Dresses in the winter - How do you stay warm?

MsLuna

I mentioned in previous forums that I only really wear narrow silhouettes and am most comfortable and feel best in the "long over (tailored) lean" look and the tailored sheath dress (usually with a blazer) look. Lately, I've been finding a lot of dresses that I really want to wear (most of them are made of ponte knit) but am not sure if I can justify purchasing them due to the harsher winters. I live in Toronto, Canada so winters here can be quite cold. I also travel by public transportation and walk usually for less than 15 mins outside.

A while back, I've purchased some fleece tights and I've been able to wear them at -5 degree celsius. I haven't tried wearing them in lower temperatures than that, but I can imagine that possibly doubling the tights up with leggings and wearing talk boots (with double layer socks) underneath will help.

Any people from colder climates try wearing skirts/dresses during the winter months before? If so - how did you stay warm?

13 years ago

Dressing

8 replies

Latest reply was from MsLuna

Karie

(website)

Veteran

It gets pretty cold here in upstate NY (not too far from the Canadian border). I double up with tights and fleece lined leggings, boots and skiers socks. You can find skiers socks in the sporting good department of any store.
Since you have to walk outdoors, you might try foot / hand warmer inserts that skiers use in their boots / shoes. I use these when walking my dog.
Hope this helps!

13 years ago

Kim

Veteran

Here's a blog that Kasmira (sp?) did a long time ago about commuting in dresses and skirts (and impractical shoes) in cold snowy icy weather. Might give you some ideas.

http://whatiwore2day.blogspot......dling.html

13 years ago

bj1111

Veteran

snuggies at home, hubs' athlethic socks under my boots, a huge puffer from lands end.

just kidding about the snuggies.

13 years ago

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Katie - well you don't get much colder than Winnipeg in the winter! Even when I used to take public transit to and from work, I wore dresses in the winter. I had a pair of slim fitting ski pants that I would pop on under my dress and wear for the walk/ride. I had a longer coat so it didn't look funny at all and even if it did, I didn't care. Warmth was the priority. Then when I got to work, off would come the ski pants and there would be my pretty tights and dress.

13 years ago

April

Veteran

It's incredibly frustrating that they don't sell online, but one of the long-sleeved tees from Uniqlo's Heat Tech line could probably be hidden under a sheath-with-jacket combination: http://www.uniqlo.com/ht_w/us/

As long as you kept the jacket on, no one would be the wiser.

Sizing alert: Heat Techs run small.

13 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

If it's really cold, and you're wearing something relatively simple and sleek without layers, I like the layering with thermals or ski pants strategy.

But when it's only normally cold, tall boots, warm tights (not microfishnets or sheers) the dress layered over a cami or layering top plus jacket plus coat, scarf, etc. etc. does me fine. I'm typically doing more walking than sitting, however, so the movement helps to keep me warm. Oh, and the coat I'd wear would be either my red wool knee length or my puffer, depending on the temps.

13 years ago

Lisa

Veteran

I wear fleece tights in the winter. And I layer thermals under the top which is under the dress (turtleneck or shirt are the pieces you usually see with the dress but there's another layer underneath that is long john for warmth only.) For feet, I wear the fleece tights and wool socks over them, and that's all stuffed inside a boot.

13 years ago

MsLuna

Veteran

Thank you so much for the suggestions ladies!

I currently own 6 pairs of fleece leggings and it's served me well below -5 Celsius. I used to actually have ski leggings (in black) and it looks more like tights under skirts. I stopped wearing them because they were too tight. Perhaps I should size up.

Again, thanks for all your suggestions!

13 years ago

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