How do you keep warm at work without looking like the Michelin man?

A good majority of my clients tell me they’re always cold. And I have to make sure every outfit we put together is warm enough for them. 

Yep, winter is gonna be her for a while, so keeping warm at work is gonna be an issue for a while. (😭🥶 I’m a summer gal!) 

But even in summer, indoor air conditioning can feel like arctic air blasting on you in your office or home. What gives? Who’s that hot? Oh yeah, men! 

I even have a client who lives in Florida part time who struggles finding things that’ll keep her warm enough in the a/c year round. 

So thinking about this, I came up with 5 solutions for winter and one you can wear year round. I know you’re gonna love these!! 

Psst…if you’re really not into reading today, click right here to see all of my style boards in one place. Click the funny little symbol to enlarge each board.

How to stylishly keep warm at work

1. Base Layers

Wearing a base layer under your clothes (mostly never to be seen except casually) is the perfect place to start. These layers are super thin and toasty…you won’t feel bulky like you did skiing back in the day. 

Two fabrics to look for are: 

• Silk and  a.k.a. silk long underwear
• Heattech, a high tech synthetic that a good source tells me is a lifesaver.

Click through the items on the pic below to learn more about these base layers.  Or check out a huge variety of Heattech pieces, even tights and socks!

I may make a small commission when you shop, but there’s never an additional charge to you. Thanks for trusting me to  help you keep you warm!

2. Cashmere ponchos, ruanas and capes

First things first…there’s a theme for this post–CASHMERE! It’s lightweight and WARM. Plus it gives you the elegance you need for a professional look. Also, cashmere comes at all price points…low to high.

Ponchos, ruanas (a shawl like wrap) and capes seem to go in and out of style, and they’re currently trending*. Yay!! 

*Ok, so “currently trending” means they’re widely available at retail; however, they’re truly timeless, especially when it comes to keeping warm. 

While all of these are warm, I personally feel like the cashmere ponchos are especially practical. (um, they don’t look like they’ll get in your way of typing and since it’s over your head it’s not gonna fall off.) 

I saw lots of women wearing these ponchos over dresses when I was in Charleston, S. C. in November. 

3. Cashmere sweaters…even under a jacket

If you’ve lived in Colorado (or another cold climate) for even five minutes, you’ve had everyone you meet tell you, “Ya gotta wear layers!” 

But that can leave you a little confused, amiright?

Cashmere is SUPER warm and it’s thin, so it’s easy to wear another sweater or cardigan over it. 

Be sure to click through if you like any of these items…most of them come in lots of colors!

You can try a sweater set (a matching shell and cardigan) or layer a cashmere shell or short sleeved sweater under a contrasting cardigan.

(Psst…the model wearing the pink cashmere cami probably has a torso longer than yours, so your tummy probably won’t show.) 

One of the layering tricks I like is wearing a long sleeved blouse with a long sleeved v-neck cardigan over it under a blazer. It creates the look of a sweater vest, but it’s warmer! And if you want to take your jacket off, you still have enough layers to keep you warm! 

Psst…in bright and light summer colors, there’s no reason you can’t wear a cashmere sweater in your arctic office during spring and summer months. 

4. Scarves, socks and gloves, oh my! 

Scarves

You might feel a wee bit silly wearing a thick muffler in your office, but in actuality you can keep warm stylishly at work with any kind of scarf. Check out the black one in the photo…I didn’t think I’d like it but it looks great! 

I actually have the scarf that’s bottom center (in another color). It’s HUGE, but you can do tons with it! (It might be better for a biz casual look than a formal look.)

Even an elegant silk scarf will help insulate you. And if you’re someone who is cold in your office in summer, silk scarves are your answer. I like to wear them with a necklace so if I get hot, and take the scarf off, I’m still accessorized. 

If you’re not a silk scarf kind of gal, here’s a scarf that looks warm. 

Gloves

I know…you may be thinking, “hey, weirdo! I’m not wearing gloves around in my office!”

Hear me out…I’m talking about wearing fingerless gloves you can wear when you’re typing or reading docs in your personal office. My hands used to get really cold in my previous home’s office. Not sure why I never thought of it before now.

And yes, fingerless gloves are cute, but I ran across these gloves and they’re GENIUS if you’re mostly working on your phone! Seriously, click through and check them out!

Socks

All of my friends swear by Smartwool socks. True, they’re warm, but they still kind of itch me. Whether you like wool or Smartwool socks, consider buying your boots a little big, so you can accommodate cozy socks in the office. 

Fleece Lined Tights

Fleece lined tights…where have you been all my life?! These tights have been all over the internet this season and I’ve heard great reviews. Here’s one pair to try. It’s a great way to wear a skirt or dress and still keep warm and look uber professional. 

5. Techy ways to keep warm at work!

As I was looking for fab things to show you, I ran across all kinds of tech products to keep you warm at work! 

So they’re not all exactly professional, but I had no idea so many heated products existed. I haven’t owned any of them, so I can’t vouch, but they’re certainly worth checking out. 

As much as we’d like to wish away the winter months, they’re here to stay for a while. I hope my tips today’ll help you keep warm at work! 

Do you have any keeping warm tips to share? Drop a comment below.