Top 3 Warm Work Pants

As much as we don’t want to admit it winter requires a different wardrobe. We layer on the chunky sweaters and thick socks when it comes to our off duty selves but do we pay attention to warmth when it comes to our work outfits.

The cotton chinos and polyester suits that get us through the rest of the year just aren’t good enough when it starts getting REALLY cold.

Have you ever stood out for the school run and felt like you might as well not be wearing pants? Or sat at the arena when you didn’t have time to change and froze your butt off?

This is when we need to get real and buy some winter ready warm work pants.

warm work pants > leather/wool/cords

Leather may not be a traditional choice for the office, but it can totally work. Trouser styles are easier to style for the office, but keep your top extra feminine to keep from coming off as a too rock and roll if your office is conservative. Skinny leather pants can work too but style them more conservatively than you would for a night on the town. Leather is warm but harder to keep professional than the next two styles.

Wool is the most obvious choice for warm work pants. But not all wool pants are created equal. I actually like slimmer styles for warmth as there is less chance for  cold air nipping at our legs. When choosing wool trousers for work pay attention to the weight of the pant. Summer wools are light and airy and aren’t going to be much warmer than cotton trousers in the middle of winter. Also watch for the percentage of wool in the pant which will not only affect the warmth but how well the pant will wear.

Corduroy can come off as too casual for the office but trouser styles work really well. Good corduroy in a trouser style comes off as elegant and a bit retro but in a good way. I prefer a smaller wale, I find that wider wale corduroy comes off more casual. Velvet also works for a warm work trouser. PS I have these cords and they are one of my favourite work pants right now.

More warm work pants options:

Do you wear switch to warm work pants through the winter?