Sometimes just one good sweater isn’t enough. Even if it’s merino or possum.

Hats, gloves and thick socks are a great starting point. But how can you make sure you are absolutely snug as a bug in a rug while you get on with whatever takes you out into the cold weather?

When it gets really chilly, layering your clothes can provide that extra warmth you need to keep winter at bay.

It’s always good to start at the beginning.

That can be a thermal vest, and then a long or short sleeved t-shirt. A singlet would help keep your core warmer while limiting the number of layers on your arms and shoulders that might impact your movement, while the sleeves on the t-shirts are great for increasing that warmth on your arms. If you can, tucking your base layers into trousers helps to trap that warmth even better, so you don’t lose any around your waist.

No one likes a bitter draft creeping up their back!

If you need to keep your legs warm too, maybe if you’re going to be sitting or kneeling in snow or on cold ground, then long johns or woollen leggings are great for underneath trousers. Again, tucking these into socks helps stop warm air escaping and leaving you with cold ankles.

Once you’ve got your base layers on, then something like a slim wool sweater, is a good next layer. As long as it isn’t too thick that you can’t put something else over it, this will work as a good mid-layer, without restricting your movement. The addition of a body warmer or woolen waistcoat over that works as another layer without limiting movement in your shoulders.

This is a good place that you can strip down to while you're inside so you don’t overheat or suffer too much with contrasting temperatures when you go outside again.

A hoodie or thick jersey is your next layer. This works to continue to trap heat close to your body and keep out the cold winds and possible bad weather. It’s best if you can use something that isn’t too thick that you can’t put a coat over it, made of good quality merino wool perhaps. Then you can have the benefit of layering without feeling too restricted in your movements. Or looking like someone tried to turn you into a marshmallow person.

Finally, waterproofs or oilskins go on last. These work well for protection from strong winds as well as the rain they were designed for. Or snow if it’s the right temperature.

So hopefully, you’ve managed to layer up without feeling ridiculously trapped by your clothes, and should be nice and toasty even out in the howling snow.

Let’s work through our layers again.

A lot of our base layers are made of 100% merino wool, to make sure they’re insulating and breathable. This is a very important trait for the layers closest to the skin. The wicking quality of merino is highly useful (drawing the moisture away from the skin and spreading it over a larger surface area to help it dry more effectively).

Cotton t-shirts are lightweight and not very thick, so they help with preventing that over-heavy feeling you can get with too many layers in winter. But they still function well as another barrier between you and the weather.

Slim sweaters are the next layer, and we often make ours from possum fibres, blended with other fibres, such as merino wool or lambswool. Possum fibres are hollow, so they’re brilliant for trapping heat. The blending allows more stretch and maneuverability in your sweater, as well helping to make the insulating properties more effective.

For hoodies, jerseys and other top layer sweaters, there’s a range of effective and useful materials that can be used. Fleece is made of a combination of cotton and polyester, to be light, durable and stretchy. Thicker sweaters made of a merino-possum blend work in the same way the slimmer sweaters do, they’re just thicker to stand up to harsher weather conditions or to work well as a top layer.

If you want to cut out a layer when it isn’t raining, then some of our woollen windproof jackets from Norsewear work brilliantly. They’re made up of a 100% woollen outer, with a windproof liner and fleece lined collar.

Then finally, our oilskins are made of a lightweight waxed cotton ‘oilskin’ outer layer. Depending on your choice, the linings are made of fleece, quilted cotton and wool, among other materials.

Hopefully, you won’t need all these layers at once. But if it’s well below freezing outside and you do need them, by layering up with good quality materials you can keep each layer thin and lightweight so you can still move easily, without sacrificing any warmth.

Consider how much you need on your shoulders to maximise your arm movements, so vests or bodywarmers may help as additional layers without stifling you.

And remember to tuck your base layers in, to stop any warm air escaping out and prevent any cold air getting in.

Stay warm!