What to wear when you’re cold but sick of sweaters

A good old fashion lesson in layering on how to stay warm while omitting big sweaters

This is a public post from What to wear, a series about what to wear. To see the last of its kind, click here.

Fine merino wool is like an avocado — it can be mixed with and still taste good with a lot of other ingredients. The way they’re different (the wool and the fruit) is in that the former is an unsung hero. Whereas people know avocado is going to be a crowd-pleaser out of the gates, I think we forget that fine wool*, boring as it may be to buy/own/look at in your closet is as useful as the word “fuck.”

Particularly when you combine a few layers. The easiest silhouettes to layer are turtle (good budget one here) and crew-necks (good budget one here). Or crew and v-necks (polos notwithstanding). The crew-neck is the most versatile silhouette. Here are three visual explanations of why.

Left outfit: Closed Official wool button-down, Raey merino sweater, Giuliva Heritage pants, Gucci sneakers; Second outfit: Raey merino sweater, Kule v-neck, Re/done jeans, Very Anna belt, Manolo Blahnik sandals; Right outfit: Closed Official jacket and vest, Raey merino sweater, Calzedonia tights, Loewe derbies

[1] They’re good with wool (and not) button-downs.

[2] And v-necks.

[3] Also great in the context of a jacket-as-part-of-the-outfit outfit. And not pictured, but turtlenecks good under too.

Meanwhile, I really brought you here to bring you further back to 2010, which if you read Man Repeller in the very early days means: a good old-fashioned lesson in layering on how to stay warm while omitting a big sweater.

Start with the lightweight wool turtleneck

Mango turtleneck from a collab I did with them, but here’s a good one in lots of colors from Uniqlo

add merino sweater

layer a shirt over that

Polo shirt

a vest over that

Frances Valentine vest

jacket over that

La Veste La Veste jacket

…so cool if you find a Snickers wrapper too

then put on a pair of tights

Calzedonia tights — these don’t have to match the turtleneck, btw!

add jeans or pants (not fine wool or silk, they will static; bonus if the tights show) and your shoes

Closed x LMC jeans, Toteme loafers

a silk scarf if you like

Lescarf scarf

then a coat

Toteme coat — slightly shorter, but here’s a similar one

but don’t forget your warm-weather accessories!!!

Toteme mittens, Kolonaki Madrid hood

Eyyyyy vwala:

Bone jure, winter!

The end.

Love always,

Leandra