Guide to Winter Style Layering to Stay Warm

Cold weather is a style, dressing and health challenge. This is especially true for cold snaps or temperatures close to the climatological minima. When cold weather garments and the typical underwear, outfit plus outerwear dressing fails to provide thermal comfort for an long enough time, dressing in layers is in order. This guide to winter style layering to stay warm provides a basic understanding of which pieces are suitable to avoid looking heavier than you actually are. It also requires to dress with your body shape in mind. When layering is done right, the resulting look can be stunning. However, this technique is pretty tricky. Because when done wrong, it may ruin your appearance.

Sounds like squaring the circle? Don’t worry. You are lucky. This guide to winter style layering covers the basics to create ageless layered looks for thermal comfort and style while looking sleek. This post breaks the technique down. A video demonstrates-in easy-to-follow steps-how to bundle up in chic layers that each make an outfit of their own. Various layering outfit ideas illustrate the concepts. Finally, this post points out how to avoid the most common, and worst layering mistakes. Read to get inspired to stay warm in style.

 

 

 

What Are the Basics of Winter Style Layering to Stay Warm

How long a layered look will keep you comfortably warm depends on the weather, the clothing pieces, their material, and the thickness of the air layers between fabrics and the fabric and your skin. Therefore, the overall concept of layering is to create several thin layers of still air. A thin air layer, namely, is a bad conductor and great insulator. Consequently, thin air layers prolongate the time to onset of thermal discomfort.

In addition, relative humidity, wind and temperature matter for thermal comfort. You have to use different material to create cold wet weather outfits than for dry, frigid cold air. Therefore, cozy looks for different climates. This means the material and types of clothes differ when dressing for the Polar Vortex, or a winter storm in California.

 

 

 

 

What Are the Best Layering Pieces?

The best layering pieces are tank tops that cannot be worn alone, special layering tops, tailored T-shirts with long sleeves. Thin tailored shirts may work as well under a sweater vest, vest, blazer, V-neck sweater or cardigan.

Tip: Only use tailored pieces for layering.

 

At Below -20F Layering Is Key To Stay in Thermal Comfort

Whenever the temperatures get below -20F (-28.9^oC) outside, layering is key to feel comfortable. Layering starts with the underwear. A bra is a must at any temperature. Add a long-sleeve T-shirt under a cashmere or wool or cashmere/wool blend sweater. Go for a sweater under a cardigan because a blouse under the jacket would be just too chilly.

 

 

Basics of Layering Broken Down

In the following, a winter office look is broken down into the various layering steps.

Putting on lotion is a good primer. The first layer over the usual “foundation” (long sleeve underwear, bra, briefs, pantyhose, shape-wear) is made up by a cashmere sweater, plaid wool skirt, and tights. As the second and third layers on my feet I wear boot toppers, and shoes with sheepskin insole. The silk scarf adds style. The second layer has a leather vest for an edgy vibe to the otherwise classic outfit. Furthermore, leather can serve for protection from wind. The third layer is a short jacket. If it would get any colder, either add a long coat or layer with a thermo-skirt.

 

Tip: Add vertical lines to look sleek when layering clothes.

 

 

 

When Your Dress Code Requires Wearing Skirts in Winter

To be comfortable outside at below -20F, double your tights. Try a flannels pair underneath a thinner pair. Flannels has little air pockets and a thin air layer provides good isolation.

Go for a thick wool fabric skirt.

Tip: Wear a half slip with skirts that have no lining.

 

 

Wear a Dress as Skirt for Extra Insulation at the Chest

A shirt dress can be worn under a skirt and sweater as a blouse. My sheath dresses often do double duty as skirts as well. When it gets really, really cold, long Jones with pants and a knit dress are the last resort before avoiding the cold weather by just staying inside.

 

 

 

Insoles Are a Must

Wearing tall boots with insoles are great options to look stylish, but stay in thermal comfort longer. You may even vary the look and increase insulation by adding boot toppers. To avoid cold knees  over-the-knee boots are best.

While insoles provide isolation from the cold ground, keeping your feet dry is as important. Therefore, take your boots off at work and wear pumps to avoid cold feet.

 

Double the Outerwear

A blanket or Russian scarf over a coat not only looks incredibly stylish, it also adds some extra insolation – namely the scarf itself and the air between the scarf and coat. When it’s so cold that the blanket scarf fails to do the trick, wear a cape or puffer vest over the coat.

Accessorizing with the right pieces adds extra insulation.

