How to stay warm and cosy AND look stylish/smart?!

[PurpleTreeFrog]

I like to look stylish at work and somewhat smart... Not Mad Men wiggle dresses and heels smart, but not jeans and bobbly jumper either...

Any tips on dressing chic without looking overly baggy and bundled up? Atm I'm wearing a mostly slim fit black trousers with ankle boots and a slouchy smart-ish jumper plus snood/scarf thingy. Would like to wear more dresses as I do in summer but the ones I've got aren't warm enough.

To make matters worse I'm one of these people who feels cold all the time and the air con seems to be on at work! To be truly warm I'd need a vest, long sleeve top, thin jumper and a scarf! Which is what Ive been living in recently. Whereas I see other people in the office just wearing one layer, such as a 3/4 sleeve top! No idea how theyre warm enough, I chug so much tea to warm up too.

Thinking of starting to wear only black so I can look chic,it's slimming, and hopefully less noticeable that I'm bundled up as if I'm up a mountain!

[LemonBreeland]

I wear a lot of jersey dresses with thick tights and boots in the winter. If it's really cold I can put a vest underneath, and I usually have a cardigan or jacket over them. I almost always have a scarf on too.

We have drafty sash windows in my office.

[Raia]

Uniqlo's Heattech range is great for layering without looking bulky :)

[Artandco]

I wear knitted dresses with tights and vest/ long sleeve top under neath

Or just regular long sleeve dress with extra thin thermal top underneath, with cardigan and tights

Or fitted trousers with ankle boots, shirt and round neck cashmere jumper. More layers under if needed

[christinarossetti]

Today I'm sporting a Uniqlo Heatech top under a Cos dress, with a cardi, tights and boots.

Looking very chic and feeling cozy, if I say so myself.

[P1nkP0ppy]

Where's the best place to buy knitted dresses that don't cost a fortune?
I'm fed up with the black trousers, top/cardigan combination.

[Donge13]

Watching this as I am sporting bag lady chic at the moment

[christinarossetti]

Gap one tend to be reasonable.

Also, Monsoon, FCUK, Benetton during the sales.

Ones with a high wool content look good for years.

[carrie74]

Fleece lined tights are good, thermals even when everyone else thinks it's not too cold. Layers, layers, layers. (I also feel the cold).

[Gillybobs]

Fleece lined opaque tights, long sleeve thermal t shirts from marks and Spencer's to wear under your top/jumper/dress and last but not least...sheepskin insoles for inside your boots. Sorted!

[notmynameohno]

I think this year there is more choice of warm dresses suitable for office wear such as black wool dress or patterned wool dress.

TK Maxx are selling the fleece lined opaques mentioned above in a range of colours. They are not bulky!

[P1nkP0ppy]

It's difficult because I can't wear wool, makes me itch

[Judydreamsofhorses]

Another vote for the heat-tech stuff. I am living in the long-sleeved scoop neck tops under blouses and the vests under jumpers at the moment. A typical outfit for me at the moment is an a-line skirt, fitted jumper, opaques and ankle boots - today I'm in a boucle skirt from Hush which is really cosy.

[Kennington]

I wear exactly what you do to work with a cami underneath
Woollen sock and woollen trousers help - fine gauge from COS or uniqlo or whistles. Sometimes boden.
Uniqlo slouchy fine knits.
All in grey navy and black plus ankle boots.
It is like a uniform and very liberating to not have to decide.
I now just vary things with jewellery or snake print boots/ scarves/bag.
Sorry if no help but I was just pleased to see someone else dressing like me.

[notmynameohno]

PinkPoppy the Laura Ashley tunic style wool dresses are lined and you would wear a jumper underneath...and reduced in price at the minute. ;)

[PurpleTreeFrog]

Thanks all. I've been hunting for a good wool dress and thermal layers over the last few days.

No luck yet finding any merino/wool thermals which have a scoop neck that can be worn 'invisible' under normal clothes.. I dug out my merino base layer top which is for skiing, the neck is too high to wear under normal work clothes, so I might have to go for those uniqlo ones mentioned instead.

The wool dresses are usually sleevless aren't they, do I wear it 70s style with turtleneck underneath... I am slim but short and bespectacled, will probably look like a librarian but oh well... I'll be a cosy, chic librarian at least I suppose!

[Gillybobs]

These are great www.marksandspencer.com/heatgen-thermal-long-sleeve-top/p/p22405753

[mysteryfairy]

Shearling lined boots help e.g. I have some shearling lined pistols from last year that just look like ordinary boots. Ugg do some ordinary leather boots that might also be an option.

I'm not keen on the artificial heat tech type stuff as I prefer to wear natural fibres. I wear very fine merino, cashmere etc if I see it to buy. I also wear the long layering vests from hush under knitted dresses as then there's no drafty bit round my middle. I've got some good cotton knit dresses from inwear that are non itchy and warm though in winter they take an age to dry!

I do scarfs and the becksondegaard wool/silk ones which periodically have celebratory threads on here are huge and warm and make a difference. I also wear the boden off duty jumper to work despite the name and find the cowl neckline on that makes a difference.

I buy up wolford and falke tights in tk maxx and sales. Got some silk and cashmere black one from tk maxx recently for £10 and they are really warm.
I have a collection of their knitted tights and some have gone strong for years.

[Dreamqueen]

I agree, the uniqlo heattec are brilliant.

[christinarossetti]

I've got a couple of long sleeved wool dresses (ancient - from FCUK, Just Mila). Also 3/4 ones that I wear with a co-ordinating Heattech top underneath and a cardi.

Turtleneck would be good or a fine cashmere/wood jumper.

[PedantPending]

Patra silk thermals are excellent. I live in their v-neck, long-sleeved vests in winter. Perfect under work gear as very thin etc. Keep you beautifully warm without bulk.

[Helenagrace]

When in the office I wear a lot of jersey dresses with a close fitting cami underneath (I usually size down or buy cheap so they aren't as generous). I also wear a slip to prevent cling but also as an extra layer, thick tights and then a scarf. I agree with a pp about the Becksondergaard wool and silk ones being really cosy. I sometimes wear a pair of thin cashmere mix or wool mix socks over my tights inside my boots.

When working at home I frequently wrap a fleece blanket around my legs and have been known to stick my dressing gown on over my clothes - on those days my webcam is strangely "broken" and Skype calls turn into teleconferences...

[MargoReadbetter]

How can you wear scarves at work, don't tgey get in the way?

[Higge]

P1nkP0ppy if wool makes you itch, have you tried merino or cashmere, I can't wear anything else.

[KittyB52]

I work in an office which houses lots of test computers (and several middle aged men ) so there is nigh on constant complaining about how hot the office is. The aircon is set to 16 degrees year round, and when it gets really warm, the windows get opened too (yes, I know ).

I wear lots of layers to keep warm - dresses with 3/4 sleeve tops underneath, a vest under that if I'm really cold, thermal/fleece lined tights and boots. I also wear jersey snood scarves/infinity scarves/whatever they're called now, as they are easier to keep looking tidy, and I can make sure they keep my neck from getting too draughty. I got mine from Kettlewell - they are the 'slimmer' style ones which are £15 each.

I also have an 'office cardigan' for emergencies which lives on the back of my chair, and I drink eleventeen mugs of tea a day.