Whether you’ve been in the market for a new pair of snow-read pants, a piece of stylish outerwear, or a plaid flannel to help you layer throughout the year, there are a number of established proprietors out there who have what you need. Below, we’ll outline our quintessential picks for those chilly days in our guide to the best men’s winter wardrobe essentials, including a quick rundown regarding each piece’s construction, intricacies, and why we included them.

our selection

For this guide, we’ve gathered a collection of apparel that runs the gamut, from gloves to beanies, and jackets to sweaters. We know that winter is different depending on where you live, so we also made sure to include something for every climate. We also have a ton of collective experience in not just the style space, but in the outdoor space as well, getting hands-on with a variety of gear and apparel to make sure it’s as tough as it looks. In that process, we’re able to narrow it down to the best of the best and help you complete your winter wardrobe.

what to look for

Essentials: This all depends on where you live, but generally speaking, every winter wardrobe should include a warm coat, a sweater, layers, some gloves, a scarf, boots, and a hat (usually a beanie). If you live in the snow, add snow gear to that list (like parkas).

Material: For most winter gear, going for thick and warm material that’s good at insulating is the best move. For example, a sweater made with something like wool will do a good job of keeping you insulated, while also making for a great layer.

The North Face Etip Recycled Gloves

Best Gloves: The North Face’s E-Tip gloves are yet another winterized addition to the company’s well-rounded catalog, providing guys everywhere with a way to look fashionable, keep warm, and utilize all of their smart devices, without the need to remove their hand covers. These touch-screen-approved gloves call upon a great-looking green camouflage exterior and proprietary “relaxed” position to keep your hands in their natural state, thanks to Radiometric Articulation. A comfortable four-way stretch fleece fabric and UIR Power Conductive Technology join forces to produce one of the most fashionable, and functional gloves in the menswear world.

Outdoor Research Coldfront Down Beanie

Best Beanie: Outdoor Research’s beanie is a unique, down take on the classic beanie style, using 650-fill power down within a 53% recycled Pertex Quantum ripstop shell. It’ll keep you warm while defending you against the wind, and give you a one-of-a-kind addition to your wardrobe. It comes in black, grove camo, and blue colors.

Carhartt WIP Sid Pant

Best Chinos: Carhartt WIP loves to create technical clothing that works equally as well on the job site as it does on the street, and after one look at the brand’s Sid Pant Chino, you’ll see why. This durable leg garment features a ruggedized Cotton/T400/Polyester ‘Lamar’ Stretch Twill, a slim, tapered fit, and bartack stitching to reinforce its vital stress points, ensuring years of stylish use and wear. On top of its functional attributes, the Sid Pant has been designed to promote unparalleled ease of movement, making it a go-to item for guys who want to look great but get stuff done at the same time.

Taylor Stitch The Democratic All Day Pant

Best Corduroy Pants: Seeing as fall is technically still here, corduroys make for the perfect transitional pants and remain stylish and warm (depending on where you live) throughout the winter. These eco-conscious cords from the SF-based label Taylor Stitch are up for the task, made entirely with organic cotton. The pants give you more room around the waist with a slim fit through the leg, and come with a wale count somewhere in the 11-13 range.

Filson Alaskan Guide Shirt

Best Flannel: If there’s one label that understands warm outdoor gear, it’s Filson. And the Seattle-based label’s Alaskan Guide Shirt remains one of the best flannels you can get. It’s made of 8 ounces of brushed cotton twill fabric and a tight 2-ply x 2-ply weave, resulting in a soft yet durable construction. Adding even more softness, the flannel is brushed on both sides, and it works perfectly as a solo piece or a layer.

Wellen Seawool Fisherman Sweater

Best Fisherman Sweater: Wellen’s focus on the recreation of some of menswear’s most prominent styles is a constant, and for each iconic piece that they turn into a sustainable production piece, they become more and more renowned within the clothing community. Crafted from recycled plastic bottles, oyster shells, and Seawool, this classic layering piece is perfect for the modern man who’s looking to make a tasteful impression and rock that classic fisherman sweater look.

adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2.0 low

Best Sneakers: The adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2.0, is a breathable, rugged shoe that’s been formulated to take on the concrete jungle’s harshest inhibitors along with the great outdoors. Whether you’re looking to traverse the trail or the blacktop, these great-looking sneakers boast a formidable Continental Rubber outsole for unparalleled grip, an airflow-approved mesh upper, and a GORE-TEX membrane to provide wearers with waterproof support throughout the day. When paired with Adidas’ lauded Boost midsole, these attributes result in a capable, versatile package that’s perfect for all-season wear.

