The Boring Basics I Live In Once It Gets Cold

Despite what you see in movies and on Instagram, winter in NYC is not all Christmas lights and pretty store windows. I mean, those are definitely prevalent, but piled in there among the fun and games are millions of New Yorkers and tourists doing whatever they can simply to not feel cold. How do I know? Because I'm one of them, and as much as I care about looking cool, fashionable, and taller than I really am, at a certain point (usually early December), I care most about not freezing.

So what's on my must-have list for winter? From Uniqlo Heattech to high socks to plain puffers, there are a total of nine boring basics that I truly could not live without once the temperatures drop. To see what they all are and, of course, shop my picks for each category along the way, just keep scrolling. 

Plain Puffers

Thankfully puffers have become more and more fashionable as of late, however, even if they weren’t, there’s simply no way of getting around them on NYC’s coldest and wettest days. The below from Y-3 has been my go-to so far this year.

Simple Sweaters

When it’s freezing day after day, who has time to think about how to style a complicated fashion sweater? Not me. That’s why I rely on an arsenal of simple, crewneck sweaters to layer over my warm basics and under my coats.

Black Boots

My love of and need for endless pairs of black boots at this time of year can’t be summed up into just a couple sentences, so when you're done with this story, read (and shop) more on that here.

High Socks

Few things are worse than freezing ankles in the winter, so I wear high socks just about every day. I used to exclusively steal them from my husband, but eventually I needed to start buying my own.

Roomy Coats

When you want to look one step dressier than a puffer but it’s still freezing, a roomy coat will give you enough space for as many layers are necessary while still topping off your look nicely.

Straight-Leg Jeans

Pro tip: Straight jeans look polished while still allowing room for you to wear high socks and potentially even leggings underneath for warmth.

Ribbed Turtlenecks

Tight, thin ribbed turtlenecks are easy to layer and add an undeniably distinguished element to even the laziest cold-weather outfits.

Cheap Gloves

Why cheap? Because while gloves are essential when it’s freezing, they’re also annoyingly easy to lose.

Heat Tech Underlayers 

Definitely the most boring item on this list but arguably the most crucial, Uniqlo Heat Tech gets layered under everything I wear from jeans to sweaters once the temperatures get below a certain point in winter.

Up next? Eight celebrity jean-and-boot outfits we all need to copy ASAP.