A guide to warm winter clothing

Keeping warm in winter can be a challenge. As the temperatures start to drop, it can be dispiriting getting up in the dark mornings and realising that a cold day awaits. However, with a little planning and shopping around, there is no reason why the winter months cannot be a time for both feeling comfortable and looking great.

Read on to find out more about just a few examples of the many top quality products out there – ranging from the budget to the luxury – which have been specifically designed with a view to helping those over 50s stay warm as the cold weather kicks in, without having to compromise on style. 

Toscana sheepskin coat by Celtic at SoSensational.co.uk

Jan Shure and Cyndy Lessing – the experts behind the SoSensational website – have both spent years providing informed advice to women about how to look amazing every day of the year, placing an emphasis on making great fashion accessible to all.

Now, they have teamed up to create a service which hand-picks and promotes the best items from a range of the UK’s favourite brands, saving shoppers the hassle of trawling the high street or clicking through different websites for hours on end to find that perfect purchase.

Here’s what they had to say about the philosophy which underpins their unique business, as well as a selection of their on-trend picks for keeping cosy this winter:

“At SoSensational, we say ‘Style doesn’t stop when you’re 50’.

“We also know style doesn’t stop when you are 60, 70, 80 or even 90. But, as a leading website for fashionable women over 50, we also recognise that after a certain age, while style remains important, practicality is even more so and being warm in winter is absolutely vital so fabrics and yarns are crucially important when it comes to being warm.

“Bulky, heavy fabrics don’t necessarily equate to warmth. In fact layering is a better way to keep warm as air between thin layers helps us retain body heat.

“A thermal vest provides a light but warm layer close to the skin to help with heat retention. Damart is the best known, and available from SoSensational, though M&S and other brands offer them, too.

“Thermal vests are also fine enough to be worn under a posh frock for occasion-wear, or under several mid-weight layers in place of a winter coat.

“If a budget allows, cashmere is a clever choice for knitwear as it is so warm. Cashmere isn’t cheap, but in real terms, it has come down in price and is more hard-wearing than one might believe: if carefully washed and protected from moths, cashmere will last many years. We offer cashmere jumpers and cardigans, often machine-washable, from many leading brands but especially like Damart’s edge-to-edge cashmere cardigan as it is nice and long as well as stylish and available in good colours.

Cashmere cardigan, from £89, Damart at SoSensational.co.uk

“Lambswool and merino are also very warm and usually less expensive. Acrylics are generally less warm, but can be made warmer if layered over a thermal vest and a T-shirt to create extra heat-retaining layers. 

“We recognise that a major challenge for a woman with mobility issues is getting a jacket on and off while seated in a wheelchair. Instead of doing battle with a jacket, embrace the trend for oversized shawls to provide warmth while indoors or on mild days. There are gorgeous oversized shawls around this season in wonderful colours and prints and they hide a multitude!

“Finding a fabulous and fabulously-warm coat is not, as you might think, about price alone. At SoSensational we are aware there are warm coats and not-so-warm coats at both ends of the price spectrum. A coat in pure wool should offer more warmth than a coat in a synthetic fibre. However, an oversized coat (very on-trend right now) in a synthetic fibre will accommodate more layers, so could keep you cosy. If one did wish to invest in a gorgeous coat that is guaranteed to keep away chills a sheepskin coat by British brand Celtic would do the trick. Padded and quilted coats can be very warm, too. Some are sold by TOG rating (the higher the TOG the greater the insulation) but if there’s no TOG rating, look out for a coat that most closely resembles a duvet. That will almost certainly keep you very warm.

Padded ‘duvet’ coat, £79, M&S at SoSensational.co.uk

“As those of us over 60 are ‘Generation Sensible’ we know that the best way to be warm is to keep our head and our extremities warm. That means a hat, boots and gloves when we go outdoors in winter and warm slippers (or socks) indoors. British sheepskin brand Celtic is also the go-to brand for sheepskin hats, boots and slippers. A beanie hat in wool or cashmere is also an on-trend way to ensure a warm head. Wool or cashmere gloves are very warm as long as they stay dry. If you’re gardening or shovelling snow don’t wear woolly gloves.” 

Toscana sheepskin coat, £1,450, Celtic at SoSensational.co.uk

Patra is a family-run business which, having been established in 1964, has now been providing their customers with high quality clothing for over half a century. The key to Patra’s success has always been their commitment to using pure, natural fabrics throughout their range, thus ensuring that every one of their products always feels as good as they look.

Women’s pure silk thermal v-neck vest, £36.95, at Patra.com

Patra’s affordable yet luxurious catalogue is always evolving and is popular with men and women of all ages. Their following recommendations, however, will be of particular interest to anyone who struggles to keep warm during the winter months and is looking for clothes which offer that elusive combination of insulation and style:

“Staying warm this winter starts with the perfect underwear choice and pure silk base layers are ideal. They keep your body’s temperature regulated by providing a layer of natural insulation against your skin. Silk keeps you cool when it’s hot and warm when it’s cold outside. So in winter it will keep your ‘core’ body warm, comfortable and protected from the elements.

Silk neck and chest warmers, £25, at Patra.com

“Pure silk baselayers are soft and smooth. Naturally hypoallergenic and antibacterial, they are ideal for sensitive skin and have been recommended by the Allergy association and the Eczema Society. Silk baselayers wick away moisture too as silk can absorb a significant amount of moisture away from your body, so you won’t feel uncomfortable and sweaty as with so many synthetic thermals.

“They are lightweight and allow your body to move without restriction or bulk and disappear to nothing under your outerwear. Our silks have been tried and tested from Mt. Kilimanjaro to the jungles of Borneo and are the favourite choice for film sets.

Silk short socks, £14, at Patra.com

“At Patra we have a complete range from essential pure silk vests and longjohns to accessories such as silk socks and neck and chest warmers and all at affordable prices. Keeping luxuriously warm this winter has never been easier.”

Last but not least, here is a closer look at one of the UK’s foremost manufacturers of thermal underwear – perhaps the most important component of any warm winter wardrobe.

British Thermals have been producing their specialist clothing for 35 years and now boast many happy customers not just at home but around the world. Whether they are used as loungewear, for sleeping in or as an added layer of insulation under normal clothes, this firm’s vests, socks and various other items help millions of people to stay warm every day.

Here’s some more information about British Thermals and their products, as well as details about an exclusive discount which older shoppers can redeem through their website:

“Thermal underwear is particularly important for vulnerable members of our society. Older people are particularly at risk during cold winter months. Where younger members of society can simply feel the cold and adjust, older people will find that their bodies either take longer to adjust or simply can't adjust. As a result, joint issues and a number of other health complications can arise. Aside from this, that terrible cold feeling is almost unbearable, especially for those living alone. 

“We at British Thermals supply thermal underwear for wearers of all ages and their selection of style depends on the wearer's profile. For the older wearer, long-sleeved thermal tops and long johns/janes are the most popular as they provide optimum full body warmth. The full range of styles can be found on our website: www.BritishThermals.com.

“Furthermore, we have an incentive for any buyers over 60 who order on our website - at checkout, if the voucher code 'AGE-UK' is used, the buyer will quality for a 5% discount off their entire order.”

The wide range of items detailed above are just the tip of the iceberg (so to speak) when it comes to the help available for avoiding the cold as winter sets in.

As is the case with quality stairlift solutions, accessible bathrooms and many other kinds of products designed with the mature customer in mind, those who need different clothing in order to live their lives comfortably and without restrictions will find there is no shortage of assistance on hand.

Image Credit: Kelly Sikkema, Thomas Hafeneth, Terry Wilson, SoSensational, Patra, British Thermals