 

 

 

Reasons Why to Avoid Sweating When Layering

Layering bears the risk to sweat. Avoid to sweat! Open the zipper when needed. Getting wet is the worst that can happen. Because the moisture will freeze eventually, sweating can yield to hypothermia.

 

 

What To Consider When Layering for Style?

The fundamentals of stylish layering are

• Short over long or short under long (In the former case, the under-layer must be long enough to peak out about 2 inch (5 cm), and add interest. You can create interest the same way like you do when styling monochromatic outfits.),
• Wide on the top and slim on the bottom or vice versa,
• Color coordination,
• Accentuation or creation of a waist,
• Dressing for your body shape by strategically using colors and hem lines to showcase your best features and balance your body shape,
• Each layer must stand as an outfit of its own to be able to peel off pieces to adjust for thermal comfort, i.e., to avoid sweating,
• Wear a hat to look tall and slim.

 

 

 

 

Why to Pay Attention to Horizontal Lines for Sleek Layering?

Any line draws attention. Horizontal lines can give the illusion of being heavier than you actually are. Therefore, avoid drawing attention to your widest points that you want to hide like, for instance a tummy, love-handles, or wide hips when you are pear-shaped.

Tip: Use horizontal lines to highlight your favorite feature.

 

 

Best Ways How to Accentuate Your Waist

For example, when you have a tiny waist, wear a cropped sweater, top or jacket that end at the waist.

The photo below elucidates a simple trick to look slim. This clip is easy to DIY. Just sew an oblong piece of fabric of about 1 ft (30.48 cm) in length together. Insert an about 4 inch (10 cm) long 0.5 inch (~1.3 cm) wide rubber band and sew the clips invisibly at the ends of the rubber band and close the fabric. Decorate according to your personal style.

 

 

Other options to accentuate your waist are using tailored pieces like a blazer or accessorizing with belts.

 

How to Avoid the Bulk of T-Shirts to Look Slim When Layering

When you layer for style only (not thermal insulation) or you live in a region with winter temperatures above the freezing point, use halftees instead of T-shirts, or camisoles. If you are not familiar with them see my review of a Halftee lace top and cropped Tee. If you layer for thermal comfort, use body conscious tops or leotards to look slim despite of piling up garments.

 

How to Ensure Every Layer Is an Outfit on Its Own

The movie breaks a winter layering outfit down as an example of how to create stylish layers that still look stylish when you peel a layer or two off.

 

 

The easiest way to create a layered look is using garments around one color like styling monochromatic looks. The example above shows using complimentary colors burgundy, and green that would lead to gray when mixed. Or work with the color blocking formula.

 

 

Layering Outfit Ideas

When you are new to layering start out with classic layering pieces like twinsets, sheath dresses, or vests. In cold climate like Alaska, wear a puffer vest for thermal comfort. In windy climates, wear a leather biker vest.

 

 

 

Winter Office Look Layering with Sheath

Sheath dresses are layering classic that never goes out of style. They are also the most easy way to layer. The same outfit idea just in another color gives you already a new office look. As aforementioned, you can also layer over your sheath.

 

 

Tip: Don’t forget styling your outerwear is a form of piling up pieces too.

 

 

Winter Style Layering to Stay Warm with Cardigans and Jacket

Midi skirt, tights, over-the-knee boots, sweater at the office and an old diamond leopard print jacket as outerwear to stay comfortable. Can you believe I have this jacket since I was a teenager?

 

 

 

 

Casual Posh Winter Layering

Casual Friday outfits don’t just mean jeans and T-shirt. Take a look of what weekend clothes you have in your closet and combine them for new looks for Friday at work. The outfit inspiration in the photos below brings you from office to drinks with the colleagues after work. The down vest provides insulation.

 

 

 

Can You Layer in Summer, Fall and Spring?

In fall and spring, use items from the warm and cold season to
transition your summer pieces to the next season. Try layering in summer outfits to avoid a style rut and/or be prepared for chilly evenings.

 

What Not to Do When Layering Clothes?

No waist is one of the most common mistakes in layering. Therefore, stir away from layering with non-tailored pieces because they add bulk when you pull piece(s) over them. Even when only the uppermost piece is non-tailored!

Other common mistakes to avoid when layering are:

1. Using pieces unsuitable for layering,
2. Ignoring your body type,
3. Not using dark colors where your want to look slimmer, and light colors or pastels to balance your body shape,
4. Wearing the wrong underwear, and
5. Not using the physics of insulation for creation of thermal comfort.

 

 

How Does Layering Improve Thermal Comfort?

Layering increases the insulation.

