How to prepare for winter

As is customary in Russia, we are never ready for winter in advance. Despite the fact that we do not live in a tropical climate and it is cold here for most of the year. We often wear thin boots and light clothes to the last. Probably, we are subconsciously protesting against the impending winter. In this article I will review the essentials for men this winter, so that you feel warm, comfortable, and most importantly stylish! Learn how to prepare for winter correctly!

The article will contain many links to previous posts or personal recommendations, as we previously wrote about some elements of men's winter wardrobe.

Which color should you choose? Despite the annual trends in men's fashion, the colors blue, brown, khaki, burgundy and red remain unchanged and popular. As well as classic black and white colors.

Men's outerwear for classic style

For a classic men's style, a coat is ideal as outerwear. We wrote earlier about how to choose a men's coat, as well as about the types of a classic coat, so we will not consider them in detail here. Just to remind you of a few basic styles that are perfect for this case:

• Chesterfield coat
• Covert Coat
• Classic coat (Paletot)
• Ulster coat (Ulster)
• Polo Coat

Men's outerwear for casual style

Any outerwear, except sports jackets, is suitable for a casual style, however, I want to remind a little about the variations of the casual style. As we know, there are business casual, smart casual and casual styles. In Russian, this is a business style for the office, smart casual style and casual style. Elements of one type of style flow smoothly into another, the boundaries are not clear. So it is quite possible to combine trousers and a pullover, jeans and a jacket, etc. Therefore, I will not make clear distinctions, but I will describe all the options in order. And then choose according to your taste.

I'll start with the coat. Since there are less strict options for its execution, which undoubtedly deserve our attention.

Duffle coat

Earlier we dedicated a separate article to it: Daffle coat. This is the only coat that has a hood. However, with all its advantages, at temperatures below -10, the coat will be cold. This option is more suitable for a warm winter.

Duffle coat dark green Duffle coat black with beige fangs Duffle coat black Duffle coat by Burberry navy blue

Pea coat

A modern short coat, previously served by sailors in the navy. A pea coat is a double-breasted wool coat with wide lapels, fastened with large wooden or metal buttons. The voluminous lapels of the collar are of great value: in bad weather, the collar can be raised up, which will protect you from strong winds. British models are usually of a strict fitted form, while American models use expensive finishes, providing coats with fur or leather inserts.

Pea coat light brown Black peacoat Pea coat jacket black Pea jacket light gray

Sheepskin coat

There are both elongated and short models. The discreet design allows this versatile piece to be worn with jeans or a suit. The main feature in choosing a sheepskin coat is the skin from which it is sewn. As a rule, it is a sheep skin. The older the individual, the harder the skin and the heavier the product. More elastic skin in lambs. The outer suede surface is matte or glossy. It should be borne in mind that with heavy snowfall, the matte surface gets wet faster, leaving darkened traces.

Men's brown quilted sheepskin coat Sheepskin coat pilot brown

I want to emphasize that a man in a high-quality, well-fitting sheepskin coat will always look more solid than in a jacket, even very expensive.

Fur coat

Don't believe your eyes? Do you think this type of clothing is only for women? In what, then you are right, fur coats are really more common among women. However, there are models designed specifically for men and their main feature is sheared fur. Such a style will remove “fluffiness” and make the image brutal, preserving the priceless properties of fur for the owner: warmth and comfort. In the cold, the fur coat does not have the property of 'tanning'. It will remain soft and therefore will not hinder movement. Men's fur coat will emphasize your sophistication, sense of style and will not let you freeze.

Men's brown mink coat Men's blue mink coat Men's wolf fur coat

Frenchie jacket

This is a military-style jacket with a soft turn-down collar, but more often with a stand-up collar and four patch pockets: on the chest and on the sides.

Consider separately the types of men's winter jackets.

Quilted jacket

This is a classic modern down jacket, the distinctive feature of which is its stylistic versatility. Like a sheepskin coat, a jacket can be worn both with jeans and with a business suit. The jacket is made of waterproof fabric and decorated with characteristic diamond-shaped or curly stripe stitching. This style is loved by most modern brands, ranging from Zara to Burberry and Chanel.

Black quilted jacket Quilted Jacket from Bugatti Swamp Men's navy blue quilted jacket

Men's outerwear for leisure

Fortunately, we are not content with any business style. Let's take a look at casual outerwear for men.

Bomber

The flight jacket, or pilot jacket, was created for the pilots of the United States Air Force. A distinctive feature of this short jacket with a knitted belt is the orange lining. If necessary, the jacket can be worn with the wrong side out. This is a special safety point for finding ejected pilots forced to leave the plane. Currently, manufacturers produce different types of such jackets: leather, membrane, cotton and synthetics with different types of insulation.

