Layering may be a great way to keep warm in winter, but it’s not simply a matter of piling on fleece over sweater over sweatshirt over vest. Do that, and you could find yourself feeling a little bit like Joey from Friends. Could you be wearing anymore clothes?

Successful layering actually starts at the school of less is more. Build your outfit with the thinnest pieces first, progressively getting thicker as you move away from the body. Here’s the science bit: warm air gets trapped between layers to create an insulating effect, without the overall silhouette looking overly bulky.

It’s also worth considering the essentials, because you won’t spend all winter hiding them beneath an investment overcoat unless you intend to spend the entire time outdoors. You’ll want a base layer T-shirt, for example, that will look stylish whether you wear it under a buttoned down overshirt or on its own. Here are the six essentials to insulate yourself from cold weather in style this winter.

It is considered eminently sensible to begin layering with your thinnest garments and work your out from there. These slim fit T-shirts from visvim are intended to be worn as thermals and so make for an ideal base layer. Made from cotton jersey, they are also so nicely crafted you can wear them alone, or with an open overshirt and jacket.

The overshirt is at the heart of Project Layering. This is primarily because the “shacket”, as it is sometimes known, hedges your bets, as a shirt that thinks it’s a jacket (or is that the other way around?). There are many different variations, including lightweight options for milder conditions but right now we’re not on the fence about the one on our Wish List. This Beams Plus overshirt, made from tactile wool-flannel, is irresistibly cold weather ready.

A half-zip is a great way to play around with the neckline while layering, and this sweater fleece-back cotton-jersey sweater from Acne Studios has the Scandinavian brand’s trademark simplicity built in, so things don’t get too fussy. And if you do the job of layering a little too well and things get a little hot under the collar, you can simply let some air in.

The gilet is a layering powerhouse, as the Roys from Succession will tell you. Formerly the preserve of the town and country set or a touch 1980s teen (think Marty McFly in Back To The Future), the newest iterations are so sleek they’ve become the go-to layer for dynasty dynamos. With gilets in the style of this quilted jacket from Loro Piana, it’s not hard to see why. Slim enough to wear under a blazer or jacket, this is layering that means business.

When considering if an outfit still works whenever you add or remove a layer, a classic denim jacket is an easy fit. It looks iconic as an outer layer, but equally stylish, with the collar up, under an overcoat. If you’re opting for a classic fit, you might want to consider going a size up depending on what you’re wearing underneath. However, this Chimala chore jacket, made from a sturdy 100z denim, is boxy enough to accommodate several layers with some ease.

Once you’ve got cold feet it, it’s hard to kick it. And while we can’t advise you in matters of the heart, we can certainly help with keeping the feeling around your toes. To keep your foundations cosy, investing in stout winter boots is a must. But equally essential, if overlooked, is considering the socks you pair footwear with. These ribbed Mr P. socks, knitted from pure cashmere, are soft, lightweight and reassuring warming.