So it’s winter here in the northern hemisphere and I remember back when I first went vegan I was worried about staying warm with only vegan clothing and products. I knew I wouldn’t be buying leather boots or down jackets or wool sweaters and socks. And living in an area where winter gets quite cold, I was concerned. 

   But I found that just like with the other aspects of veganism, I was fine once I got my footing and figured out what sorts of things I could use instead. And so, I wanted to pass that knowledge onto anyone who might need it. Here is what I have learned in my years of being vegan and living with sub-zero winters. 

Feet

Boots—

Lots of people rely on leather boots or suede. Since going vegan, I won’t buy either of those things. The kind of boots that I get have rubber soles (if I can find them), waterproof fabric and are stuffed with a sort of polyester shell. Them being waterproof is especially important in the wintertime, and if you find a pair of boots that are vegan that you like but aren’t waterproof, then at least go buy a waterproof spray for them to make them water resistant. Believe me, wet toes are your winter enemy.

Socks—

And speaking of toes, underneath my boots, I like to wear multiple layers of socks. Big socks, small socks, lined socks, fuzzy socks. No wool or cashmere, since I don’t use those anymore. But with this layering strategy (which I still used back when I wore wool socks, by the way), you’ll want to get a pair of boots that about a size or a size and a half too big for you. That way you can fit a nice, thick layer of warmth and cushion in there. And you’ll want socks that don’t have a ton of elastic in them to be the ones on the outside. The innermost layer is okay if you’ve got an elastic sock, but the outer layers will either get stretched out or they will squish your feet uncomfortably—neither of which is optimal. 

Body

Thermals—

Where I come from, we call these long johns. But whatever you call them, it certainly helps to have an extra layer underneath your clothes, especially on the days when the wind gets really bad. I personally prefer the cotton ones because they wear just like normal clothes and I find that the polyester ones make me sweat even if I don’t feel hot. But experiment and see what’s best for you! I would recommend at the very least a pair of thermal pants. You can layer with sweaters on top and get the same effect, but wearing two pairs of pants can get weird and bulky in a way that long johns won’t. (At least, not as much.)

Sweaters—

Okay, so I really rely on sweaters when it gets to be winter. If you’re in public places, they’ll tend not to heat things quite as much and so it may be chilly even indoors, but not to the point where you want to wear your jacket. You don’t have to get wool sweaters to be warm enough though. I like sweaters made of cotton usually, especially thicker knit sweaters. You’ll get extra warmth from wearing a turtleneck sweater—like an indoor scarf. Also, it might be just me, but I find that look quite stylish!

No Sweatpants—

If there’s one mistake people tend to make, it’s the sweatpants one. Listen, sweatpants are comfy indoors and they actually will keep you warm if you’re staying inside all day. But if you’re going outside, I’d recommend jeans or dress pants. They don’t let in as much wind. If you want to put sweatpants of windbreaker pants on top of your regular pants, that would work too. But don’t make the mistake of thinking sweatpants will keep you warmer than regular pants. They won’t. 

Coats—

The coats I buy now are composed of, again, a water resistant fabric on the outside and a polyester shell on the inside. And if it gets cold where you are, make sure you have a hood that fits correctly. Extra points for ones that fasten around the chin area. When it gets windy, you’ll want that hood, believe me!

Little accessories

Hands—

All the other things are down to the little details. For instance, mittens will keep your hands warmer than gloves, because mittens keep your fingers huddled together. And if it gets even colder and your mittens aren’t cutting it, try putting some thin gloves on first, and then put your mittens on top. See, this layering will always come in handy. I’ll be a whole marshmallow before I’ll go outside unprepared. It may not be super stylish, but at least I’m warm. 

Hats—

Wearing a hat is super important. So much of our body heat escapes through our heads! Obviously, some hats are warmer than others. So pick one that’s made of warmer material, thicker material. But there are some other features you can look out for. For instance, make sure your hat is long enough to cover up your ears. Ears get especially cold and are prone to getting windburn in the howling winter months. There are some hats that also double as facemasks which are pretty neat. And then, let’s not forget the hats with earflaps and strings to tie beneath the chin. Those are probably my favorite ones. (Also, I think they’re pretty cute but that’s probably just me.)

Scarves—

I never really though much of scarves until a couple years ago, but after I started wearing them, I developed a deep appreciation for their utility. I saw a noticeable difference in how warm I felt when I wore a scarf. Some scarves are warmer than others, and certain ways of tying them are warmer as well. But in general, I would advise you to find one kind of thin scarf and one thick one for days that are quite cold. The more of your neck you are able to protect from the cold, the better. And this is a part of the body that is frequently exposed due to the way many jackets are made. You can also use your scarf to cover up your face if you’re not already covering it some other way (face mask or ski mask, for example). 

Ear muffs—

So I made a big deal about hats, and how it’s better to have them covering your ears. And I stand behind that. It is the best way to stay warm. But If you’re against hat wearing because you don’t want to mess up your hair or you just hate hats, then invest in some earmuffs. They won’t keep you quite as warm as hats but they will protect your ears from the stinging wind. And that’s certainly worth something. 

Hot Hands—

I don’t know if this is a brand accessible everywhere, but there are hand and foot warmers that are sold where I live called hot hands. You buy them and activate them by shaking and kneading them and they get quite hot. They’re a handy little addition to this list and I hardly ever use them, but on the days where it gets to be unbearably cold, pop those in your mittens or boots. You won’t be cold. 

Other little tips

   These are the main things that I’ve learned about vegan clothing for winter. But there are a few other things that you can do in order to keep warmer. Here are some basic principles to keep in mind, especially if you’re new to cold winters. 

Layering is your best friend

   I’ve mentioned it many times in this post, but layer your clothes, whenever you can. You can always take a layer off later, but if you’re all layered up, you’ll be a lot warmer. We often underestimate how much difference an extra layer can make but believe me, it works. 

Looser clothing is better

   Here’s a fun little factoid. Looser clothing makes you warmer. That air that gets trapped between you and the clothes fills up with your body heat and bam, you stay warmer. Think of it as a bit of engineered insulation. 

You don’t want any exposed skin

   Now this one might be obvious to some, but you don’t want to have any exposed skin when it gets super cold. You’ll get frostbite and that’s not fun. Once you get frostbite, you’re more prone to get it in the future. So even if you’re just putting thin gloves over your barehands, that’s better than nothing. Cover up all that skin so it doesn’t get damaged by the harsh winds. 

Dress for the wind chill

   And speaking of winds, don’t ever think that the temperature in degrees is enough to be able to tell how cold you’ll be. Look at how much wind is going around. Many weather sources will tell you the wind chill or who cold it feels like when you take the wind into account. Use that number, always. The winds will sneak up and surprise you if you’re not careful. On windy days it can make a difference of about 15 degrees in how it feels. 

Food!

   My favorite thing in the winter is getting really cozy in the kitchen. Baking more heats up the whole house (not to mention makes it smell awesome). And having soup with your meals or hot drinks like coffee, tea and cider can make the days a lot more bearable. 

   I hope you were able to find value in some of my tips, tricks and lessons. If this is your first winter as a vegan, I promise you, with these things, you won’t be cold. And if this is one of your first years in cold weather, I wish you the best of luck! You’ve got this. And if you want more tips about the logistics of the vegan lifestyle and how to make it long term, subscribe to the blog. We talk about the nitty gritty of veganism all the time. Let us know if you have any tips on staying warm in the winter as a vegan in the comments of this post. Stay warm, friends. And as usual, have a wonderful day!