was very snowboarder on skis, and since I have never snowboarded, I looked even more amateur than usual. But, I was warm, thanks to some smart multi-fleece layering, and really, isn't that what matters in the end? All of which brings me to this Rebecca Taylor boucle vest. Though it is not essential for snowy mountainous parts, it's exactly the type of thing I would try very hard to NOT forget to pack for getaways both wintry and otherwise. For colder climes, I could layer it over a sweater and underneath a jacket and accomplish the warm-and-chic thing. But it would also work in a warmer and/or city-setting, since the boucle fabric also gives this motorcycle-inspired vest a more polished look. For example, come this spring, I'd do it like this (in an ideal-for-layering size up)...

It's rare that I come across a shoe that is both distinctly chic and outright practical. It's a winning combination, especially with...

I made a quick trip to New York last week and did a lot of walking around, despite the rain and cold (is it just me or is there a taxi shortage?). To insulate myself, I did some major layering, and I noticed I wasn't alone. Spotted on the streets uptown to downtown: fur vests over coats, lightweight puffers under jackets, leather vests over chunky cardigans and distressed jean jackets. This long, oversized leather vest would fit right in, a versatile piece that's not restricted to the frigid outdoors, either (i.e., how cute would it be over a floaty chiffon dress during the spring?). Plus, it's on major sale (reduced from $810). I'd wear it this very minute under and over a coat, along with...

For several seasons now the fur vest has successfully served as a cold-weather layering staple. But this winter it's being rendered in new cuts and entirely fresh colors and worn under and over coats and jackets. Among my favorite faux furs are a wintry white, tasseled (which I proudly own and have been wearing over filmy blouses and under my army green parka) and its multi-hued ; an adorable, leopard print (imagine over a black coat or even a jean jacket--love!..and 40% off); a forever-chic and rich-looking chocolate brown , and a leather-lined black (35% off).

Last winter I had a faux fur vest just like this one in heavy rotation. I'd layer it under a green army parka and over a black leather motorcycle jacket--and on several occasions over a sparkly cocktail dress. I love its versatility and how the plush white fur brightens up anything winter-drab, plus adds a luxe touch. I'll be working it again this coming season with...