Offices might not adjust their dress codes for the winter, but that doesn't mean that your own wardrobe has to be just as inflexible. Unchanging fashion etiquette does not call for you to wear the same suits you did for summer, which are likely to be, in terms of style and practicality, unsuitable for the colder seasons. Here's how to warm up to your suits in a whole new way to get you looking sharp even during those cold snaps.
Have Some Heft
Cotton is an ideal fabric for most other months of the year and wool is cool for temperate times. When the mercury really starts falling, though, you'll want to get suits (and other pieces) that have more substance and thickness to them for those colder days.
Winter suits are best done in tweed, that trusty staple fabric of men's fashion from across the Atlantic. More cold-ready than cotton and outstanding than plain old wool, tweed makes even the most tired and typical style of suit seem more dapper than usual. The slim gray suit in tweed - worn with strategic pops of color on the shirt and socks - is one of this winter season's most coveted trends.
Even neckties seem to be getting a heft upgrades these days. Now that you probably own at least one knit tie to give your wardrobe some non-silk texture, you may want to play around with the idea of wool ties. Fabrics used in suits are now being used for a wider range of men's apparel - including neckties. A tie in these heavier textiles are appropriate for the harsh winter weather, especially in dark colors and strong prints like plaid.
Love Some Layers
Yes, thick suit jackets do give you a fair amount of insulation - if you consider them in a vacuum. Once you think about that subzero temperature outside, however, you'll think twice about wearing just a shirt and tie with your suit. Additio women's coats nal layers aren't just for heating you up; they're also a chance to insert an extra style statement into every outfit.
Slim, sleek sweaters, none of that chumpy, chunky variety for layering with suits, are key style pieces to have this winter. Layer a solid or subtly patterned one over the barest of shirt and tie combinations and you'll have yourself some instant color and life in your ensemble. Remember, though, to keep your v-neck sweater slim-fitted and distinct from all the rest of your clothes, particularly the suit.
On the other side of the suit jacket, you'll also want to consider picking up a topcoat or pea coat for facing the bitter cold. Solids are your best bet - patterned coats are for more advanced fashion adopters, with navy, gray and black at the front line. As with sweaters, stick to a color that's close yet distinguishable from that of your suit.
Consider Some Color
With the dreary gray outside and the uniform dark colors of your suit and underpinnings, it's not a far off chance for your outfit to become boring. Men's fashion relies a lot on contrast, and adding even a little bit of color to your outfit gives you just that.
As your suit, necktie, sweater and outerwear are most likely in dark, heavy colors, shirts in bright and light shades should create some levity in your look. Pastels that aren't too light - mint greens and light yellows, for example - should pop quite nicely against your winter suiting backdrop. Socks and pocket squares make good substitutes for the necktie when it comes to contributing small and subtle pockets of color here and there.
Your shoes could also use a color update. Instead of the black lace-ups you likely wear to work every day, pick up a pair in caramel or burnished brown leather. They make a refreshing change from noir, without straying from the bounds of formalness at the same time. Laced up over a pair of vibrant socks in a fun color, brown shoes are the kind of accessories that get noticed at the office and make a definite sartorial impression.
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