One of my old coworkers and I used to joke that we spent 90 percent of our time from November through March in the exact same uniform—opaque black tights and a Uniqlo Heattech turtleneck—layered under a rotating selection of dresses or skirts and tops. The remaining 10 percent being showers, workouts, and, well … whatever else precludes wearing head-to-toe thermal wear.
For some reason, though, people (men especially) tend to insist that you must be cold if you’re not wearing pants in the winter. I blame the patriarchy. Or something.
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With a well-practiced layering game, a dress can actually be just as comfortable (well, as comfortable as one can be in subfreezing temperatures). Wear one with a pair of over-the-knee boots, pile on a sweater, jacket, and coat, or get creative with your hosiery and put on both tights and socks before you head out the door.
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Not convinced? Click through the slideshow to see 25 winter-dress outfits that’ll keep you warm and toasty—no matter what that random dude on the street says.