33 Winter Fashion Items You Need for Layering Clothes
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November is here, and with its arrival comes cooler, harsher weather. That includes blistering winds, snowy mornings, and late-night temperature drops that require a new level of layering techniques and transitional separates to survive unscathed. Luckily, cold-weather dressing is a Vogue editor specialty. While we adore a good, style-forward fit, weâre not willing to forgo function and warmth for the sake of chicâthese two things can and must coincide. Enter winterâs essential layering guide: a virtual tour through Vogue editorâs closets of must-have winter garb, from knits to tanks to tees.
Vogueâs Winter Layering List:The Trending Shacket: Banana Republic double-faced shirt jacket, $250The Everyday Turtleneck: Cos merino wool turtleneck top, $90The Perfect Long-Sleeve: J.Crew long-sleeve crewneck top, $40The Must-Have Tights: Wolford Individual tights, $95The Hybrid Crewneck: Still Here NYC layered tee, $135The Ribbed Tee: St.Agni organic cotton soft rib top, $125The Extra-Warm Layer: Uniqlo Heattech Cashmere Blend T-Shirt, $25With a few reliable styling hacks, weâve mastered the art of bundling up with grace and style. There are wool shackets ideal for layering atop turtlenecks, bodysuits to place beneath fall dresses, oversized sweaters to wear over, well, everything, and buttery-soft tank tops to add a buffer between mohair and skin. Read on for all of the layering pieces, from cashmere sweaters to organic cotton T-shirts and boat-neck tops, that are keeping us toasty throughout the season.
Chloe Malle, editor, Vogue.comA whisper-thin knit and a shacket are the golden keys to the kingdom of layering pieces and the perfect way to straddle fall to winter. I love this perfect Attersee turtleneck and Banana Republic work jacket.
Attersee
The Whisper turtleneck
Banana Republic
double-faced wool-blend shirt jacket
Leah Faye-Cooper, digital style director, Vogue.comI try to make a lot of my summer dresses work for winter by layering them over bodysuits. Wolford makes a fantastic one that molds to the figure for a perfect base. St. Agni tees are great for wearing under vests and cardigans (theyâre so soft) and while I understand that a crop top isnât the most sensible cold-weather piece, I simply canât help myself from time to time. So long as you have a really warm coat, Aritziaâs Contour cropped shirts are indeed winter attire.
Wolford
Colorado string bodysuit
St. Agni
organic cotton rib long sleeve top
Aritzia
contour crew cropped long sleeve
Libby Page, executive commerce directorThis top (in black) is always my go-toâI just love the weight of it. It fits under almost every blazer and jacket I own. For something thinner, I go to Uniqlo HeatTech and layer that under all my shirts. My favorite combination is a turtleneck, shirt, and crewneck sweater over the top!
Uniqlo
HEATTECH cashmere blend t-shirt
Lilah Ramzi, contributorI never knew what to do with sleeveless turtlenecks until I discovered how to layer them. Wear them beneath any V-neck sweater or sweater dress for a very chic look that doesnât cause any friction or add bulk to the arms. My favorite combo is a winter white turtleneck paired with a black cable knit sweater. It doesnât get any better!
Ralph Lauren
sleeveless turtleneck sweater
Cortne Bonilla, senior shopping writerI have a bit of a texture problem. Although I gravitate toward wool, mohair, and brushed knit fabrics, my allergies despise it! I like to add a layer between my skin and knits with winter layers that are sculpting and smooth. Kye Intimates is my ultimate go-to for its buttery soft fabrics, stretchy layering tanks, and, for days spent working from home, jersey lounge pants. My other favorite items to layer during winter is an Olsens-style creamy oversized sweater, and a Skims smoothing T-shirt, or a Still Here NYC crew neck underneath.
Skims
smoothing seamless t-shirt
Still Here
layered crewneck tee
RĂłhe
wool cashmere sweater
Kye Intimates
Recline tank duo
Concetta Ciarlo, associate manager of eventsWhen it comes to layering, itâs all about cashmere, mohair, and tights for me. If there’s one thing I despise, itâs a scratchy knit. I opt for cozy-chic fabrics with a soft feel against the skin and sport my boat-neck tops from Intimissimi year round. As New York gets colder, I repeatedly reach for my mohair knits from Rouje. I wonât give up my skirts and dresses without kicking and screaming, so Iâll slip into my 100 denier tights whenever itâs brisk out instead.
