For those of you not quite brave enough to bare it all in the cold, winter fashions have enough spice to keep you hot during the chilly winter months.

The clothing for this winter season offers you a chance to mix functionality and creativity for truly inspired dressing. Yes, staying warm is the primary goal, but why not add another one? Why not stand out during the year’s dullest months? The easiest way to do this is to first add color.

Grey and black will always be acceptable during the winter season, but experimenting with color makes everything more fun. Remember finger painting as a kid? Possibly the last time some of us dealt with paint. Well, dig deep and whip out those primary and secondary color mixing skills. Jewel tones were hot this season with labels like Dior, Chanel and Versace turning out dresses and coats in shades of purple, green, yellow, blue and teal. The best way to approach this trend is to buy a solid-colored coat or dress and color-block it with another piece. Look to Prada for innovative ideas.

Now, since the possibility of your blending into the landscape of neutrals is gone, let’s get down to the nitty gritty of the season’s top styles. I’ll start with shoes and accessories. First up, bright patterned scarves. Everyone did these: Balenciaga, Chanel and, of course, Hèrmes. Some looked like painter canvases while others were a mix of ikat, Peruvian, African and other ethnic-inspired patterns. With this accessory, do not be afraid of embellishments, like fringe and bold styling, or wearing the scarf wrapped around your head like a gypsy.

And you definitely can’t go without a great pair of boots. Choose based on your level of tolerance and temerity. The highest level — stiletto boots! And there are great options from there on down. Great styles come with stacked, high and kitten heels. But my favorites are riding-style boots, which have very low heels. Ankle boots are another option, best worn with tights and a knee-length (or shorter) dress. Lastly, Oxford lace-up shoes are looking very feminine this season. These will definitely make a statement.

As for clothes this season, the possibilities abound. Depending on your shape and size, choose from the many silhouettes winter has to offer.

One of my favorites this season is sweater dresses. Who knew that the sweater could be the most important item in your outfit? Proenza Schouler, Michael Kors and Stella McCartney all showed variations of the sweater dress. To create an hourglass shape, cinch it at the waist with a belt. For anther easy look, pair an oversized V-neck cardigan with leggings. When dealing with statement pieces, simplicity is best and easiest.

Another great look for this season is menswear inspired clothes. Girls — borrow from your boyfriends (if they have good taste), or better yet, get your own pieces. Wide, slouchy pants are surprisingly sophisticated; pair these with a crisp, white button-down shirt. Other handy pieces that can achieve this look are vests, tailored jackets and tuxedo-inspired jackets, pants and tops. Word to the wise: do not pair too many of these together to avoid looking costume-y.

Lastly, a few words on the most important piece to buy this season (which has ousted the coat as the key winter staple) — the jacket! They came in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colors, but a few stand out. The blazer, particularly the schoolboy blazer Balenciaga sent down the runways, is very smart. Cropped, double-breasted and biker jackets with lots of details like oversized buttons, zippers, studs, military accents and patches are other great alternatives. The leather jacket also came in many great styles, my favorite being a hoodie by the L.A. based brand Mike&Chris. To find these great styles check out stores like H&M, the Gap and Zara.