I was always under the impression that wearing a layering piece on its own was a no-go. They're always too thin and never actually meant to be shown off, that was until I tried wearing the Uniqlo Extra Warm HEATTECH Turtleneck with a pair of jeans, and I was hooked.
Be forewarned: not all layering pieces can be worn on their own. The original Uniqlo HEATTECH pieces are too thin and will be slightly see-through, not ideal for really any environment by themselves.
The Uniqlo HEATTECH Extra Warm is the way to go. They're thick enough to hold up as sleek turtlenecks tucked into jeans or under an open blazer. If you're not fond of Uniqlo (some of us aren't!), the Shore Thing top from ADAY is a good alternative, or even the Everlane Pima Micro Rib Turtleneck can be the perfect top with a pair of wide leg jeans or even with a skirt and boots.
Other good options come from J.Crew and Madewell. The Tissue Turtleneck seems like it would fall into the too-thin category, but it stands tall against even the brightest of winter days. Same goes for the Madewell Whisper Cotton turtleneck (I recommend getting it in the stripes).
The moral of the story is not to relegate pieces in your wardrobe to only be worn underneath things, except maybe your actual undergarments. Layering pieces can be just as chic and comfortable (if not more) on their own than what you'd put on top of them.
Scouted is internet shopping with a pulse. Follow us on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter for even more recommendations and exclusive content. Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales.