Cold Weather Style Essentials

Winter comes, year in and year out. The weather patterns might not be changing, but the fashions definitely are. Gone are the hoodies and faux fur linings of previous seasons. It’s time to embrace the new trends of this year – and welcome the cold weather in style. Who needs to be afraid of sub-zero weather when you have all the hottest styles on?

Flannel Shirts
Yes, everyone knows that the whole checked hunter look has been done and redone many times over. Just because it’s not entirely novel, though, doesn’t mean it’s not fashionable. The log cabin aesthetic hasn’t completely died out yet, so you may as well wear it out.

Reds and blues are standards for this particular style, but a more office-friendly palette makes use of grays, blacks and whites. The monochromatic selection allows neckties to be worn with the outfit as well, making the whole thing even more cubicle-friendly. GQ suggests a contemporarily slim (and shocking) neon necktie to wake up the grays look.

A word of warning: going overboard is terribly easy with checked flannel shirts. Keep the rest of your outfit simple and clean: a non-ripped pair of jeans and a clean pair of shoes. Lace up your brand new Doc Martens, if you must, but go no further than that.

Shawl Collar Cardigans
Perhaps one of the best cold weather fashion investments you could make, shawl collar cardigans dependably show up every fall and are largely unchanged in between. The one you buy from GAP this year will most likely still look like the ones J Crew will sell 10 years down the road.

Versatility is just one among the many strengths of the shawl collar cardigan. Wear it on a plain tee and jeans to go out for some breakfast, or use it to top off your shirt-and-tie ensemble for the office. Either way, it’s going to look great. It layers well with browns and tans too, making it a great in-between piece for your not-quite-enough khaki trench. It can look formal and casual as you need it, making it a great addition to your closet.

Frequent travelers will also appreciate how well this piece travels. Being a knit, you can throw it into your carry-on without worrying about how to steam it at your destination. It’s easy to slip on and off, it can double as a pillow (just scrunch it up and enjoy) and will always command more respect than most other sweaters.

Fair Isle Sweaters
Easily the most challenging piece to wear among the three featured here, Fair Isle styles are like the tartan-check necktie of outerwear. They’re daunting because of their loud, vibrant patterns, but the payoff is huge once you actually learn to wear and wield them. The Fair Isle sweater has been a fashion magazine staple since time immemorial, and it’s never too late to incorporate one – or five – into your daily wardrobe rotation.

The trick to Fair Isle sweaters is to let them be the center of attention. Wear unadorned dark jeans, a solid (preferably white) tee underneath and clean sneakers or sharp lace-ups. From there, the patterns – and their heritage – will take over. Panache and confidence, of course, are still required for you to pull off such a bold look. The attempt is well worth it, though, since it will quickly set you apart from a sea of blacks, navy and grays.