As a Scottish girl who spent the best part of a decade continuously getting lost in London, I made the bold decision to move back to my homeland – Edinburgh, to be precise – last year. And while it’s proved to be a positive move overall, there is one downside to residing in Scotland. It might sound cliché but, of course, I’m talking about the weather.
I’m allowed to say this because I’m a proud Scot, but the weather since returning has been dismal at best. So much so that I wasn’t even able to wear any of the breezy, summery dresses I’ve collected over my time in the British capital. And now that winter has arrived, I’ve had to quickly rediscover the art of dressing for the freezing weather that’s likely to stick around until April. Handily, all of my cold-weather dressing hacks have come flooding back to me, all of which you’ll find below.
From the cosy staple I wear underneath my coats to the fabric I line my boots with, keep scrolling to see exactly what to wear when it’s freezing, as told by me—a Scottish fashion editor.
This is a trick I’ve taken north of the border courtesy of fellow WWW UK cold-girl, Joy Montgomery: Take a sleeveless feather down gilet (one that’s in no way bulky) and layer it underneath your more directional outerwear. This will bestow you with blissful, extra heat without ruining the overall aesthetic of your outerwear.
I stumbled on this cold-weather trick by accident. I’d had my eye on a pair of boots for months, but when they eventually went into the sale, the only pair in stock was a size up from the one I’d usually buy. I ordered them anyway and, when I proceeded to complain that they were too big, my Grandma gave me a pair of sheepskin liners from a pair of her boots to offset the extra room inside. And boy, were they toasty. Turns out that sheepskin insoles are a thing all their own, and now, I purposely buy by boots a size up to accommodate them.
Is there anything worse than being out in the elements and wearing a scarf that insists on blowing around the place instead of keeping you warm? Well, yes, there are worse things, but it’s still infuriating all the same. As such, I now belt my scarves so they stay in place. Not only does it keep you cosy, but it also looks incredibly chic. Win-win.
This is quite the admission for a fashion editor, but it wasn’t until this year that I actually tried knee-high boots. Owing to my petite, curvy frame, I’d previously sworn off them without even trying them. But now that I have, I’ve seen the error of my ways. Not only do they help to elongate my little legs (hurrah!), but they are also the warmest footwear I own, as they cover more of the leg than any other pair of boots I’ve owned. I’ve since invested in a high pair for parties and a low pair for day-to-day wear.
This one goes without saying—roll-necks are essential for keeping warm during the winter months. Personally, I like to tuck my hair into them for extra insulation. At least I did until I went for the chop after writing this feature on the blunt bob.
I’ve always loved opaque tights, but my mind was completely blown when I discovered that thermal tights exist. Cleverly made with fibres that keep you warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot, I wear thermal tights with everything—midi dresses, minidresses, and under my jeans (if you’ve ever visited Scotland between December and March, you’ll consider this non-negotiable).
This post was originally published at an earlier time and has since been updated.
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