Intimissimi
boat neck ultra light top
Wolford
Individual 100 tights
Madeline Fass, senior fashion market editorAlmost every one of my cold weather outfits starts with a simple, thin, long-sleeved shirt. I love the ribbed ones from Bite, theyâre a little transparent so they look nice under blazers or shirting. I like to have a little bit of the edges of the sleeves, hem, or neckline peek out from whatever I’m layering on top. J.Crewâs classic crewneck cashmere sweaters are the most convenient sweaters I own for layering as theyâre not too thick, which makes them super comfortable under the arms of winter coats or over top shoulders!
Bite Studios
long sleeve jersey
J.Crew
cashmere relaxed sweater
RĂłhe
compact wool v-neck sweater
Laura Jackson, shopping writerDuring the cold-weather months, I live in long-sleeve turtleneck tops. I wear mine tucked into midiskirts and tailored trousers or blue jeans on the weekends. Cosâs classic black choice is a staple in my rotation. Like an LBD, it truly has endless closet appeal. I also love this off-white Banana Republic option. It can be tempting to wear all-black or other dark colors in the winter, but with this one in my back pocket, it brightens up any winter wardrobe blues.
Banana Republic
turtleneck t-shirt
Kiana Murden, senior beauty commerce writerMaybe itâs a result of my childhood track days where Iâd wear a thermal long-sleeve and compression shorts (I hated running with leggings or compressed materials!), I only layer the torso these days. That said, I gravitate towards athletic wear under sweaters and jackets! Aloâs is perfect for more serious insulation, while Intimissimiâs is best for a lighter, more versatile layer. Shirts aside, I am passionate about cozy socks that add a bit more cushion with boots. Bombas are my personal favorite for daily wear (I mean, who doesnât love Merino wool socks?), and Uggâs are incredible for snowy days ahead.
Alo Yoga
Finesse stretch-jersey top
Intimissimi
crewneck top in modal
Bombas
merino wool knee-high socks
Alexandra Ditch, associate commerce producerIf thereâs one thing my closet is well-equipped with, itâs layering pieces from J.Crew! I have been loyal to its tissue turtleneck for yearsâitâs just thin enough to wear underneath my favorite blazer, yet thick enough to wear on its own. The Perfect-Fit tees and tanks are body-hugging, making them ideal for layering, too, especially when youâre looking for a higher neckline⊠And you simply canât go wrong with their comfortable, V-neck undershirts!
J.Crew
tissue crepe leopard turtleneck
J.Crew
V-neck undershirts three-pack
J.Crew
perfect fit neck tank
J.Crew
Perfect fit crewneck t-shirt
Hannah Jackson, fashion writerYou canât beat a Uniqlo tee. It doesnât bunch up under your sweaters, and itâs also super durable. Donât let the price tag spook youâthis is more than just your average white T-shirt. Flore Flore has gained a cult following for good reason thanks to this well-made, 100% organic cotton shirt. The Car tee is so flattering that you’ll want to wear it beyond sweater season.
Madeleine Schulz, reporter, Vogue BusinessMy number one layering basic is a white crew neck tee. Iâm loyal to my Hanes x Karla The Classic, but given they donât make these anymore, Iâve been layering my Cou Cou Baby Tee under V-neck and crewneck jumpers, and it works perfectly. On the other end of the layering spectrum, I’m loyal to an over-the-shoulder sweater. A good styling trick, sure, but it also doubles as a scarf and, if it gets chillier, is an easy extra layer.
Kallmeyer
Betina collared sweater
Naked Cashmere
Addy crewneck cashmere sweater
Cou Cou Intimates
The Baby Tee
Mai Morsch, fashion editorMy absolute favorite layering piece is the merino T-shirt from COS. It is ever-so-slightly sheer, and looks great with a tank underneath or a sweater or blazer on top. Plus, it has thumb holes! I have four colors, but the black and grey are the ones I reach for most. I also love the lightweight, cashmere tank tops from Intimissimi. They are so soft and completely seamless.
Intimissimi
wide shoulder top
Margaux Anbouba, senior beauty and wellness editorI havenât stopped thinking about this knit since seeing it on my coworker Laird. For my closet, this is the kitschy-cute cardigan to rule them all. The cozy knit is hand-embroidered with cute creatures big and small and looks equally cute buttoned all the way up as a top or worn open as part of an ensemble.
