How Hilary Duff Perfects Sweater Dress Fashion: A Guide to Winter Chic

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The sweater dress is no doubt a winter essential for dress lovers. We’re willing to bet that many of our readers who live in colder climates are wearing one right now.

On December 13, 2012, Hilary Duff was spotted at the County Museum of Art in Los Angeles, stylishly wearing a French Connection Bambi striped knit sweater dress and Giuseppe Zanotti knee-high suede bootsOn December 13, 2012, Hilary Duff was spotted at the County Museum of Art in Los Angeles, stylishly wearing a French Connection Bambi striped knit sweater dress and Giuseppe Zanotti knee-high suede boots (Credit: Danny / WENN)

The sweater dress is easily one of our most-loved styles, but we all know that even our all-time favorites need spicing up now and then.

If you’re looking to switch up the style of your sweater dress, allow Hilary Duff to show you a little trick she demonstrated on the streets of Beverly Hills about a week ago.

Hilary Duff is wearing her usual sweater dress, meaning with a pair of opaque tights and knee-high boots. But then she added that studded collar necklace, and suddenly, her whole outfit didn’t look so “usual” anymore! :

Hilary Duff updates her sweater dress with a studded collar necklace for an edgy twistHilary Duff updates her sweater dress with a studded collar necklace for an edgy twist (Credit: Danny / WENN)

It’s such an easy, simple, yet effective styling trick that we want to smack our foreheads and wonder why we didn’t think of it ourselves.

Maybe we shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves because Hilary Duff’s sweater dress already has that studded collar. It’s this Gryphon rugby stripe dress, which you can wear with or without the necklace piece.

An optional sequined collar adds unexpected shine to a striped sweater dress, creating a unique mix of posh and prep.

An optional sequined collar adds unexpected shine to a striped sweater dress, creating a unique mix of posh and prep.Gryphon Rugby Stripe Dress With Studs, $365.00

You can get Hilary Duff’s dress or do your mixing and matching, starting with these collar necklaces.

3 collar necklaces1. Dannijo ‘Liliya’ collar necklace, $656.00; 2. Erickson Beamon ‘Twisted Sister’ collar, $1,520.00; 3. Dannijo ‘Traina’ collar necklace, $876.00

Slip them over these striped and cable-knit sweater dresses.

3 striped and cable knit sweater dressesTorn by Ronny Kobo ‘Cecilia’ cruise stripes dress, $248.00; Theory ‘Mayly’ fleck sweater dress, 335.00; Birds of Paradis by Trovata striped sweater dress, $298.00

You’ll achieve the look a la Hilary Duff with the sweater dresses above, but it’ll also be fun to experiment with a printed sweater dress, a flared skirt sweater dress, and even a slouchy sweater dress. Check these out:

Alice by Temperley 'Santos' fitted knit dress / Daftbird long sleeve dress / Rag & Bone 'Lisbeth' embroidered sweater dressAlice by Temperley ‘Santos’ fitted knit dress, $395.00; Daftbird long sleeve dress, $137.00; Rag & Bone ‘Lisbeth’ embroidered sweater dress, $595.00

Ready to get the look?