The Getup: The Winter Visit Outfit

Thanks to Thursday Boot Co. for supporting Primer's mission and partnering on this piece.

Consider this the winter reset outfit, one carry on friendly setup that works for visits, long weekends, and whatever weather shows up. Winter travel has this funny way of making you pack like you’re preparing for four different versions of yourself.

The airport version, the “someone’s grandma is taking photos” version, the “we’re sitting around for six hours and calling it an activity” version, the “why is the weather doing THAT” version.

So I end up chasing this specific sweet spot, comfort that doesn’t look like I gave up, layers that can peel off and still look like an outfit, shoes that can handle driveway slush and a big dinner.

The coat has to do some social work

Topcoat: Old Navy / Barbour

If you’re going to be in a rotation of family kitchens, random errands, maybe a dinner where someone decides “we should go somewhere nice” fifteen minutes before leaving, the outer layer can’t just be warm. It has to carry a little polish so everything underneath can stay easy.

This budget-find Old Navy topcoat is the move when you want that “I’m dressed” feeling over a hoodie or a sweater, and you also want something you can actually live in for a week. It’s a relaxed fit, hits around the knee, has a spread collar, button front, welt pockets, and a plaid print that reads winter in photos, at dinner, in the airport, wherever you end up getting seen.

Quarter zips are basically legal documents, they make everything look official

Merino Quarterzip: J.Crew Factory

Half merino, smooth enough that it doesn’t feel bulky, warm enough that you can get away with a simple base layer, and the whole thing looks put together even when the plan is mostly sitting.

Over an oxford if you’re feeling upright, over a t-shirt if you’re going full travel mode or watching the game. Available in navy, maroon, beige, they all work, choose your own adventure.

Boots should be easy on, easy off, and ready for nonsense

Chunky Chelsea Boot: Thursday Boot Co.

Thursday’s Legend Chelsea is the travel boot I keep coming back to because it handles the weird reality of winter travel. In and out of houses, lots of driving, mystery precipitation, maybe a wet driveway, maybe a slushy sidewalk, maybe someone’s heat blasting like they’re trying to hatch an egg in the living room.

I’ve got pairs in wax suede and black leather, and the falcon brown Rugged and Resilient leather looks streamlined and capable at the same time. A StormKing anti-slip outsole with antimicrobial shock absorbing insoles, glove leather lining, and they're genuinely comfortable right out of the box, which still feels like cheating for a nice boot. Also, yes, the whole “no laces” thing becomes addicting fast.

The belt is the boring hero that saves you from chaos

Chrome Leather Belt: Thursday Boot Co.

A brown chrome leather belt, hand stitched, 1 1/8 inch wide, is the width that works no matter what. It’s that middle ground between a heavy jean belt and a thin dress belt, so you don’t have to play the “do I need a different belt for this” game when you’re already juggling chargers, a toiletry bag, and the burden of winter travel logistics. This is the one you wear with everything, you stop thinking about it, and that’s the entire point.

The best base layer is the one you forget you’re wearing

FieldSpec T-shirt: Buck Mason

Buck Mason’s speckle gray field spec cotton heavy tee is absurdly thick and still soft. It has that dark, almost vintage gray texture that makes it feel like it’s already lived a life, in a good way.

Under the merino quarter zip, it’s basically the ideal combo, warm, relaxed, textured enough that the outfit doesn’t look flat.

I wore it almost every day visiting family in Pennsylvania over a recent trip, which is my personal benchmark for “this is legit,” because that week is basically a gauntlet of temperature swings; one night I went to sleep with green grass and woke up to 5 inches of snow.

Travel pants should stay out of the way like sweatpants but behave like grown up pants

Twill Traveler Pants: Banana Republic

Banana Republic’s light gray straight Traveler pant is basically that. The name is doing a lot of the marketing for them, because yeah, it’s a comfortable alternative to jeans when you’re flying or driving and you still need to look like a functional adult when you get to where you're going.

It’s got a little stretch, around 3%, cut like a jean, straight fit, mid rise, and the fabric is from Italy’s Olimpias mill, which sounds fancy but what I care about is this: you can sit in a car forever, you can eat too much, you can end up on the floor playing with someone’s dog, and you don’t spend the whole time tugging at your waistband like you’re trying to escape your own clothing.

GMT is the travel feature you didn’t know you wanted

Watch: Seiko

On the SSK003, that extra red hand is the GMT hand, it tracks a second time zone on a 24 hour scale. Think of it as your “home base” clock, while the regular hour and minute hands show whatever time zone you’re currently standing in. So if you’re flying, visiting family, working with coworkers across the country, or even just trying to remember whether it’s a reasonable hour to text someone, you glance at your wrist and you instantly know two things: where you are, and where home is.

Now you’re not doing phone math in an airport coffee line and you’re not accidentally texting your mom at 1 a.m. It turns the watch into part of the travel kit, right alongside the easy layers and the no hassle boots, it’s one more thing keeping you functional while everything around you is a little winter trip chaos.

Jewelry for travel should look intentional, then stay out of the way

A solid, Italian-made, 925 sterling silver box chain bracelet at $27 is almost suspiciously reasonable, and it nails that “I wear jewelry sometimes” vibe without turning your wrist into a conversation starter. It’s the same general style as the David Yurman box chain bracelet my fiancée gave me, the one I mentioned in the Getting Started with Jewelry guide, and that’s why I like it as an entry point, subtle, clean, no shiny nightclub energy.

Scarves should be useful

Scarf: Gap

Exactly the kind of travel scarf I want, sweater knit texture, simple enough that it doesn’t feel out of place when you’re dressed down, still clean with the topcoat when you’re trying to look like a person. Also it’s on sale for $35, which matters, because the airport is basically a giant machine for making you misplace small items. If it disappears into the abyss between security and the gate, you’re annoyed at most.

The beanie has to play nice with the coat, and your head

Cashmere Beanie: J.Crew

J.Crew’s cashmere beanie in charcoal gray is the move because it’s basically color matched to the outfit. It compliments the dark charcoal gray plaid topcoat and it sits right with the heather gray Buck Mason tee, like it’s part of the plan. Cashmere also means no itch, extra soft, and it lays closer to your head so you don’t get that big puffy silhouette that makes you look like you’re about to skate in an exhibition game from 1937. It’s also one of those pieces you end up wearing way more than you expect.

→ See The Only 4 Ways to Tie a Scarf You’ll Ever Need