Affordable Vintage Winter Clothes For Men
When you hear the word “winter-ize,” you likely think about your car. And rightly so. But if you want to maintain the quality of your wardrobe without losing your sense of style during the cooler months, there’s just as much you can do to stay warm and keep your budget in check. Here are a few tips for enjoying affordable vintage winter clothes.
Think In Layers, Not New Clothes
The most tempting thing to do is go out and buy an entirely new wardrobe: coats, sweaters, jackets, even undershirts and more. This will bust your budget in a hurry. It’s far more economical to simply buy a few more layers, including:
- Cold weather accessories. Scarves, hats, gloves. These are the simple items that won’t take away from your essential style, but will pay major dividends if the mercury ever drops below freezing.
- Sweaters and cardigans. You can continue to use your button-down shirts as part of your winter wardrobe, just as long as you think of them no longer as the only piece in your outfit. They’re now your inner layer. On the outside, you can wear sweaters and cardigans to stay warm and maintain the same sense of style.
- Different materials. A wool jacket can completely change your wardrobe with a single purchase, because it performs the entire task of keeping you warm. You keep wearing the same clothes underneath while the quality of your wool does the rest.
Simply adding a layer here and there won’t break your budget, but it will change the way you go outside and enjoy the winter months.
Don’t Neglect The Bottoms
While most people think about sweaters, hats and gloves to “winterize” their wardrobe, the most overlooked part of the entire process happens below the waist: shoes, socks, and pants. Understanding what to look for can go a long way in building an affordable vintage winter clothes ensemble.
Stretch Corduroy Pants are warm and substantive, which makes them ideal for autumn and winter. They also have that autumn/winter “look” that’s difficult to achieve with your standard pair of khakis. They’re a little more festive—but there’s no reason you can’t wear them come spring, either.
And don’t forget the accessories. Most notably: socks. A good pair of wool socks can do a lot to change how you feel outdoors. Because we humans tend to lose a lot of heat in our extremities, keeping the feet and hands warm will do a lot to keep you warm. One simple $20 investment in quality socks can last you years in this regard.
As for your shoes, wear something with a little heft. It will help insulate your feet and keep the rest of your body warm. And if you live in a cold-weather area with lots of snow, keep in mind just how much moisture your boots are going to have to deal with, and plan accordingly.