How To Battle The Polar Vortex This Winter -- And Look Great Doing It

When the weather gets chilly, it seems like guys are sometimes left facing two evils – dress stylishly and freeze, or bundle up and sacrifice looking good altogether.

Luckily, certain stylish combinations can definitely thwart the cold — a trim topcoat in a neutral color paired with a thick scarf and leather gloves can help turn otherwise chill-inducing business outfits into get-ups ready for the weather.  

On the other hand, if temperatures turn dangerously cold (as they have throughout the country for much of this winter) reaching for a practical piece would work just as well. In that case. Alpha Industries’ Slim-Fit N3-B Parka comes in a wide range of colors and an updated, trimmer fit. The key when looking for a good topcoat (or any piece of outerwear, for that matter) is fit — look for a silhouette that’s neither overly baggy nor overly tight; you need space to wear it over a winter-weight blazer or a sweater and dress shirt, for instance. A great topcoat works with lots of different outfits, from a casual jeans-and-crewneck sweatshirt get-up to more dressy, tailored looks. If you’re so inclined, a parka also gets a recommendation in dressier situations from some menswear media.  

In between these two alternatives is the more casual, yet still functional, peacoat. Worn effortlessly by James Bond (and naval members the world over for decades before that), inexpensive alternatives to Bond’s jacket are certainly available without losing any style points. The great thing about a peacoat is that it works in all the same situations as a topcoat or a parka — with a sweater and dress shirt or with a more casual  grey crewneck sweater  and denim, for example.