Five Outfits for Winter Hikes and Trips to the Cabin
Winter gives us ample opportunities to enjoy both the great outdoors and the great indoors, from a refreshing hike in the snowy woods to a cozy cup of cocoa by the fire on a cabin getaway. The right outfit for a fall hike is essential to keep you comfortable, as well as making sure you’re protected from cold weather and slippery conditions. Meanwhile, indoor time lets us slip into our most carefree clothing that keeps us warm and stylish at the same time.
Here are some outfit ideas, from top to bottom, for transitioning from your outdoor winter activities into your post-hike cabin time.
Flannel, Sweaters, and the Art of Layering
The art of layering is at the heart of winter fashion, and we’re more than happy to embrace the chance to wear more of our favorite pieces at the same time! Starting off with a warm base layer, whether it’s a long-sleeved waffle tee or a thermal long underwear top, is the way to go, ensuring that underneath it all you’re conserving your body heat as best as you can. A waffle tee is a fashionable way to start the layering game, transitioning smoothly from outdoor to indoor mode once you remove any outerwear and other layers. The combination of stretchy nylon and Merino wool of a thermal top, on the other hand, is ideal for keeping hikers ultra-warm and allowing for unrestricted movement to excel at exploring the outdoors.
Next, we adore adding flannel, sealing in that warmth and adding a touch of personality with bold and intricate plaid patterns. Whether you wear it buttoned-up, unbuttoned, or tied around the waist, a flannel shirt is a welcome layer for a winter woods explorer or a cozy cabin-dweller. Whether it’s a cashmere cardigan or a cotton sweatshirt, a women's sweater can be swapped for a flannel top or added on for even more layering creativity. There’s no way the cold is getting to you now.
Active Outerwear
Once you’ve wrapped yourself up in your initial layers, adding that top layer is next for maximum protection. We like a lightweight packable down jacket for our winter hikes, especially for colder days. These puffers pack a punch without weighing you down, which is ideal for the hiker on the go, keeping you warm while maintaining moveability for those more challenging patches on the trail. And when you need to shed a layer, they easily wrap up into a tiny ball so you can stuff them in your backpack with ease.
Keep Yourself Dry and Ultra-Warm
While our lightweight down jackets are water-resistant, if you're an extreme adventurer, you may want to also pack a rain jacket to throw on over your layers for that rainy winter hike. Of course, for hikes on the coldest days, it’s not a bad idea to wear one of our warmest coats, like our extra-warm winter parkas or our long winter coats that cover you from bottom to top. Keeping options like these available is always a good idea, since winter is known for its unpredictability, whether it’s a sudden temperature drop or a random — and welcome — burst of sunshine.
Bundle Up on the Bottom
Our lower half can sometimes be neglected when it comes to winter wear, causing outdoor adventures to be cut short when we haven’t properly layered up below the waist. That’s why it’s important to take care to keep ourselves covered down below, and there are plenty of fun ways to do it at Lands’ End.
First off, we recommend a comfortable pair of leggings, whether you’re on your next outdoor expedition or just cuddling up on the couch for a cup of coffee or game of cards. Leggings come in so many varieties, from stretchy activewear to a corduroy pair to transition to a day look. Our thermal leggings can be worn under another pair of pants, or solo when romping around the house, and are a great post-hike option to wear when warming up by the fire.
There are so many types of comfy pants to wear indoors or outdoors. Once you’ve got your first layer set, we sometimes like to add a pair of sweatpants or joggers, which can also be worn on their own for a comfy look in the colder months.
Top It Off with Accessories
One of the best parts of getting ready for your hike is all the ways you can accessorize — from a warm pair of wool socks to a soft headband or winter hat to keep your head warm. Waterproof gloves are key for a snowy hike, should you need to scramble up a cliff, or find yourself in a sudden snowball fight. A scarf is helpful both for warming up outside and staying cozy inside. Winter boots, from snow boots to hiking boots, can help you stay safe and warm on an outdoor jaunt as well. And lastly, a backpack or fanny pack is essential for a winter hiker to keep things like water, snacks, a phone, and of course, any layers you may need to remove during your adventures!