Back to layering, when it is like walking-inside-the-freezer cold on the OUTSIDE (definitely below 0 deg), I have 5 layers on for top half and 3-4 layers for bottom half, plus beanie and wind-proof gloves. Bear in mind, I'm female. I'll get to what I observe the Mister wears later.
Layer breakdown for me:
Top
Ground zero - underwear (of course!)
Base Level - I like Uniqlo's Heattech, Merino wool or similar clothing, long sleeves/short sleeves
Eye Level - Long or short sleeve top that matches the base or hides the base layer, up to you :) Something pretty would be nice :)
Mid Level - I love my 80% wool jacket or a nice, thick cardigan or fleece jacket.
Outer layer - I absolutely adore my Bergans, water & windproof with a comfy hood. One feature I truly appreciate of my Bergans jacket is the underarms zippers :p. When you're out skiing, or just brisk walking, it is really useful when you get too warm inside the jacket but it's too cold to take off the jacket - so unzipping the underarms, helps to let off some ..erm.. heat, hehe..
Bottom
Ground zero - underwear
Base Level - back to Uniqlo's, when it gets really frosty, I will wear two layers of leggings: the knitted type & a thinner type from heattech
Eye Level - you can leave it at base level, of course, those leggings will go with any dresses, etc. I would sometimes still wear a good ol' pair of jeans over the leggings. However, if I am heading for a walk in the forest, I would put on water-resistant pants.
One thing to note, snow is nice to see, fun to play but WET to touch, thus water-resistant/water-proof is important. Cold & drenched is always a recipe for a runny nose.
Onto the important accessories or add-ons, if you'd like. Keeping in the heat is the objective, so beanie, winter ear muffs, thick wool scarf, wind&water-proof gloves are all part-and-parcel of the whole get-up. I don't always wear the whole works but at least a beanie, scarf & gloves. The scarf doubles up as a face protector on windy days. If I'm going to be outdoor for a few hours, I'll suggest wool socks and wriggling the toes very often. I wrote a little about footwear in an old post about walking in winter. But, in a gist, warm, water-proof footwear with a good grip is essential.
For the Mister, he is amazing with the cold. Whilst I'm all bundled up like a penguin, he is at most layered with a heattech layer underneath the work shirt, a work cardigan over and a wind & waterproof jacket. Though because he has really short hair, he does tend to use the black ear muffs more than me. For the bottom, he wears just the heattech leggings (yes! Male version from Uniqlo), work pants/jeans and a good pair of socks. Once again, scarf, beanie & gloves.
The beauty of layering is it is flexible. When you do get too warm, for example going indoors or a covered space, you can take off a layer or two :) Or if the weather is not that cold yet, just don on the appropriate layers and thinner jackets :)
For those that needs to putter around the garden or garage during winter, do check out the vinterkjeledress - the winter coveralls. The Mister received one as a gift and it is super warm, super useful for throwing rubbish during cold winter nights :p
Aside from clothing, I always have a lip balm and moisturizer at hand. I also make sure I drink and eat proper before I venture out into the cold. These simple steps have helped me deal with the cold and let me enjoy the outdoors, even on a freezing day. Here's to enjoying the oncoming cooler and cold days! :)
Freezing in style,
ABE