What Is the Role of Thermal Resistance for Thermal Comfort?

At ambient air temperatures below our skin temperature, our naked body looses heat to the environment. Clothing has served to reduce this heat loss for thermal comfort at temperatures below 9^oC (48.2F). When we are dressed the total thermal resistance to transfer of heat from the body to the environment consists of the

1. Resistance to heat transfer from the fabric surface to environment,
2. Thermal resistance of the fabric material itself, and
3. Thermal resistance of the air trapped inside the fabric.

The heat transfer can be via radiation, convection, and conduction. Thermal resistance increases with fabric thickness.

 

 

 

What is Thermal Conduction?

Conduction is heat transfer by the molecules of the fabric fibers. Think of the iron pan that is on the hot stove. Despite the handle is not in contact with the stove it gets hot. Conduction can also occur between molecules of different, but adjacent material. Just think of what happens when you touch the hot handle with your bare hand.

A high thermal resistance means a low conduction. The thermal resistance is a material dependent property, while conduction depends on the environmental conditions. This process varies with time.

 

Definition of Thermal Convection

Typically, our skin is warmer than the ambient air. The air in the immediate vicinity of the skin gets warmed by the skin. At same pressure and moisture, warm air is lighter than cold air. Therefore, it rises.

Ventilation by wind or body motion can accelerate the transport of the slightly warmer air away from the skin. Consequently, the heat loss by convection increases.

 

 

 

Radiation

Every body emits radiation according to its temperature. In case of our body, the body heat corresponds to infra-red radiation.

The main contributors to heat transfer of the system body-fabric-environment are convection by air and radiation.

 

How Does Insulation by Fabrics Works

At a given fixed weight, thermal insulation increases with fabric thickness because of the increased amount of entrapped air. However, when fabric thickness remains constant, thermal insulation decreases with increasing fabric weight because of the reduced amount of entrapped air.

An increase in the fabric’s weight-to-thickness ratio increases the effective thermal conductivity due to the increased packing density. This increase in fiber-to-fiber contact increases the mean free path photons can travel, for which less heat flows thru the pore-channels of the fabrics.

 

Explanation of How Layering Clothes for Thermal Comfort Alters Insulation

Layering creates a thin air layer between the two layered fabrics. When this layer is thin enough and stagnant, the high thermal resistance (low conductivity) of air adds to the insulation of the two fabrics. However, when the air layer is too thick convection can build in the air layer leading to a faster loss of body heat. Furthermore, any physical activity means ventilation. Consequently, the temperature at the outside of the inner layer decreases faster. As a result the heat flux from the inside to the outside of the inner layer rises meaning a faster loss of body heat.

When the two fabrics are squeezed, the insulation by air is lost. Moreover, the direct contact of the two fabrics’ fibers leads to direct heat transfer by conduction between the fabrics because of the lack of the air barrier.

 

 

 

Even Slight Body Movement Enhances the Impact of Cold Gaps

The openings of sleeves and the legs of pants permit cold outside air to enter the air layer between fabrics as well as between the finer fabric and body. Body motion accelerates the mixing of the cold intruding outside air and relatively warmer air between the clothing layers. Therefore, winter coats for cold climate regions (and thermal comfort) should have closures or tightly knit cuffs at the wrists to prohibit cold air to enter.

Furthermore, long underwear and thermal pants should have tight cuffs too to avoid cold gaps in clothing.
You can find more tips on wear comfort in my book entitled “Discover the Relation between Fashion, Fabric, Weather, and Comfort”. Buy the book now to build a weather appropriate capsule wardrobe for your climate zone.

 

In a Nutshell: Clothes Provide Isolation, but Don’t Warm

There is something to the saying “that coat keeps me warm.” It hints at the fact that all the clothing does is to “sabotage” the heat exchange between your body and the ambient air. Like the inside of a house quickly gets cold when the furnace fails at below freezing temperatures, there is a point that you will feel cold despite of all that fabric. In other words, layering only slows your loss of body heat down.

Winter style layering to stay warm only permits to feel comfortable in style longer, but not for an infinite amount of time. However, then you at least feel stylish.

Tip: Did you know that there exists heated clothes?

 

Reference

Mölders, N., 2023. Relation between Fashion Fabrics Weather and Comfort. Amazon Publishing Pros.

Mölders, N., 2019. Outdoor Universal Thermal Comfort Index Climatology for Alaska. Atmospheric and Climate Sciences, 9, 558-582. doi: 10.4236/acs.2019.94036.

 

Photos of me: G. Kramm

Diagrams: N. Mölders

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