Patagonia Recycled Cashmere Crewneck Sweater

Best Crewneck: It should come as no surprise that Patagonia is coming through with a sustainable piece like this warm Recycled Cashmere Crewneck Sweater. It’s constructed with a blend of recycled cashmere and wool, and features a contrasting color on the inside of the neck for style. The hip length makes it easy to layer with as well, but you could just easily rock it as a solo piece.

Levi’s 512 Slim Taper Fit Selvedge

Best Jeans: Levi’s 512 Slim Taper Fit Selvedge Jean is the perfect example to fill out any guy’s mid- to heavy-weight legwear portfolio. These tailor-inspired jeans boast premium stretch selvedge fabric construction, giving them a comfortable, dependable, and stretchy attribution. They have a slim fit with a tapered leg, offering a modern take on one of the brand’s most fashionable styles, while traditional characteristics like a zip fly, five-pocket layout, and iconic cut to round things out.

Acne Studios Fringe Wool Scarf

Best Scarf: Sometimes, a simplistic scarf might be all you’re looking for to round out your winterized wardrobe. Luckily, Acne Studios’ Fringe Wool variant answers the call, bringing generous sizing, modern attributes, and minimal detailing to the forefront. Aside from its timeless stature, this scarf doesn’t skimp when it comes to artisanal design — it’s spun in Italy from soft but durable melange wool, and even features fringed ends to keep it in line with some of history’s most iconic wrap-around.

TEcovas the Chance

Best Chelsea Boots: Tecovas has steadily become a household name when it comes to footwear and Western apparel, and thanks to the company’s expansive catalog, Chelsea boots have become one of the brand’s most recognizable mainstays. The Chance is, perhaps, one of Tecovas’ finest Chelsea-styled offerings, calling upon a sleek leather and rubber outsole, Goodyear welted with a reinforced heel strap; they come in suede, calfskin, or bovine.

L.L.Bean Bean Boots

Best Boots: As one of the most legendary outdoor boots of all time, L.L.Bean’s Bean Boots have been depended on by outdoorsmen and adventurers since 1912. The overall silhouette hasn’t changed much, but the materials certainly have – they’re made with a waterproof and breathable GORE-TEX lining, Thinsulate insulation, a full-grain leather upper, and reliably grippy soles. To top it all off, they’re made right here in the States.

The North Face 1996 Retro Nuptse Jacket

Best Jacket: This puffer is one an incredibly iconic piece of cold weather gear, and The North Face has updated it with a recycled ripstop nylon body and 700 fill power goose down. You get a DWR finish to keep water at bay, a three-piece detachable hood that can be stowed away inside its collar, and the whole jacket has the ability to pack down into its own right-hand pocket. So capture some old-school style while enjoying modern protection.

Fjallraven Nuuk Parka

Best Parka: When it comes to winter gear, Fjallraven is just one of those brands that always delivers. The Swedish staple’s Nuuk Parka is perfect for those living in snowy climates, and the style strikes a great balance between the traditional look and a modern take, with a faux-fur-lined collar along the hood. It has great insulation and a waterproof/windproof outer shell, along with plenty of storage via dual breast and dual bellow pockets. This is a great pick if you need a heavyweight and reliable winter jacket for tackling the snow (or even just a cold city).

Veilance Euler Insulated Jacket

Best Technical Jacket: Closing us out, we have this rugged and versatile technical jacket from Arc’Teryx. It’s lightweight and breathable enough to wear casually, but comes with insulation and a water-resistant/wind-proof finish that allows you to brave the elements confidently. And since this is from Veilance (an Arc’Teryx sub-label), it has a futuristic and minimalist design that works with a variety of outfits and environments.