Keeping warm in winter doesn’t mean bundling up with bulky clothes. Extra-thick garments that seem made for the cold are often the wrong thing to wear, say the experts. They won’t necessarily keep you warm, and will make you look sloppy and stocky instead of sleek and chic.
So what does work?
The key to keeping warm is to “layer your clothing. You need a base layer to keep you dry, a middle one to keep you warm and an outer layer to stave off the elements, and none of them need to be thick or heavy,” says Dr. Greg Vanzant, a Stillwater, Okla., cardiologist who rides his bicycle outside year-round.
Though he’s dressing to retain body heat for an aerobic activity, the same principles apply to those who just want to stay toasty on the way to work. In fact, “thin layers that are fitted but not tight are most effective. The space between each layer traps warm air, just like the insulation in your home,” says Richard Brumer, lead forecaster for the National Weather Service in Romeoville.
“The best strategy is to start with thin, lightweight layers near your body and go to heavier ones. And stick to porous fibers, like cotton and wool rather than synthetics, since they trap air more effectively,” he adds.
However, a few caveats apply for the physically active: “Cotton is an ineffective base layer when you sweat heavily since its ability to wick moisture away from the body and keep you dry is terrible,” says Vanzant. “High-tech synthetics are available that make excellent base layers.” Cotton or wool is fine if you’re not doing anything that makes you sweat, he notes.
Wool is actually a wonder fabric when it comes to keeping warm. In performance studies to measure the cold-fighting properties of the most popular fibers used to make coats–including down and a range of synthetic fills–the Good Housekeeping Institute in New York found that “the warmest coats are made of tightly woven wool,” says Kathleen Huddy, the institute’s textile director. The fiber is very porous and excellent at trapping heat, forming barriers and wicking away moisture, which is why garments made of wool are “superb at staving off the cold” and “don’t have to be heavy to be warm,” she says.
Angora, alpaca and cashmere, wool-like fibers from rabbits, alpacas and goats, respectively, can be even warmer than wool, thanks to their physical structure, and cashmere is “the ultimate in warmth,” Huddy says.
You have lots of leeway to choose between fibers and fabrics when it comes to piling on the layers. For that base layer, cotton works well in the city, as does thinly woven wool, silk or technically engineered synthetics. For comfort, “it’s best to keep it thin,” Huddy says.
The middle layer (or layers, depending on the temperature) can be anything from wool to polar fleece.
“You have the most room to play with this layer and tailor it to your activity,” says Vanzant. This is where you should add or subtract layers to trap more heat or avoid sweating.
The top layer should be something tightly woven and targeted to the elements. If it’s raining or snowing, it should have natural or technically engineered water-resistant properties (such as those provided by tightly woven wool gabardines and twills or manmade waterproof coatings).
But in every layer, styling counts. “Look at the features of a garment and think about where you’re cold. Swing sweaters and coats, open necklines or bell sleeves won’t trap the air in and keep you warm,” Huddy says.
Turtlenecks and sleeves with close-fitting wristbands are good for underlayers. Coats with slim lines, longer lengths, funnel necks, closely spaced buttons or full-length zippers and cinched, belted or drawstring waists will keep you warmest.
And don’t forget: “We lose 70 to 80 percent of our body heat through our head, so wear a hat,” Vanzant says.
Necks, hands and feet also are highly susceptible. A tightly woven beret pulled down over your ears will be warmer than a chunky knit cap; a wool scarf that wraps around several times can be used to cover your mouth and will wick away moisture; tightly woven gloves with liners will be warmer than knits; two thin pairs of socks will be warmer than one thick pair, and boots with insulating layers or liners and thicker soles will be warmest. Ideally, boots should be waterproof; because once water seeps in, warmth is compromised. A shoemaker can add a protective rubber sole to boots with leather soles to increase their water resistance.
And for those who are trying to slim down, consider this advice from Buck Tilton, contributing editor to Backpacker magazine.
“Be fit, not thin. When you’re in shape, your metabolism generates heat more quickly and easily,” he says. But here’s the kicker: “Muscle insulates poorly compared to flab. A little fat increases the insulating value of skin and better enables you to tolerate the cold,” he adds.
So what about that New Year’s resolution? It can pay to procrastinate until spring.
