Every man should have these ten winter accessories in his wardrobe.
I don't know where you live – but I live in Wisconsin, and the winters get COLD.
It's tempting to sacrifice style for warmth.
That's why these winter accessories are important… they'll give you both.
#1. Classic Winter Headwear
You've got to protect your head in winter. Your most stylish and versatile option is the classic watch cap.
You'll hear people say ‘watch cap', ‘stocking cap', ‘night cap', and ‘beanie' interchangeably, but there are actually differences. Beanies usually have a little ball on top (and yes, men can wear them). Stocking caps or night caps are a bit longer.
The watch cap is a casual cap – smart enough to wear with a peacoat, but with an overcoat you want something smarter.
Try the classic flat cap, also known as an Ivy cap. You can get these in wool to provide insulating properties, and also with ear flaps.
Or try a newsboy cap – again, there are a couple of subtle differences between a newsboy and a flat cap. The newsboy cap is fuller and has a button in the middle. Both look great with more formal clothing like overcoats.
Next is the ushanka, trapper hat, or aviator hat. What I love about this hat is that you can wear it with the earflaps up or wear them down to protect your cheeks and ears.
It's a very versatile hat – and when worn with the flaps up, in parts of the world like Russia or Ukraine this is a formal hat that can even be worn with a suit.
Next up we've got the Astrakhan – this hat comes from East Asia and is made from a very dense lamb's wool. It does a great job of insulating the head and is a unique style that could help you stand out from the crowd.
#2. Sunglasses As Winter Accessories
I mentioned in a recent article that men have been wearing sunglasses for thousands of years – they were invented by the Inuit to protect their eyes from the glare of the sun on the snow and the cold wind, which can really dry your eyes out. Hence sunglasses are very useful in the winter.
#3. Micro-Adjustable Belts
During the winter you go to a lot of holiday parties, you eat a lot more, and all of a sudden your belt doesn't fit.
With a regular belt, you're often stuck between sizes – and even if one of the bigger holes fits perfectly, everyone can see those ‘marks of shame' where your belt used to fit, and your confidence goes down.
The micro-adjustable belt buckle fastens using a track system rather than holes, and can be adjusted to within 1/16 of an inch – so it completely gets around the problem (as it were).
That makes these belts great winter accessories to help you enjoy the holidays.
#4. The Best Winter Cologne
I'm putting this as an accessory because I do think that there are summer fragrances and winter fragrances.
What really matters in a winter fragrance is that it's long-lasting and has strong projection (‘projection' in the fragrance world means how far away people can smell it.)
Why? Because I want to be able to put it on in the morning and pile multiple layers of clothing on top, and it needs to be able to work its way through that.
Some of the best fragrance notes to look for in a winter cologne are cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.
Look for something that's complex and has depth. I personally love incense in my fragrance during the winter because it reminds me of going to midnight mass as a kid. And that's the key – find something that has meaning to you.
#5. Thermal Underwear
As with everything, look at the style pyramid. Yes, it still matters with underwear – a lot.
Make sure it fits you. This is fitting close to your body – a bad fit is going to irritate you.
Do not buy it if it's too tight or way too loose – you want to be able to layer it.
Next up look at the fabric. You want something that isn't going to be sweaty or uncomfortable next to the body – so if you have issues with wool, do not wear a wool insulating thermal underwear.
Finally, function – should you go for the single piece or the double piece? I prefer double so I can wear just the top or just the bottom depending on what other clothing I'm wearing.
#6. Men's Winter Gloves
A lot of men think that if you're wearing an overcoat or a peacoat you need to match your gloves to it. This isn't exactly true. I look to the shoes.
If you wear black shoes go with black gloves, if you wear brown shoes go with brown gloves.
You don't have to have an exact match when it comes to brown – and you can switch it up for a navy or dark green.
The key with gloves is making sure that they fit your hands and going with something that you know you're going to wear.
I think mittens are perfectly fine winter accessories if you're in an extremely cold area, but be aware that they're less formal than nice finger gloves.
#7. Scarves And Neck Gaiters
I think neck gaiters are great winter accessories – they're very casual, but they do a great job of keeping the neck warm.
If you're just starting to build your winter wardrobe, go for a neutral scarf in something like gray or blue.
Otherwise, scarves enable you to bring color and pattern into a drab outfit. Try something that contrasts with your coat. It doesn't need to be bright, but a colored or patterned scarf draws attention to your face.
My two favorite materials for scarves are wool and cashmere. Cashmere has more of an airy feel, so it's not as warm as wool, but it is very soft.
Silk scarves like the one above won't add a whole lot of warmth, but they will protect your neck from the wind and bring in a lot of color.
#8. Galoshes
These winter accessories are all about protecting your nice dress shoes and preventing you from falling on your backside by slipping in wet and freezing weather. If you're wearing leather soles you're going to slide all over the place.
I love leather soles – they're a sign of good quality dress shoes.
So rather than putting them away for the winter, you can get galoshes to fit right over the shoes. They not only protect the sole and upper but also give you traction on the ground.
Alternatively, you can have a cobbler add a layer of rubber to your soles that you can take off in the spring.
#9. Winter Skincare
Your hands and your face dry out in cold weather. Stash a little moisturizer in the pocket of your jacket where it's easy to grab so you can put it right on your hands and face as needed.
Lip balm is also a must not only during the summer but during the winter.
#10. Heavyweight Winter Socks
Wool is the tried and trusted option for winter socks – it's been around forever. The issue with wool, though, is that it can be expensive, and I know some of you guys have allergies too.
If that's the case, look to synthetic materials in a performance weave. You can find socks like these at sports stores. They do a great job of wicking away moisture and keeping your feet warm during the winter.
Click Below To Watch The Video – The 10 Winter Accessories Every Man Needs
Read next: stylish trousers for cold weather every guy needs to try.
This article is brought to you by Anson Belt & Buckle. I've been talking about this company for over seven years – once you try their micro-adjustable belts you won't go back to regular belts. I also love their interchangeable system – you can take the buckles off and pair them with any strap.
And when it comes to straps, Anson has you covered – patriotic straps, fun straps, straps that match your shoes, even suede and vegan leather straps. And if you still have a little Christmas shopping to do, grab their gift box with the makings of SIX beautiful belts. Click here to check out Anson Belt & Buckle.
