This article is about NYC winter outfits.
I have a complicated relationship with winter in New York. I love the first snow, the holiday windows and an excuse to wear a coat that cost more than my rent. I hate the wind tunnel on every avenue and the subway platform that’s somehow ninety degrees. Most days I land somewhere in the middle, and what tips me over is whether I like what I’m wearing.
So this year I’m planning ahead. These are the NYC winter outfits I’ll actually reach for: big winter coats, sweaters with jeans that look like a choice, and shoes that survive a slushy crosswalk. Get the coat right and the rest is easy.
What to Wear in NYC This Winter
Dressing for a New York winter comes down to three things: a long coat with real coverage, shoes that handle a slushy crosswalk, and layers you can take off indoors. The coat decides the outfit, so buy the one you want to wear every day. Everything underneath should be warm enough for the street and comfortable once you sit down somewhere heated.
The Outfits That Work All Winter in NYC
Start with the coat you would reach for tomorrow, then steal a shoe from another look.
1. The Oversized Fuzzy Coat
Most NYC winter street style happens between two coffee shops in SoHo, and this is the uniform. A long brown faux fur coat, straight jeans, a white trucker cap and sneakers. It looks effortless. It is not. You planned it.
2. The Shearling-Collar Jacket
Layering in New York is mostly about what you can take off in a café without causing a scene. One of my favorite cashmere sweaters under a black leather aviator with a shearling collar does the job. The collar handles the wind on the walk over. The sweater handles everything after you sit down. Loose jeans and Sambas make it look like you didn’t think about it.
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3. Holiday Shopping on Fifth
December in New York means holiday shopping, and holiday shopping means eleven bags and no free hands. A short faux fur jacket keeps you warm without the extra length to trip on. Add a red cashmere crewneck, boyfriend jeans and a fun fur hat. It’s festive without being a sweater with a reindeer on it.
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4. Dinner in the West Village
The hardest part of a winter date night is the coat. Wear a long one and you spend dinner hoping the waiter doesn’t trip over it. A cropped leather bomber over a slim turtleneck top solves that, because it’s basically part of the outfit. Pointed boots and a small black bag that fits on the table do the rest.
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5. Snowy SoHo Commute
If you need NYC winter outfit inspo for a snowy commute, it looks like this: a long wool coat, a sweater, fur gloves and a fur bucket hat. The hat looks decorative. It is not. It’s the difference between arriving frozen and arriving slightly less frozen. This is the day your winter accessories outrank the coat.
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6. The New York Sweatshirt Outfit
This is an outfit for walking two blocks to get coffee and walking two blocks back. A suede jacket over a NYC sweater, loose jeans, a cap and a shoulder bag. And don’t forget you’re favorite Ugg slippers.
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7. The Spotted Faux Fur Coat
If I had to pick the best of these NYC winter outfits, it’s this one, mainly because the coat makes every decision for you. A fur doe print coat, a plain crewneck and baggy jeans cuffed above oxblood loafers. Nothing else gets a print. The coat would like the attention, please.
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What New Yorkers Get Right About Winter Dressing
What New Yorkers get right is that winter dressing is practical first. They’re dressing for a ten-block walk, a train that’s either freezing or a sauna, and a restaurant that runs hot. The NYC winter outfits that survive all three end up being the ones you love most by March, mostly because you’ve stopped noticing you’re cold.
At Currently Popular, we have a soft spot for a coat big enough to hide a cashmere sweater, a scarf and a bagel.
