Ski trip outfits get planned for the slopes and forgotten everywhere else, which is how people end up eating fondue in a damp base layer. The twelve looks below are sorted by where you are, from the first chair of the morning to dinner in town, and each one says what keeps you warm and what you can rewear.
Quick Take: Twelve ski trip looks sorted by where you are: on the slopes, at the lodge, at après and in town. The slope outfits all follow the same three layers, and the off-slope ones are built from a few knits, one good boot and one pair of jeans. If you only copy one, make it the classic three-layer kit at number 01.
The 12 looks at a glance
What’s Inside
- 01. The Classic Three-Layer Kit
- 02. The One-Piece Ski Suit
- 03. Puffer and Ski Pants in One Color
- 04. Retro Colorblock
- 05. The Lodge Lunch Look
- 06. Après-Ski Fur and Moon Boots
- 07. The Fair Isle Sweater Night
- 08. The Cabin Lounge Set
- 09. The Snowshoe and Winter Hike Outfit
- 10. The Dinner in Town Outfit
- 11. The Travel Day Outfit
- 12. The Accessories That Do the Most Work
- The Ski Trip Mistakes To Skip This Year
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Last Word on Ski Trip Outfits
I am not a great skier, and my packing shows it: half the bag is for the hours after the lifts close. The rule I follow is that the ski kit is functional and boring, and the personality goes into the knits, the boots and the hat.
Each look has a spec line saying where it works and what it is built from. The slope looks assume a resort day with lifts and lunch inside; for backcountry or very cold climates, add a heavier middle layer.
Why Ski Trip Outfits Are Changing This Season
Ski style has split in two. On the hill it is all technical: REI’s layering guide breaks dressing for the cold into a base layer that wicks sweat off your skin, a middle layer that holds body heat and an outer layer that blocks wind and snow, and it calls cotton a no-no because it soaks up water and chills you. Off the hill, the look has turned into a whole aesthetic of chunky knits, fur collars and moon boots.
The part people still skip is the sun. The Skin Cancer Foundation says snow and ice can reflect up to 80 percent of UV rays and that exposure increases 4 to 5 percent with every 1,000 feet of elevation. I put goggles and an SPF 50 stick in the same pocket every morning, and I think they matter more than any jacket on this list.
Ski all morning, look good all afternoon: the trip is really two outfits a day.
01. The Classic Three-Layer Kit
On the Slopes
Where: the slopes · Built from: merino base, fleece, insulated shell
Who else has spent a ski day either sweating on the lift or freezing on the way down? The fix is three thin layers instead of one huge jacket: a merino or synthetic base layer, a fleece or light down middle layer and a waterproof, insulated shell with ski pants. Add a helmet, goggles, a neck gaiter and mittens.
Rent the bulky things, like the helmet and boots, and spend your money on the base layer and socks, which are what actually touch your skin. Choose one thin, tall ski sock rather than two pairs; layered socks cut off circulation and make feet colder.
Compared with a single heavy coat, three layers let you adjust all day. It is the setup I wear every ski day.
02. The One-Piece Ski Suit
On the Slopes
Where: the slopes · Built from: fitted one-piece, base layer, boots
A fitted one-piece suit in black, cream or gray is the most polished thing you can wear on a mountain, and there is no gap at the waist for snow to get in when you fall. Wear it over a merino base layer and add a cropped puffer for the lift on very cold days.
The only catch is the bathroom, so look for a suit with a two-way front zip. A belt in the same color makes it look less like a snowsuit and more like an outfit.
It is the one that looks best in the lift-line photos.
03. Puffer and Ski Pants in One Color
Where: the slopes · Built from: matching puffer and pants
A puffer and ski pants in the same shade, all black, all white or all chocolate brown, looks expensive even when it is not. It is also the easiest way to make rented or borrowed pants look intentional; buy the jacket to match them.
Tonal always photographs well against snow.
