Winter Layering Essentials

Winter clothing doesn't make heat — it holds the heat you're already making, by trapping still air. So shop by the job each piece does, not by category.

How to shop it

• Base layers sit against the skin and move sweat away. Fit close, and avoid cotton on any day you'll work up a sweat — damp fabric pulls heat off you fast.
• Mid layers are where your warmth comes from: knits, fleeces, cardigans, light insulated pieces. Pick one you'd happily be seen in on its own, so you can drop the coat indoors without feeling underdressed.
• Outer layers block wind and weather. Buy these last, over your mid layer, and check you can close them. A coat sized over a t-shirt compresses everything you later put underneath.

Worth your budget

The gaps: neck, wrists and ankles lose the most heat for the least fabric, so a scarf often beats a heavier sweater. And be honest about the day — standing still at a game needs coverage, while walking fast needs fewer, thinner layers than you'd expect.

Descriptions come from each brand's own copy. New to layering? Start with What to Wear in Winter.

Warmth comes from trapped air, not thick fabric. What to wear in winter explains the base, mid and outer layer system, and why cotton next to the skin makes you colder.