Suede bomber Beige bomber jacket with patches Beige bomber jacket Green bomber jacket

Parka

This is an extra long warm winter jacket with a free cut. The length, as a rule, does not reach the knees (about one palm above). Different types of insulation are used: synthetic winterizer, polyester, down, feather, but in the classic version on a fur lining. Parkas are made with a hood and numerous inner and outer pockets. For casual style, the option with minimal external trim and a set of pockets is most suitable. It was Park's jacket that formed the basis for the creation of the Alaska jacket.

Men's dark blue parka Men's parka beige Men's swamp parka

Alaska

Like Bomber, she came to us from military uniforms and served at military bases in Alaska, as well as in Norway. This is the most frost-resistant and warm jacket, the characteristic features of which are a tightly buttoned bottom, waterproofness, a hood with fur and a tightening drawstring at the waist. Jacket length – to the thigh or to the knees.

Alaska swamp Alaska men's orange Alaska dark blue

Jacket Anorak

This type of jacket came to us from the Eskimos. Its modern look is also worn over the head, the jacket is equipped with a hood, convenient pockets on the chest and tightens at the waist or at the bottom of the jacket. In addition, you can find jackets with the usual zipper along the entire length. It is made from modern technological materials with impregnation, as well as from leather and corduroy.

Anarok jacket beige

Blouson

This is a short men's jacket. The bottom of the jacket is framed by an elastic band, and fitted cuffs on the sleeves.

Jacket blouson blue Jacket blouson blue Jacket blouson green with a hood

Softshell

This is a lightweight winter jacket based on the idea of ​​minimizing layers of clothing. It is based on synthetic materials. The outer layer is durable to protect it from moisture. The inner is soft to keep warm, usually fleece. The thicker the fleece, the warmer the jacket.

Green softshell Navy blue softshell Mixed fabric softshell

Excess moisture generated during intense physical activity will be removed to the outside due to the third inner membrane layer connecting the outer layer with the inner insulation. In order for this rule to work, it is worth excluding cotton underwear and any cotton clothing, since this material absorbs all moisture into itself, and the opposite effect will turn out – you will freeze in no time.

Down jacket

The down jacket is known to everyone, without exception. I have never met a single Russian person who did not have a down jacket. A great option for winter walks. Simple design and practical functionality.

Long down jacket Stylish down jacket by bogner Down Jacket by The North Face

In addition, there is a huge amount of specialized clothing for each sport. The difference between a snowboard suit and a ski suit is in a more loose fit. We will not consider them in more detail in this article.

Men's sweaters

The concept of a jacket is, of course, very generalized. There are some of their types. I will list the main ones:

• Cardigan. Knitted men's cardigans differ from ordinary sweaters in the ability to completely unfasten. They are fastened with buttons, zippers, or other fasteners. Read more about cardigans here.
• Sweater. Recently, the popularity of sweaters has noticeably faltered due to the large amount of synthetics and low-quality knitwear. However, you will be satisfied with the perfect model. For information on how to choose a sweater, read our early post.
• A jumper is perhaps the best insulation solution if you work in an office with a dress code. It looks great with a shirt, especially when paired with a tie or bow tie. For winter, it is better to choose a jumper from natural wool. Choosing cashmere would be even better. Read more about this type of sweater in the article 'is a jumper appropriate as an element of business style'.

The rule to dress in layers

Perhaps now I will reveal for you a huge secret, which you most likely never thought about, but a 'warm' sweater or a 'warm' jacket does not exist! And they do not exist because by themselves they cannot heat. You take a sweater from the closet, put it on and you are warm. Why? Because the heat comes from your body, and the job of clothes is to keep that warmth. A layer of air forms between the skin and clothes, which is heated by the person himself, and not by a sweater or jacket.

Based on this knowledge, namely, that it is not the material that warms us, but the warm air, we will analyze in more detail the rule to dress in layers.

Upper layer

The task of the outer layer is to protect the body from external factors: not to let water and cold air flow through. However, modern fabrics are also able to get rid of excess moisture that is transmitted from the underwear or bottom layer.

Classic top layer – winter jacket

Middle layer

The job of the middle layer is to keep warm. It must be dense material that can hold it. Modern synthetic materials such as fleece do an excellent job of keeping you warm. Natural materials such as knitted woolen sweaters retain more warm air due to their cellular structure.

Fleece jacket – middle layer

The middle layer in the layer system allows you to 'manage and control' the air gap, thereby ensuring the correct distribution of air and therefore heat.

