Warm jumper/jacket hybrid??

[Tacitits]

I share an office with two other people in a 150 year old building. It's a small space so we need to keep it well ventilated, what with Covid - which means keeping the windows open. I sit right next to one of said windows and I'm already getting cold and it's only September.

So I'm looking for something super warm but still professional looking and not ugly to put over my clothes. Not a jacket as such, but warmer than a jumper. Budget up to about £150 for the right kind of thing. I had high hopes for Ugg, but they don't currently have anything that quite fits the bill.

Any ideas, fashionistas?

I’m not sure what you will get that’s still professional but I often get cold and I keep a north face body warmer on my chair at work!

I used to keep a hot water bottle at work

I'd get a big warm coatigan/knitted longish cardigan - something ike this (sorry too expensive but to give you an idea).

Or you could get a long cardie in cashmere which will be less bulky but classy and warm, e.g. this

Or even just a warm cashmere wrap or blanket (not a pashmina, I mean a knitted wrap)

Can you take a heated blanket to put over your legs? I have a lightweight plug in one and it's very warm.

Argos have them

I have similar problems and every winter I try to find something that fits the bill, but have never really succeeded. Big woolly jumpers and cardigans just dont look smart enough, but my office is not really a suit jacket type of place.

I tend to wear M&S Heatgen Plus thermals with a fine ribbed jumper and a jersey Whistles jacket. Polo neck jumpers make a big difference if you can tolerate them. I find 200 denier/thermal tights and a skirt can be warmer than trousers, especially if you find a good pair of boots (warm feet is essential). I have just invested in a pair of long boots for the first time in years for when it gets really cold.

I am following with interest to see if anyone has any good suggestions!

Would a faux fur or shearling gilet fit the bill? Something like this? www.purecollection.com/womens/jackets-and-coats/faux-fur-gilet-oyster-1242

Was going to suggest the faux fur gilet but beaten to it!

A cashmere poncho (don’t laugh) might also work well but would get in the way a bit if you do a lot of typing. You can get ones with cuffs though.

I like the coatigan idea, will explore that! And not laughing at the poncho - I was wondering whether to get a ludicrous bohemian cape and make it A Look.

That gilet is beautiful as well...

Ugg or similar boots need NO SOCKS for maximum benefit.

Layers. Fine merino jumper under a smart jacket could work. Plus a scarf.

I had a lovely big wrap cardigan from M&S a couple of years ago. It was cashmere and I did keep it at work for cold moments.
Probably worth keeping a nice scarf around too.

White company have this coatigan, top of your budget but nice and long.

https://www.thewhitecompany.com/uk/Coatigan-with-Cashmere/p/COCCM?shopping=true&cmmmc=Google+MobileeUKUKALLALLGOGOTWCTWCALLLLSmartPLAPLADayweararAllDaywearearAllllPLAPLA--&ProGrpCode=BB782&&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5Ome46nL6wIVh7PtCh37YAIdEAQYCSABEgKNqqDBwE

We don't control our heat and it isn't turned on until the end of October and off in mid-March so I have many cold days ahead. Agree 100% about layers. My go-to is a kind of "country living office" look - fabrics like velvet, wide wale corduroy, tweed, to look smart but still warm and then tonnes of thin layers. A typical work day in October I might wear a heattech thermal vest, then a blouse, then a thin merino cardigan, then a tweed jacket sometimes with a down gilet underneath as well. I might swap the tweed jacket for a blanket scarf. On the bottom I might have cords or thermals under jeans. All the layers need to be pretty thin though so you don't look like the Michelin man!!

I still haven't figured out what to do about my head or my hands though - I have tried those wrist warmers but they don't keep my fingers warm, and I can't type in gloves.

You can get heated wrist warmers and fingerless gloves that plug into a USB socket. They’re for people with Reynaud’s I think, have a google. If you warm your arms, wrists enough, the blood flow will keep your fingers warm.