A Men’s Guide to Layering for Slightly Warmer Temperatures
A middle layer—such as a good fleece vest—is a wardrobe essential when winter starts to fade and the sun begins to shine again. As the temperatures rise, we may be tempted to never wear a long-sleeve shirt or pair of pants again and instead opt for short sleeves, shorts, and sandals. But a solid intermediate layer can be the difference between enjoying the outdoors during a wonderful spring day and a day spent shivering because you didn’t dress appropriately. Having a light layer with you at all times helps make sure you don’t get too cold while making it easy to lose the top layer when needed: you can tie it around your waist, store it in a backpack or bag, or throw it over your shoulder without it being too heavy to carry. The art of layering can be tricky to master, but we’re here to help. Here’s our men’s guide to layering for slightly warmer temperatures.
The Fleece Vest
It’s lightweight yet ultra-warm. We can toss it on over anything from the t-shirt you might wear during a casual weekend soccer game to the button-down you have on when you run out for a coffee at the office. It fits seamlessly under another outer layer, like a puffer or wool coat when it’s still pretty chilly in late winter/early spring as well. The fleece vest comes in all sorts of colors and can blend in or stand out depending on how you’re feeling on a particular day. This might be the most effortless way to layer as the temperature drops.
The Light Jacket
The kind of weather that calls for little more than a light outer layer, like a jean jacket or light squall, is probably our favorite weather of all. Perfect for taking a long walk in your neighborhood, or at a local park, or getting brunch on a sunny weekend, light jacket weather means you don’t have to bundle up, but you still should layer a bit for ultimate comfort. We love throwing a light jean jacket on over a t-shirt, polo shirt, or button-up shirt.
Or, when it’s a little chillier, we’ll take the layering up a notch, adding it on top of a base shirt layer, as well as a sweater layer made from cashmere or cotton. A hat and scarf can also be brought along in our bags just in case the sun disappears behind the clouds.
The Overshirt
When things warm up a little more, and you can ditch the jacket, it’s time to have an overshirt on hand. Wearing a smart button-down shirt, like an oxford or flannel shirt over a t-shirt is a brilliant way to layer in the spring and summer. The stylish combination of a button-down and a t-shirt, like a graphic tee or V-neck t-shirt, gives dimension to your look, showing off two of your favorite looks at once while keeping you a little warmer as the temperature shifts between seasons. Pick a warmer wool overshirt in a thicker fabric for a perfect in-between layer that’s a cross between an overshirt and a jacket, and that’s super stylish, too.
The Sweater
We’re always looking for an excuse to show off our sweaters instead of hiding them underneath a coat. As the temperature warms up, we’re able to leave our jackets unbuttoned or leave the house without them altogether, allowing our sweaters to really shine.
Of course, a sweater also has a utilitarian function and does a pretty good job of keeping us warm, either on its own or under a jacket. As the temperature climbs, we’re particularly fond of a zip up hoodie, which keeps us warm and comfortable. We especially love the cool athletic look of a hoodie and how we can toss the hood up over our head if things cool down come evening.
We’re also big fans of adding a warm and toasty pullover to our outfit as an extra warm layer. A pullover hoodie is great for everyday wear, and a fleece quarter-zip is ideal for days when we’re on the go, from playing sports to just running errands. These classic looks will never go out of style and bring a retro element to your layering look.
These are some of the best ways to layer as the temperature slightly warms up, keeping us prepared for the wide range of weather that the seasonal transitions bring along with them. Check out the links below for more tips and tricks from Lands’ End!