At the height of the Sundance Film Festival, Park City became the ultimate proving ground for “layermaxxing,” the viral winter trend defined by extreme layering and bold textures. With freezing temperatures, long days and constant movement, the week tests even the most seasoned insiders, making it a natural stage for style that performs under pressure.
Few embody that balance of fashion and function quite like fashion historian, archivist and television personality Bronwyn Newport. With a background in art history and museum curation, Newport is a front-row fixture at couture shows (she took this call from Paris) and a respected voice in fashion history, known for her fearless approach to style. Currently starring on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, she’s become a fan favorite for her wit and authenticity—qualities she brought to Sundance, where she partnered with Degree Clinical 5X as the invisible base layer keeping up through the cold and the chaos.
Congrats on this partnership. What made you decide to link up with Degree?
“I don’t know that I thought about it so much before I was doing the show [The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City], but obviously, there’s a lot of high-stress, high-pressure situations while filming. I love clothes. I love to be dressed a certain way. However cold it is, however hot it is, whatever hot water my mouth gets me into, I need to be protecting my clothes. You can’t be sitting there having a slick argument with somebody in pit stains. Degree was the perfect partnership for me.
As we started discussing the concept of layermaxxing, it felt like such a cool trend that showed up across early ’26 runways last year. This idea of layering with pops of color, different textures and patterns is the perfect way to explain that when we start with the right layers—and structure them the right way—we turn out these fabulous outfits. Really, the best layer is preparing yourself and taking care of yourself before you even begin with the clothing layers.”
You are flying around and you have to show up at all these different places. What is your packing secret?
“I love the show The Crown. There was this one quote where the guy who worked for the queen was like, ‘You’re a military man. I know you’re an efficient and timely packer.’
I think about that every time I pack a suitcase. I am an expert packer in that I have a whole process of how I pull outfits out, put them together and then I pack them in individual outfits. I have the purse tucked in with everything.
Then, my beauty kit is always set. I have a couple of different trunks. They are the same matching little trunk case, and they’re packed a certain way. I always have one ready to go, one ready at my house and one in a suitcase. Triplicates of every product I buy, one in each trunk, ready to go for whatever.”
There’s been some public stress with filming and your personal life right now. Plus, you’re traveling. How do you keep yourself centered and just let it all go when your head hits the pillow at night?
“I think it’s really about this idea of what self-care is for you. Sometimes, self-care is screaming into a paper bag!
I hate when people say stick with the simple, easy things because we all know everyone’s getting expensive lasers and wearing fabulous clothes and that’s really what makes the difference. But, for me, the biggest thing really is being able to sleep. Finding a way to be comfortable.
I’ve learned what works for me, especially when I’m traveling. I like to feel like I have my stuff from home. I bring my own little teeny blanket. I’ve learned what works for me, especially when I’m traveling. I like to feel like I have my stuff from home. I bring my own little teeny blanket. That’s the one that’s closest to my face. So, wherever I am, it still feels like home.
I’m also all about the cozy pair of pajamas. I love a novelty pair of pajamas. I’m fastidious about taking my products everywhere I go, too. I don’t use hotel shampoo, hotel lotions. I bring all my stuff from home, which of course, is also why I really wanted to partner with Degree, is this idea that we take care of ourselves, we prep ourselves. That base layer is always about using the products that are right for us.”
I love that. My last question: Where are you setting up shop this week and next?
“You’re talking to me while I’m in Paris right now. I’m in Couture Week! I’m walking down the streets of Paris, chatting with you. Then I come home, and I have all kinds of stuff lined up… actually, I don’t think it’s public yet, but I’m going to a premiere of sorts this weekend for a fun little Bravo crossover moment.
The month of February is absolutely insane. We have the Super Bowl, we have all the fashion weeks, New York, London, Milan, Paris. The Olympics are huge in my house. I love the Winter Olympics. Otherwise, I wouldn’t live in Salt Lake if I didn’t love all those activities. I’m just super excited for everything on the horizon.”
