Dressing for winter

Winter is upon us, which can only mean one thing - yes its gloves, boots and hats time. As if getting up in the cold and dark ready for work, school or play, wasn't hard enough, now you have to be ready to plod through some truly horrendous weather.

If you buy the right kit though, you'll hardly notice the biting temperature, lashing winds and rain splatters that get in your way.

Start thinking about your ideal winter protection gear from the bottom upwards. After all if you let the wet or snow comes into contact with your bottom half, then it's likely to ride up and soak in throughout the day. It's very difficult to concentrate about anything when everything below your abdomen is freezing!

So get a good pair of walking socks to provide you with comfort and warmth from the outset. Then look at getting some high-quality boots suitable for all conditions. North Face boots are a great brand that offers an unparalleled level of resistance from the elements. They also look fantastic and you're never short of a selection if you go to online retailers like All The Shoes for them. From water-proof and breathable Gore-Tex technology to Vibram rubber soles, getting your footwear right is the perfect way to stay dry!

Moving on up the body, you should be wearing waterproof bottoms and a jacket. While waterproof bottoms can be simply worn over the top of other clothes, the key with the upper torso here is to make sure that you layer up multiple times to stay warm. Wear micro fleeces to keep yourself warm while your jacket wicks your excess heat away from the body and hopefully prevents the rain from coming in too.

Wear a hat and gloves too. There's no greater winter pain that having cold extremities - especially if you ride a bike to commute or if you work outside. Leather gloves have got to be the top recommendation as they are one of the best materials for keeping your digits warm whilst allowing you a greater degree of mobility whilst in them. For a hat, think wool if it's generally cold, but avoid this in favour of something synthetic if it is actually raining to resist the drops.