Really REALLY warm work clothes

[AnnaMagnani]

So the heating is broken at work. And we aren't likely to have any heating for the foreseeable future. Building is decrepit.

Me - size 16-18, senior healthcare, usually wear colourful clothes from Thought or People Tree.

Frankly a wardrobe of ethical cotton clothing was not cutting it yesterday. I spent the whole day wearing my winter coat which turned out to be not as warm as I thought it was while I froze from the toes up.

Other colleagues who have been there longer helpfully said the heating has never worked over any winter, ever. Possibly once, about 6 years ago.

So please can I have your suggestions I how I can look work appropriate but not frozen? Yesterday I had to come home and spend 45 minutes in bed with the electric blanket before I could face the world again.

Am thinking thermals, fleecy tights, boots to start off with but anything goes.

I'm in ordinary heels and tights and feeling the cold, brrh! Mmmm those boots look toasty. Yeah fan/heater distribution here is a bit of a mare. Current office can vary widely in temps but it can be a bit of an ice box

I was looking for a gilet on amazon last week and was amazed to discover they do heated ones like and electric blanket type thing.

Turtle Doves cashmere wrist warmers

Layers are you friend.
Tights under trousers, plus socks.
If you have lots of nice short sleeved tops, I'd buy long sleeved base layers (or even polonecks) and put underneath. Jumper or cardi on top.
Yes to the wrist warmers, or at least fingerless gloves.
Scarf (even thin cotton summer ones make a difference) around your neck if the tops are anything other close fitting round necks.
Below 16 is miserable - and I only had to deal with it on a Monday morning (the heating got turned down over the weekend, and the bloke didnt start work til 9am to turn it back up, then the whole building had to heat through).

I would bring in my own fan heater. It is disgraceful having you work in those conditions.

Keep your wrists and ankles warm and your core. Down gilets keep me warm.

I have a chronic illness which affects my temperature control. My tips:

Keep old faded leggings to wear under nicer pairs or trousers.

Invest in a down (or synthetic) padded gilet in a dark colour which you can wear indoors. Jumper and thermals underneath. I tuck a hot water bottle in my gilet 🙂 I look pregnant but never mind!

Ugg fluffy lined leather boots are the warmest I've found. Sheepskin insoles can be bought on ebay for about £4 and can go in any shoe for a cosy feel.

If you don't like a flappy scarf, try a cashmere snood - much neater. Turtle Doves have them as well as the wrist warmers which I'm in love with.

When my body goes into cold mode I can't warm up with just clothing, I have to add heat. Hot water bottle, electric heater, hot drinks and food. I'm considering a heated blanket. I also sleep in a sleeping bag under my duvet.

Also, thin layers.

Vest, long sleeve thermal top, fine merino or cashmere jumper, gilet, coat.

Start with boots - put wool insoles in. Then wear merino leggings (the Aldi ones are good, or alternatively Primark do blissful brushed inside cosy leggings) and merino socks. Long skirt and a petticoat (you'd be surprised how much difference that can make), Heatgen top, another top and then something like a Lands End fleece blazer. Scarf. Wristwarmers when at your desk, and a warm wrap. Lands End do lovely down gilets as well for an added layer
If its a portakabin type building, the cold comes up so get a footrest so when sat at your desk it isn't cooling your feet.
Make sure you don't get cold as well, so invest in a really cosy coat to go outside in

Uniqlo padded gilet.

I'd get one of those plug in lap blankets that heat up for when you're sat at your desk, it will keep you toasty warm.

When I worked in a building with broken heating I took in my own small electric heater. Definitely cheaper than buying lots of thick clothes that would not be worn elsewhere. Meant I had heater near me!

Take a look at baselayer.co.uk.

I’m in Canada. I swear by Icebreaker. They make lots of underwear, base layers, sweaters and cardigans in various heat ratings. The higher the number (260,320) the better it is in truly cold temps. It regularly gets to -40 and below here in the depths of winter. Currently feeling like -13 here with the windchill at 4:30pm.

I bought some thermal long sleeve vests and long johns from L.L. Bean a few years back, but they don't seem to do them any more. That's a shame, they're really toasty and I can't find anything else as warm as they are.

Those boots look really warm and it's great that vat & duty is included in the price.

Primark do leggings that are lined with a lovely cosy velvety material, which cost about £5/6. These have been an absolutely life saver for me as I can wear them with a dress in lieu of tights, but I've gotten away with wearing them under jeans before! They're cuffed at the ankle so those, with a pair of warm socks + knee high boots = toasty legs!

Would you be allowed a hot water bottle? I get cold very easily so I fill a hot water bottle in the morning and keep it on my lap, with my jacket over it so it's concealed. Our office is constantly chilly so I don't look out of place with my strange set up!

LL Bean boots are the best, you can’t go wrong. Also yes to uniqlo heat tech thermals, go for the extra warm as they are worth it. Icebreaker stuff is also great. Cashmere jumper on top, go for a polo neck and you won’t need a scarf.

My commute this morning was ‘feels like’ -21 Celsius so I consider myself an expert in cold weather dressing!

I was going to say Uniqlo Heattech too. Also, I learned when I went to the Arctic circle to avoid cotton completely as it traps moisture and then gets cold. So thermals, wool, silk, fleece etc are all fine but don’t wear cotton or garments that contain it!

I work somewhere that gets down to about 11/12 C in the winter (although we repaired the heating over the summer, so maybe not this year!) and I would echo the heattech suggestions, and the suggestions for a hot water bottle and fingerless gloves. Also, just get a pair of Ugg type boots with sheep lining and wear them with two pairs of socks. I don't care how loved/hated Uggs may be. They're the warmest.

Uniqlo do some good 100% wool coatigans. Smarter than wearing your coat indoors and roomy enough to fit over everything else you're wearing. I've also discovered sweater vests/sleeveless jumpers recently. Good over a wool turtle-neck, and you can get a a cardigan on too without having bulky arms that are hard to bend from wearing too many layers.

If you shop Uniqlo, the men's stuff has a better wool content than the women's section.

If you like People Tree they have a small selection of very warm looking hand knitted woollen jumpers.

Thermals - long sleeved top and leggings or tights make sure you tuck these in.
Thermal wool socks
Boots with a sheepskin innersole
A wool dress or cord trousers
Wool cardigan
Wool snood
A big wool wrap
Fingerless gloves
Might be worth looking at vintage clothing that was made for before central heating! They are seriously warm!

I have a thick zip up cardigan from wool overs which is 100% wool and very warm
I also have some biker style ugg boots, smarter than the normal kind but just as warm

I agree adding sheepskin insoles to your usual shoes is a great hack and quite cheap.

Merino thermals. Millets/Blacks have a sale on at the moment so have a look at their thermals!