Layering for autumn and winter: how to wear corduroy, a sweatshirt and a linen shirt together

Dressing by season: a Japanese idea

In Japan, adjusting clothes to the season is an old habit. With the kimono, the lining decides: from October to May people wear lined kimono, awase; from June to October unlined ones, hitoe. Some light weaves are even reserved for high summer. And under the kimono there is always a separate layer, the under-kimono juban.

Winter had its own garments too, like the hanten, a short padded jacket that was especially popular with ordinary people in the Edo period.

Nobody wears a kimono to work today. But the idea suits a northern European winter perfectly: not one thick layer, but several that work together.

Layer 1: the shirt

The bottom layer sits on the skin and gives the outfit its collar.

• Miyabi, the long-sleeve linen shirt, in white, grey, black or navy. Linen is absorbent and dries faster than cotton. It won't keep you warm on its own – which is why it's the bottom layer here.
• Kaze, the stand-collar shirt in a cotton-linen blend, for when you take the sweatshirt off at the office and still want something to show.

Tip: let the shirt collar sit over the crew neck of the sweatshirt and let the shirt hem show a centimetre or two below the band. It looks intentional, not untucked by accident.

Layer 2: sweatshirt or knit

The middle layer does the warming.

• Aoi: a soft washed cotton blend, relaxed fit, ribbed neck and cuffs. In black, grey, dark grey and army green.
• Kohaku: mid-weight cotton jersey, boxy shape with dropped shoulders, in beige or navy.

Already own a good grey or navy jumper? It works just as well. Only buy what's missing.

The trousers: corduroy for the cold months

Corduroy is a fabric with raised ribs, called wales. The fewer wales per inch, the wider and bolder the rib. Wide-wale corduroy is well suited to trousers.

• Yume: corduroy, a tapered leg with elastic cuffs, a contrast drawstring. In blue, black and camel. Goes with shorter jackets.
• Mori: heavy wide-wale corduroy, an extra-wide leg with no cuffs. In grey, black, camel and navy. Goes with a long coat.

Three formulas for three months

October: light

Khaki or navy Sakura, white Miyabi, a light jacket on top. Zipped in the morning, open at lunch. More on the Sakura and other wide trousers.

November: the November formula

Black Yume, army-green Aoi, a shirt collar underneath. The outfit for the 7:30 tram and the Sunday walk.

December: all three layers

Camel Mori, white Miyabi, navy Kohaku, a wool coat. For the Christmas market after work: coat buttoned, hands in the deep side pockets.

And on the outside? A word on the jacket

We don't sell coats or jackets – and you don't need a new one. Two shapes work especially well with our trousers:

• Short and padded, like a hip-length quilted jacket. It echoes the hanten and suits cuffed trousers such as the Yume, Arashi or Sakura, because the silhouette stays compact on top and wide below.
• Long and straight, a plain wool coat to below the knee. It belongs with the extra-wide Mori: both fall straight and the picture stays calm.

What doesn't work: a very wide, long puffer over very wide trousers. The figure disappears completely.

Three rules for clean layers

Thin to thick. Thinnest inside, thickest outside. The other way round pulls at the shoulders and arms.

Stagger the lengths. Shirt slightly longer than the sweatshirt, coat clearly longer than both. Hems at the same length look accidental.

One colour family. Camel, cream, navy – or black, grey, olive. Within one family you can layer freely.

Honest about delivery

We ship from our warehouse in Shenzhen, free, tracked and with duties included. Our shipping policy states 13 to 21 business days, so what you want to wear in December is best ordered now. Our pieces run small – if you're between two sizes, take the larger one. That counts double when you layer.

Your three-piece winter set

Shirt, sweatshirt, corduroy trousers: exactly three pieces – and that's what Buy 2, get 1 free is for. Put three pieces in your bag and the cheapest item is free, no code. Browse hoodies & sweatshirts or the bestsellers. How corduroy, linen and cotton feel is in the fabric guide.

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Frequently asked questions

Sources