The Ultimate Guide To Winter Dressing As A Vegan

It's cold in Toronto right now. Really cold. -34 degrees celsius cold. And it got me thinking... dressing for the winter as a vegan isn't as easy as it should be. We want to be warm without exploiting animals.

Is being compassionate AND frosbite-free too much to ask?

Luckily the answer is no.

I'm going to share my tips and tricks (and you can trust me because I'm Canadian, and we know cold) and picks to keep you toasty from head to toe!

The Ultimate Guide to Winter Dressing as a Vegan... & a freebie to help you shop! // Plant Based Bride

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H A T S

We've all heard that a lot of heat escapes from the top of our heads. Keep your noggin warm with the innumerable styles of vegan hats! Here are some of my very favourite...

Animal materials to watch out for... alpaca, angora, calfskin, camel hair, cashmere, felt, flannel, fleece, fur, leather, mohair, pashmina, shearling, sheepskin, silk, suede, tweed, wool.

Vegan materials perfect to keep you warm... acrylic, corduroy, cotton, cotton flannel, denim, faux-fur, flannelette, leatherette/imitation leather, linen, moleskin, muslin, nylon, polyester, polyester fleece, rayon, spandex, ultrasuede, velour, velveteen, viscose.

Great North Tip: Always, and I mean ALWAYS keep your head covered. Your brain is essential to the well-being of this planet. And also your ears. Those are less essential, but really hurt when they get too cold. So just wear a hat, ok? Ok.

S C A R V E S

I don't know about you, but I like to prevent cold wind from blowing down my neck and into my coat on bitterly cold days. Scarves are the perfect solution, not to mention cozy and stylish (and they don't need to be made of wool). Check out some of my vegan picks below...

Animal materials to watch out for... alpaca, angora, camel hair, cashmere, fleece, fur, mohair, pashmina, shearling, sheepskin, silk, wool.

Vegan materials perfect to keep you warm... acrylic, cotton, cotton flannel, faux-fur, flannelette, linen, modal, moleskin, muslin, nylon, polyester, polyester fleece, rayon, spandex, tencel, ultrasuede, velour, velveteen, viscose.

You might also like... Finding My Wedding Dress: No Silk, Please.

S W E A T E R S

It's called sweater weather for a reason. Get your layers on!

Animal materials to watch out for... alpaca, angora, calfskin, camel hair, cashmere, flannel, fleece, fur, leather, mohair, pashmina, shearling, sheepskin, silk, suede, wool.

Vegan materials perfect to keep you warm... acrylic, batiste, chambray, chino, cord, corduroy, cotton, cotton flannel, denim, faux-fur, flannelette, gingham, khaki, leatherette/imitation leather, linen, moleskin, muslin, nylon, polyester, polyester fleece, rayon, spandex, tencel, ultrasuede, velcro, velour, velveteen, viscose.

Great North Tip: The chunkier the sweater, the more Canadian you look. And we all know that Canadians are irresistible. So throw on that heavy knit sweater with abandon, you sexy thing, you.

C O A T S

I could argue that a good coat is the most important aspect of keeping warm in the winter. We can get away with less than perfect boots, a lack of layers, and no gloves or hat if we have a warm coat with a hood and pockets! But it is difficult to survive the winter in any sort of comfort without a warm coat. Here are some of my picks for men and women, made without animal products:

Animal materials to watch out for... alpaca, angora, calfskin, camel hair, cashmere, down, feathers, fleece, fur, leather, mohair, pashmina, shearling, sheepskin, silk, suede, tweed, wool.

Vegan materials perfect to keep you warm... acrylic, cotton, cotton flannel, denim, faux-fur, flannelette, gore-tex, khaki, leatherette/imitation leather, linen, moleskin, muslin, nylon, polartec wind pro, polyester, polyester fleece, primaloft, rayon, spandex, synthetic down, tencel, thermolite, thinsulate, ultrasuede, velcro, velour, velveteen, viscose, waxed canvas.

