Home Fashion Keeping Warm during Winter

Keeping Warm during Winter

by Bangsar Babe

I’ve always had this impression that stylish winter apparel won’t keep you warm – and often, I was right. The previous winter jackets I own were from fashion labels, rather than a winter wear label. Needless to say, I was constantly freezing and running into cafés and department stores to keep warm. This was especially the case when rif and I were in New York early this year and there was a snow storm.

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When I visited Tohoku in late October, I was told to pack warmer clothes as the weather along the coastal area is often unpredictable. I brought with me a few pieces from Universal Traveller, including some from their Winter Collection 2016/2017.

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The weather wasn’t particularly cold but because of the strong wind, I felt really cold. It was about 13-15 degrees during the day and 6-9 degrees at night – enough to make me shiver. People tend to overlook the importance of owning a wind resistant jacket; my late mother was a strong believer of such jackets to keep warm.

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I stubbornly refused such jacket when I was in London last year because I didn’t want to look like a ‘dumpling’. As always, I regretted my decision of not bringing one along. Winter destinations like Japan, China and US requires a good wind resistant jacket (down jackets). These days, down jackets are trendier and significantly lightweight, making them easy to flatten and pack.

Sendai Gyutan at Date no Gyutan Honpo (3)

Lunch at Hiraizumi Restaurant (2)

I really like the turtle neck long knitted sweaters from UT as they keep me warm without making me look bulky. All you need is a set of good thermal wear underneath and you’re good to go. I tend to like layering my apparel during winter, so scarves are important to keep the neck warm and accentuate the outfit.

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I used the semi fitted wool coat with colour blocking detail most during my time in Japan – it was warm enough and also trendy. I like how it’s chic and minimal, and the colour blocking detail gives an illusion that I’m wearing two layers of coat. rif wore a similar down jacket with herringbone quilting, which I believe he found to be of good use when the wind hit us out of nowhere in Matsushima Bay!

While I didn’t get to use my down jacket as much during my time in Japan, I believe it will be of better use when I go there again this week (yay!). I heard the weather is way colder this time of the year but I’m quite confident the jacket would keep me nice and snug.

For more information about purchasing the right apparel and dressing for winter, check out Universal Traveller’s official site and Facebook page.

My tips:

Don’t forget your thermal wear. This helps retain body heat so you don’t catch a cold easily.
Take care of your ears and wear an ear muff or snow hat if the weather is that cold. Trust me, you wouldn’t want to endure that kind of pain.
Gloves are important. There are gloves that are touchscreen friendly but I personally prefer leather gloves for a chic look.
• Try to bring more turtleneck clothes to keep your neck warm. Otherwise, invest in good scarves – the cashmere ones are amazing.
• Skip the heat packs from those RM5 stores – they do almost nothing to keep you warm. Plus, they take up pocket space.

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