It can be costly but it doesn't have to. You pay extra for comfort, looks, low weight and obviously the branding.
Warmth itself is cheap if you accept clothes that are a bit heavier and maybe not ultra-breathable. Adding a pair of cotton long johns and a cotton long sleeve turtleneck underneath whatever you are wearing can easily keep you warm, it's just not super comfortable and not super fashionable.
Cotton underwear doesn't work that well if your activity varies. Wear enough cotton to be warm while sitting for hours, and you're certain to be sweaty after five minutes of physical activity. And moist cotton underwear makes you cold.
I tend to wear wool long johns from December to March. Decades of experience with cotton, too. Wool is much, much better.
However, the post is suggesting people in comfortable status quos change their behavior - the OP is explaining that yes, it's totally achievable to be comfortably warm in all activities indoors and out, but it costs money.
Totally disagree with the layers philosophy. Way too much fuss. In mid-winter London I wear a t-shirt and a jacket. Perfectly warm. Just get a good jacket. Easy on, off, no ceremony.
London, sure. If you live somewhere with -25C winters, you either need layers or a set of different jackets, because a heavy down coat rated for -30C will be hot and sweaty if you so much as fast-walk at -5C. I find it more economical to own just a light synthetic jacket and wear extra layers than having an expensive down jacket just for the few weeks at -20C and below.
Layers are also a must if you do outdoor winter activities. You want to remove layers when you're active so you don't get all sweaty, and put them back on when you rest. Because sweat + cold wind is a really nasty combo.
Having said that, as far as I can tell most people in the city here don't do much winter sports and just own like 3 different coats for different weather.
there's certainly a tradeoff to be made here. putting on three extra layers just to go to the store is a pain. I do find that layers are much more versatile if you're going to be spending a lot of time outside or going in and out of spaces at a wide range of temperatures. with only a winter jacket and a t-shirt, I am likely choosing between being way too hot or way too cold. my winter coat is pretty bulky, so if I'm not wearing it, I'm carrying it.
when I'm going out for a while in the winter, I like to wear a cotton shirt, a wool sweater, insulated vest, a medium-weight windproof jacket, and a mostly empty backpack. if I get too warm, the vest and possibly the sweater can just go in the backpack. with this setup, I can be comfortable at any temperature from 30F to 60F without having to hold onto anything I'm not wearing. on really cold days, I swap in my heavy winter coat.
2 things:
* this Patagonia down jacket is a killer jacket, it's a-ma-zing. Of course it gets the job done.
* bike rides require less clothing than walking, because your body heat keeps you warm. Plus, if you're not a heavy sweater, you're blessed (as am I).
Living in Finland. For city life I have never needed extra clothing. Short sleeved shirt and proper jacket. Change the jacket depending if it's +15C or 0C or -15C...
Berlin is a good 5°C colder than London in the winter.
In London I had one jacket, mostly to protect against rain, but it was also an extra layer.
In Copenhagen, which has similar winter temperatures to Berlin, I had to buy a thicker jacket for the winter. I've worn the new jacket on trips to London and felt hot.
I thought so too, until I spent 2019 Thanksgiving in Banff, Alberta.
-20°F (-30°C) is a real change in perspective of what cold is. You absolutely need layering, as the equipment you need to be comfortable outside is way more than a jacket.
Wool. A wool undershirt, thick wool sweater and wind-proof, water-proof jacket has kept me comfortable down to about -15C. You can pickup some really nice gear on the cheap from army surplus sales in Norway at least, but I think it's the same in most NATO countries.
I'd also recommend Mountain Hardware. Some of the North Face's more expensive stuff is good too: my sleeping bag comes from them.
Look for companies that are long standing and have good warranties. These companies have good reputations to protect, and are aware that buyers of outdoor gear tend to be very loyal to companies that treat them well. My family personally swore off Columbia after two of their coats failed us catastrophically, for example.
High quality merino wool doesn't itch (at least not for most people), is naturally odor-resistant and can be super comfortable. I mostly use Icebreaker, but Smartwool and Aclima make good stuff too.
+1 for Icebreaker. Their fabrics are a blend of wool with synthetic materials, and they are the best shirts I've ever had. Unlike other wool fabrics they are very easy to take care of. I wash them just like cotton, no special detergents needed. Not even high spin cycles seem to harm them. (But I've never put them in the dryer, so I don't know if they would survive that).
They may be odor resistant, but for me they still get smelly after two or three days. A lot better than cotton, but not odor free.
The downsides are that even their lightest fabrics are too warm for summer, and the fabric is a lot less mechanically sturdy as cotton. It seems to tear easily. Most of my older icebreaker shirts have a few holes, even though the fabric still looks like new.
The suggestions by the sibling comments are great.
I'm also in Berlin and I use Uniqlo's HeatTech undershirt and long johns under jeans/shirt. They're pretty cheap (€10 each) and it makes a lot of difference. I never feel cold. A good jacket is also essential. Downfeather Jackets are my favourite.
Other than that it's just a hoodie between shirt and jacket, scarfs and "hand-shoes". The Coronavirus mask also helps during windy days.
If you want to dip a toe into this without spending much, 32degrees has a a pretty good sale right now. In the men's baselayers section you'll find shirts for $7, leggings for $9). I think they're one of those Costco brands. I've heard that some of their stuff pills up after a few washes, but that's not really a big deal for me at this price.
I would recommend having a look at https://varusteleka.com, they're the biggest outdoor/surplus store in Europe, and they ship just about anywhere. Their wool flannel shirts and field shirts are the best I've ever owned, as are their worker wool pants, and they have enough merino clothing to layer for any weather.
Aside from the own brands, they often get very good surplus winter gear in, like thick Swiss knitted wool sweaters, Czech parkas, Finnish wool pants and so on.
My current winter outerwear workhorses are a Czech parka and a pair of Finnish M65 wool pants, total cost less than €50. With long johns and a woolen sweater underneath, I have yet to encounter winter weather that would make me uncomfortable.
Ditto, I am also interested on any input from others who have dabbled in the field that OP mentions. Being from the Northeastern United States, I have always just picked up base layers of various thickness from L.L. Bean, like this: https://global.llbean.com/shop/Long-Underwear-Base-Layers/51...
I don't think of this as a technology or expensive, though. They are somewhat pricey, but can be worn for many winters and thus have good value.
You can put together an array of warm layers on the cheap at Uniqlo - their ultralight down and heattech lines are very warm, well-made, and inexpensive.
The difference in comfort is such that I barely feel any kind of fatigue or depression that the cold temperatures used to put on me.
It has changed my perception of winter and I couldn't have spent my money any better.
This is a costly investment though, be warned.
For the curious, the keyword that started it all: "layered clothing" and "layering".