FashionThe Cold-Weather Essentials Fashion People are Actually Wearing Right Now
This season’s cold-weather wardrobe proves that style and warmth can – and should – coexist
As the temperature drops and the frost begins to bite, the annual challenge of dressing for the winter returns – how to maintain a curated aesthetic without succumbing to the chill. Winter doesn’t have to mean surrendering to shapeless layers and dreary coats. This season, cold-weather dressing is a playground for texture, proportion, and smartly considered details. Here are seven essentials that are redefining what it means to bundle up and actually look good doing it.
The scarf jacket
If you haven’t yet experienced the genius of a jacket with its own built-in scarf, prepare to have your life changed. This architectural silhouette, refined through clean lines and structure, has quietly become the insider’s uniform. It’s the kind of piece that makes getting dressed feel effortless: just slip it on, and suddenly you’re swathed in elegance without the faff of figuring out how to drape a separate scarf. Style it over a fine-knit turtleneck and let that dramatic collar do all the talking.
Shearling coats
If you haven’t yet experienced the genius of a jacket with its own built-in scarf, prepare to have your life changed. This architectural silhouette, refined through clean lines and structure, has quietly become the insider’s uniform. It’s the kind of piece that makes getting dressed feel effortless: just slip it on, and suddenly you’re swathed in elegance without the faff of figuring out how to drape a separate scarf. Style it over a fine-knit turtleneck and let that dramatic collar do all the talking.
Knee-high boots
Cold weather means protecting as much skin as possible, and knee-high boots do exactly that whilst maintaining elegance. The return to sleeker silhouettes – pointed toes, fitted calves, manageable heels – makes them more versatile than chunky alternatives. In classic leather, they become a foundational piece: wear them under trousers when it’s truly freezing, or with tights and skirts when you need coverage but want to maintain a silhouette. The higher the shaft, the more protection from wind and cold, and the smarter the styling needs to be to keep everything streamlined.
What was once purely functional has become fashion’s most intriguing headwear proposition. This season, it’s all about coverage that doesn’t compromise on style. The balaclava – reimagined in fine-gauge cashmere, occasionally in jewel tones like ruby or sapphire – offers both protection and a certain enigmatic quality that fashion people have latched onto. Meanwhile, the snood provides a softer alternative: a chunky knit tube that wraps around the neck and can be pulled up over the head when the wind bites. Both options are about framing the face differently, creating negative space where there was not any before. Pair either with oversized sunglasses and a structured coat, and suddenly you’re not just dressed for the weather – you’re making a statement about it.