Put Away the Puffy Coat. What You Need Is a Down Liner.

Now that cold weather is here, an important reminder: You don’t have to sacrifice your look for warmth.

Look around: your fellow commuters — the ones with the Michelin-man silhouettes — that’s just not necessary anymore. By most accounts, barring inclement weather like rain, snow and sleet, we’ll even go as far as to say you can keep your fall jacket on.

That’s if you can get behind (or rather, underneath) one of my favorite winter hacks as of late: the down liner.

Here’s the truth: I haven’t bought a genuine winter jacket in over five years, and I spent the majority of that time in Chicago, where bone-chilling winters are par for the course. Next to long underwear, down liners are one of the most unobtrusive ways to add insulation and warmth to any winter outfit. 

Below, you’ll find a few new down liners for your consideration. Throw these underneath an unassuming exterior and you’ll be bundled up without the bulk.

Clockwise, from left: Uniqlo Ultra Light Down Compact Jacket $60 $40; Alpha M-65 Liner $65; Carhartt Newton Bomber Liner $155; Penfield Oakham Jacket $169; Ten C Nylon Down Liner $279