When it comes to dressing for winter, there’s one thing to always remember: layering saves lives.

I work close to the Hudson River, and walking towards this very gusty part of New York City, the wind penetrates my jeans easily. By the time I make it to the elevator, my thighs feel like two defrosting slabs of meat. To avoid this, I’ve started to layer a pair of the best winter leggings under my jeans. The Uniqlo HEATTECH Pile-Lined Leggings are a gift to all people who work in cold climates and have to look presentable.

What these leggings do is make pure magic out of an annoying situation. Unlike regular leggings, they keep your legs warm without them getting sweaty. I don’t know how it works, but it does. The Ultra Warm HEATTECH leggings are also great, but the fleece-lined ones feel like you’ve shrink-wrapped your legs in a furry blanket. They easily fit under jeans and while I have worn them with a long sweater, they aren’t thick enough to be worn as pants.

The Uniqlo leggings come in four different colors and are incredibly stretchy, even though they only come in two sizes (S/M and L/XL). They wash easily and don’t pill or have the elastic start to fray even after wearing them for three years.

If you’re looking for something a little heftier, try the Winter Warm Mid-Rise Tights from The North Face, which have a kangaroo pocket in the pack for your phone or wallet and a zip side pocket. Amazon also has some highly-rated pairs like these or you could stock up with a 6-pack.

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