Despite the fact that I’ve been living in Raleigh for almost 13 years now, I still find it challenging to figure out what the weather outside is going to be like, and dress accordingly. Even if I check the weather, it’s not a stretch for me to get dressed, walk outside and realize my outfit is completely inappropriate.

This year has been especially difficult. It stayed hot until November, got really cold in short bursts, and now it’s February and it’s warm enough to wear shorts. I have adapted to this problem to a point where I can wear almost all of my clothes year round by layering everything. On a normal day, I wear at least two shirts, paired with a jacket — and if it’s really cold, a winter coat over that. Skirts can be worn over tights, boots or a combination of both, creating options that will work almost all year round.

Because I layer my clothes like it’s my job, there are some specific pieces that really help in pulling this look off.

Camisoles are essential. They allow for wearing low-cut shirts that are beautiful and unique but are too revealing to wear alone. If a camisole is worn underneath, it keeps the shirt from feeling too inappropriate for day-wear.

I also tend to gravitate toward thinner fabrics. There are very few sweaters or heavy shirts in my closet. If it’s warmer and I’m wearing a tissue-weight shirt, it’s not as annoying as it would be if I were wearing a thick sweat machine. It also cuts down on bulkiness. Another appealing quality about thinner shirts is that they are the ones that are always on sale at places where the clothing is more expensive, such as J.Crew or Banana Republic.

Layering clothes means it’s possible to draw from a smaller pool of clothes and still come out with a lot of great outfits. Plain bottoms paired with tops in different configurations create the illusion of an endless closet.

Caution — the only downside to layering is that, sometimes, it gets hot and you may want to remove your top layer. While doing so, the second layer may come with it and suddenly you’re stumbling around trying to separate your shirts and not get arrested for indecent exposure at the same time. So shed layers with care!