Base or inner layer

The task of the base layer is to evaporate moisture as efficiently as possible and dry without accumulating it. Let's analyze the properties of three types of material that we use in our life: synthetics, cotton and wool.

• Synthetics: imagine a plastic bag with holes, how will water behave with it? It will flow freely from the inside to the outside and back, so the feeling of wet clothes will not leave you. However, there is a modern technological synthetics – a membrane in which these holes are in the form of a funnel, which allows water to be removed from the skin and evaporate with warm air on the next layer.
• Cotton: the highest hygroscopicity (the property of the fabric to absorb moisture). In general, imagine a wet cotton wool and after what time will it dry out? With all its positive properties, cotton for winter is the most uncomfortable material. Wet clothing helps to cool quickly.
• Wool: The main distinguishing feature of wool is that even wet wool, due to its hollow pile structure, is able to quickly evaporate moisture and retain heat. If you get a little wet in a woolen (natural) product, you will never freeze.

Thermal underwear – base layer

Remember the fleece underpants, leggings and sweatpants? Now there is thermal underwear for men. Choose comfortable thermal underwear, taking into account its composition and density. The denser, the warmer. Nowadays, you can often find insulated trousers and jeans. Very comfortably. These pants have a fleece lining on the seamy side, which will keep your feet from freezing.

Men's winter shoes

In an article titled 'how to choose winter shoes', we just considered in great detail the issue of choosing winter shoes for men. Whether it's formal dress code or casual style. I will say unequivocally that you simply must have a pair of shoes that will protect you from moisture, cold and will not allow you to catch a cold.

Men's winter accessories

The cold weather is great because you can wear cool woolen things. And I'm not talking about a sweater with deer. Accessories made of silk, cotton and linen look perfect in summer, combining simplicity and lightness. Choosing a warm woolen suit, tweed jacket, woolen waistcoat or sleeveless jacket, we will perfectly complement the look with a woolen tie. A bow tie made of fine Italian wool will favorably emphasize texture and make all the elements of winter style sound in the same tone.

Wool tie paired with a cardigan and classic blazer

Another winter accessory is a knitted tie. A knitted accessory looks good with knitwear such as a cardigan, jumper or sweater. This great casual style will highlight your individuality and originality.

Knitted tie paired with a cardigan and coat

We examined men's hats in detail in the article 'Men's winter hats'.

What is really difficult to do without in winter is gloves. You can, of course, warm your hands in your pockets, but it is better to choose a quality accessory and protect your hands from wind and frost. I recommend reading the article 'How to choose men's gloves'.

Socks

Forget about thin cotton socks and your legs will thank you. Feet should be warm, this is an undeniable fact, so choose woolen socks for the winter season. Only wool will provide perfect thermoregulation. There are socks with insulated areas, for example, in the toes or the entire foot. Choose anatomical elastic bands and flat seams to avoid chafing.

Woolen socks vary in composition. For example, merino wool is the finest wool, products are thin, comfortable to wear, do not cause tingling sensations, and most importantly have a very aesthetic appearance. The garment lacks the large 'protruding villi' typical of woolen garments.

Something new

For me personally, it was a huge discovery – these are heated insoles. There are insoles that are charged via a USB cable and controlled from a portable remote control. The remote control can be used to set a comfortable temperature for the feet. For example, when entering a warm room, you can turn them off, and when your feet begin to freeze, turn them on. Special heating elements are distributed over the entire surface.

Insoles heated

The insoles really save when you are outdoors for a long time. Depending on the model, recharging lasts up to 5 hours of use. Well, for very extreme conditions there is also clothing with electronic heating elements.

Winter cream for men

If everything is more or less clear with our clothes, then how to protect our hands (if they are without gloves) and face from the frosty wind and snow? Your face and hands are your calling card. When communicating with a person, you look him in the face. And our task is to eliminate the unpleasant impression when communicating. You must admit that prevention is much more effective than explaining to each interlocutor that on the face it is chapping, and not an infectious form of skin infection. Strong cold winds and low humidity affect areas of the skin that become painful and burn-like. Regular creams are indispensable, as most creams contain hydroelements or water. Freezing, the cream mercilessly spoils the skin.

Antifreeze cream for men

The situation will be saved by a special Antifreeze cream – a completely natural male care product. The cream of a special composition will protect the skin from frost and chapping, as well as it effectively regenerates and heals already damaged areas. Leaves no greasy residue and is completely invisible on the face.

How to dress in winter for a man – video

Finally

And my last advice is to dress not only warmly, but also attractively. Nobody canceled the basic principles in choosing clothes by size and in accordance with the type of figure! As always, your comments and feedback are welcome, because we are writing for you and your opinion is important to us.