Winter Wardrobe Essentials

January 20, 2025

Old Navy Plush-Knit Crew-Neck Tee 

The Old Navy Plush-Knit Crew-Neck Tee is an ideal winter staple for Pittsburgh's dynamic winters. This tee provides just the right amount of warmth without being overly bulky, making it perfect for layering.  The ribbing on the shirt makes it fit like a glove. The fabric is composed of 57% cotton, 38% recycled polyester, and 5% spandex. My younger cousin, Chelsy, bought me this top in 2023 and I have since collected 9 more colors. The color I wear the most often is heather grey and the color I wear the least often is red. During the winter I practically live in these shirts and jeans. Although newer styles like the scoop neck and v-neck have been released, I still prefer the crewneck for its versatility and more conservative look. 

This shirt looks great with a pair of wideleg jeans but also I wear the white or light blue version under my scrubs at the hospital or under my t-shirt while on EMS duty. Its form-fitting design prevents any awkward bunching, whether tucked into pants or layered under other clothing.

H&M Wide-leg Twill Pants

In addition to the plush old navy tee, I would also highly recommend these affordable, high rise, wide leg twill pants. I found these pants in my freshman year of college and have been wearing them ever since. I used to be an avid skinny jean and/or ripped jean fan, but they so uncomfortable and so unflattering on my body. 

The fabric is a 98% cotton and 2% spandex blend and come in a wide variety of colors and styles. I have 4 pairs and my favorite, most worn pair is beige corduroy. Sometimes when I am feeling bold, I wear my red pair. I am not a huge huge fan of the high rise so I often times wear this with larger sweater and loose fitting tops. I will say that as a petite person, I did have to alter the pants to fit but since it was wide leg even a beginner sewer like me could easily tailor these pants. 

Another great things about these pants is that you can comfortably wear thermals underneath. This is key. Just recently, Pittsburgh has been going through a cold front and the wind makes everything so much colder. 

Puffer

This is ESSENTIAL to staying warm. If you don't get anything else on this, get this. You can find puffers of different lengths and styles but you definitely need atleast one (especially if you live in the Pittsburgh). I have two puffers on rotation: a short and longer puffer. My short puffer is a hand me down from my older cousin and is used for cold days ie. temperature between 40°F-60°F. It's sherpa lining is a bit matted and the white color is a bit grey from all the washes but it still does the job. 

My other puffer is longer, running down to my knees. It has thumbholes and deep pockets, which are useful when I take long walks outside. This black parka is reserved for SEVERELY COLD days (ie. 30°F and below). Despite having on the parka, on days like this, I make sure to layer up with thermals underneath my clothes. My only drawback about my parka is that the hood doesn't have the fur lining (as shown in the picture). I would recommend getting a parka that has a removable hood lining, that way it keeps your face from freezing off.