As the country gets colder, ThreadBeast has already began stuffing boxes with sweaters, long sleeves and pants while opting out of shorts, tanks and sunglasses. Today, we’re walking you through a brief guide on how to dress warm for your area from head-to-toe. We know New York winters are a bit different from those in Los Angeles, so we’ll be using a scale of 3 ❄️’s to get you the right pieces for your area’s weather.
5. Footwear
If you could only splurge on one area for your winter wardrobe, it has to be your kicks. You should always go for a high quality pair with stylistic versatility, allowing you to use them with any fit. For any area, boots are the go-to for colder months.
Winter Intensity: ❄️
For areas with milder winters, we recommend Timberlands. Though a bit heavy, these work-inspired boots have become a streetwear staple. Between the logo and yellow suede, Timberlands are a safe bet that won’t get you a LOT of attention, but will get you a nod here-and-there. In drier areas, these boots will keep that fresh “new” look much longer. If you’re looking for an edge, you can opt for a black pair of Timbs like Biggie himself.
Winter Intensity: ❄️❄️
As winter picks up for colder cities, you have to account for durability more than just style but you don’t have to sacrifice either. We recommend a pair of Clarks, which can be anything from a Chelsea boot to Desert Boots. It goes without saying: you should avoid anything suede during the colder months because it ruins easy. Black is always a more versatile color for all fits, although you can go for a brown if you pick a darker shade.
Winter Intensity: ❄️❄️❄️
For the Minnesotas and Chicagos, we recommend a brand known for its durability and respected for its looks: Red Wings. While Red Wings err on the pricier side, they will last you twice as long as most department store brands. From the sole to the laces, Red Wings are built to tread through snow, rain and mud. These boots will turn any fit into an Esquire cover page.
4. Outerwear
Next to your footwear, a staple outerwear piece will make it into just about every outfit, so flexibility should be one of your main factors in picking one.
Winter Intensity: ❄️
Some areas just don’t get that cold aside some light winds and maybe sprinkling. If this describes your city, look for a nice windbreaker. We understand most brands have decent options for windbreakers, but our recommendations are Nike, North Face and Carhartt. Colors will vary based on the fits you have in mind. If you wear a lot of graphics and patterns on undershirts, we advise picking a windbreaker with less going on.
Winter Intensity: ❄️❄️
If windbreakers aren’t quite warm enough, but you also don’t need a wool overcoat with scarves and mitts, a leather jacket might be the perfect piece for you. Picking out the right leather jacket doesn’t have to be such a big feat. In fact, there are so many options between materials and collars that there is definitely one out there just for you.
If you’re on the bigger side and are hesitant about the fit, you should look into materials like lamb skin which is made to stretch but still give you the leather look. Unless you’re biker, we would advise against moto jackets and anything too 50’s looking. A great place to start is just looking at “casual leather jackets” online. The cardinal rule: AVOID COLORED LEATHER.
If you’re simply not a fan of the leather jacket look, our #1 alternative goes to trucker jackets with sherpa lining. These will be just as warm, fitted and versatile as a leather jacket.
Winter Intensity: ❄️❄️❄️
If you’re unlucky enough to be in the Midwest or East Coast during winter, you’ll be doing a lot of layering. For this reason, you should look into an overcoat which will accent your entire fit while keeping you warm when you’re braving the streets. Since there are so many types of coats between dusters, topcoats and pea coats, you should narrow your search down to what material and length you’re looking for. We recommend wool, because it won’t be too expensive and it’s easy to wash. Some places to start your search at affordable prices are Topman, ASOS and Zara.
3. Sweaters
Regardless of the weather intensity, we’re all pulling out our crewnecks and hoodies, so for this section we won’t use the scale. When picking out the right sweater, sizing can be tricky. You should map out your fits for winter and take into account what’s going under your sweaters and hoodies. Are you wearing a lot of thick flannels or standard tees?
From here, you should decide if you’re going with graphics or solids. We recommend in between, so something like a hoodie with a small logo in the top left. If you want to go more graphic heavy, sports teams and brand logos are the only real safe bets. From there, it’s on a personal judgment basis. Though pop culture graphics are in right now, there is a fine line between paying homage to your favorite cartoons and sticking out like a sore thumb on the weekends. If you opt for solids, there are some great colorblock styles available this season.
2. Headwear
Hats are always tricky, because hair and head shape are as unique as fingerprints. Having said that, we singled out three options for different weather intensities that should fit almost everybody.
Winter Intensity: ❄️
When you’re going out and it’s just a little brisk, a standard snapback will do. If you want to upgrade, get yourself a ball cap made of wool, corduroy or tweed. This will show your wardrobe actually changes season-to-season and will be recognized by anyone with a fashion presence. In addition, it’ll keep your head a little warmer without overdoing it.
Winter Intensity: ❄️❄️
Beanies are still pretty divisive, so if you want a full breakdown, check out our article on headwear and how it works. Moving forward, in any medium-to-extreme weather areas you should own a beanie or two. The main component is something that will fit your head just right and not drape too low in the back like David Beckham’s infamous slouch beanies. Your beanie should be a muted color with minimal to no branding visible.
Winter Intensity: ❄️❄️❄️
Unfortunately, in some areas a standard hat just won’t do the trick, especially if your commute is lengthy. The only real solution is a face beanie. Yes, those balaclavas you see straight out of a Counter Strike game. Thanks to its rise in popularity, the face beanie is offered by Amazon and just about any athletic brand. This means your price and style options are great. If you’re protective of your hair, you can even get ones that have an opening on top for your hair to be untouched.
1. Bottoms
Your legs and feet are among the first things on your body to really feel the cold when you’re outside. For this reason, the right bottoms will make the biggest difference for your winter fits.
Winter Intensity: ❄️
If your winters and autumns are virtually the same as far as temperatures, you don’t need to change a whole lot for your pants game. Our best advice is to simply switch to darker washes on your jeans as the days get shorter. This would be the best time of year for you to experiment with raw and selvedge denim.
Winter Intensity: ❄️❄️
We’re living in the future, where sweatpants in public isn’t social suicide. As the temperatures drop, you can safely throw on a pair of joggers and still look clean when you have to go out. During winter, you should look for thicker pairs with some sort of lining. If you decided to cop a pair of Timberlands, be wary that pairing them with light gray joggers could have you looking like Hotline Bling Drake.
Winter Intensity: ❄️❄️❄️
We like to think that the extreme areas have the most freedom when it comes to pants this time of year. By slipping a pair of long johns or tights under any pair of pants, you’re good to go outside and keep warm. If you wear slimmer pants typically, you might not be able to fit a pair of long johns under, but tights will work with just about all fits. We encourage longer socks or simply rolling up the tights in a neat cuff so that they don’t show under your pants, which just looks sloppy.