There is literally something for everyone! Vegan coats are more abundant than I ever realized until I put research into it, and they can be VERY warm (like my Hoodlamb!)

Check out this post from Green Planet for even more vegan coat options, and a bit more information on synthetic insulation types!

You might also like... Say No To Fur (Hoodlamb Vegan Coat Unboxing)

G L O V E S

Weather it's using your phone or holding your coffee, often you can't just keep your hands in your pockets while you're out in the cold. Keep your digits protected no matter what you get up to with vegan gloves!

Animal materials to watch out for... alpaca, angora, calfskin, camel hair, cashmere, fleece, fur, leather, mohair, pashmina, shearling, sheepskin, silk, suede, wool.

Vegan materials perfect to keep you warm... acrylic, corduroy, cotton, cotton flannel, faux-fur, flannelette, gore-tex, leatherette/imitation leather, linen, moleskin, muslin, nylon, polartec wind pro, polyester, polyester fleece, primaloft, rayon, spandex, synthetic down, tencel, thermolite, thinsulate, ultrasuede, velcro, velour, velveteen, viscose, waxed canvas.

Great North Tip: Instagram is important, I get it. But losing a finger makes it hard to like all of my photos. So maybe wear gloves with touch-screen technology. It's really the best of both worlds. Pictures of my cats, and all ten digits. #blessed

B O O T S

As anyone who has ever been outside in a snowstorm in inadequate footwear will know, warm toes is a must for winter comfort. Here's a wide variety of vegan men and women's boots to keep your feet warm and dry.

Animal materials to watch out for... alligator skin, calfskin, fleece, fur, kangaroo skin, leather, shearling, sheepskin, snakeskin, suede, wool.

Vegan materials perfect to keep you warm... acrylic, cork, cotton, cotton flannel, faux-fur, flannelette, leatherette/imitation leather, linen, microfibre, moleskin, muslin, nylon, polyester, polyester fleece, polyurethane, rayon, spandex, tencel, ultrasuede, velcro, velour, velveteen, viscose, waxed canvas.

You might also like... Should You Get Rid Of All Your Leather Now That You're Vegan?

O T H E R L A Y E R S

Layers are your friend! Here are some other layers like socks, long johns, and lightweight tops you may want to consider piling on to keep warm.

Winter Layers // The Ultimate Guide to Winter Dressing as a Vegan // Plant Based Bride

Animal materials to watch out for... alligator skin, alpaca, angora, calfskin, camel hair, cashmere, down, feathers, felt, flannel, fleece, fur, kangaroo skin, leather, mohair, pashmina, shearling, sheepskin, silk, snakeskin, suede, tweed, wool.

Vegan materials perfect to keep you warm... acrylic, batiste, chambray, chino, cord, corduroy, cork, cotton, cotton flannel, denim, elastic, faux-fur, flannelette, gingham, khaki, leatherette/imitation leather, linen, microfibre, moleskin, muslin, nylon, polyester, polyester fleece, polyurethane, rayon, spandex, tencel, ultrasuede, velcro, velour, velveteen, viscose, waxed canvas.

Great North Tip: The more layers you wear the more you will sweat when you finally get inside and can't just start stripping willy nilly. It's just a fact of life. You'll just have to get used to it, or move to the equator. Which actually doesn't sound like a bad idea right about now.

You made it! If I accomplished nothing else, I hope I've shown you how very possible it is to be warm and stylish (no matter what your style may be) as a vegan in colder climates (and maybe made you smile).

To help you out while shopping (and just to simplify everything as much as possible, because I know it can be hard to remember all of the different materials and their origins. Listen, I got you.) I have created a printable list of animal materials and vegan materials.

Best of all? It's free! Sign up below to get your download link right away.

Want inspiration for vegan winter fashion? Follow me on instagram to see my outfits and check out my winter capsule wardrobe to see my foundational pieces!

Until next time, stay warm, stay compassionate!