04. Retro Colorblock
On the Slopes
Where: the slopes · Built from: a bright vintage jacket, black pants
A bright vintage or vintage-style jacket in red, yellow, teal or purple panels, worn with plain black pants so it does not look like a costume. It is the fun option, and it is also the safest: bright colors are easy to spot on a busy slope.
Look in thrift shops and resale sites before you buy new. Old shells often need a waterproofing spray, but a good vintage jacket lasts for years.
This is the look people remember from the trip photos.
05. The Lodge Lunch Look
Where: lunch at the lodge · Built from: your base layer, a fleece, ski pants
At lunch, unzip the shell, hang it on the chair and let the fleece and base layer do the work. A good half-zip fleece in a color you like is what people see for an hour, so it is worth choosing one you would wear off the mountain too.
Bring a dry pair of liner gloves for the afternoon.
06. Après-Ski Fur and Moon Boots
Where: après · Built from: faux fur jacket, leggings, snow boots
The minute the boots come off: a faux fur or shearling jacket, thick leggings or fleece-lined tights, a fitted turtleneck and puffy snow boots or moon boots. It is warm enough to stand on a terrace with a drink and cozy enough to sit by a fire.
Keep it in a tote in the car or at the lodge so you can change quickly.
Packing for the trip there too? Our winter packing list fits it all in one bag.
07. The Fair Isle Sweater Night
At the Cabin
Where: the cabin, the bar · Built from: Fair Isle knit, jeans, boots
A Fair Isle sweater or cardigan, straight jeans and lug-sole boots is the most classic ski-town outfit there is, and it works from the fireplace to a casual dinner. Cream with navy and red is the traditional pattern, but a brown and cream one feels newer.
Pack one chunky knit and wear it twice. Nobody minds, because it is the one everybody wants to borrow.
I would pack this before any second ski outfit.
08. The Cabin Lounge Set
Where: the cabin, the hot tub, movie night · Built from: knit set, wool socks, slippers
A matching knit or fleece lounge set, thick wool socks and slip-on shearling slippers. It is what you wear between a hot tub and a board game, and it also doubles as pajamas, which saves space in the bag.
Pick a dark color; cocoa gets spilled.
09. The Snowshoe and Winter Hike Outfit
Where: a rest day on the trails · Built from: base layer, fleece, shell, hiking boots
On a day off skiing, the same base and middle layers work under a lighter shell with waterproof hiking boots, gaiters and a beanie. Bring a small backpack with water and an extra layer, because you warm up fast going uphill and cool down fast when you stop.
It turns a rest day into the best photos of the trip.
10. The Dinner in Town Outfit
Where: dinner, the bar · Built from: sweater dress, tall boots, long coat
A ribbed sweater dress, opaque tights, tall boots with a lug sole and a long wool coat. It is the dressiest thing you need on a ski trip, and the boots mean you can still walk on an icy sidewalk.
Ski towns are casual; this is as dressed up as it gets.
11. The Travel Day Outfit
On the Way There
Where: the airport, the car · Built from: your bulkiest pieces
Wear your heaviest things on the way there: the puffer, the boots and the chunky knit. It frees up the most space in a carry-on and keeps you warm the minute you land in the snow.
Pack the ski pants, base layers and smaller knits in the bag, roll everything and put socks inside the boots. Goggles go in a soft pouch so they do not get scratched.
Arriving dressed for the snow is half the fun.
12. The Accessories That Do the Most Work
Everywhere
Where: everywhere · Built from: goggles, beanie, mittens, SPF
Goggles with UV protection, a warm beanie for off the slopes, mittens rather than gloves on the coldest days, a neck gaiter and an SPF 50 stick for your face and lips. These are the small things that decide whether a ski day is fun or miserable.
A pair of goggles in a lens that suits flat light is worth more than a new jacket; on a gray day you see the bumps instead of guessing. Keep the sunscreen in the same pocket and reapply at lunch.
The pink goggles are optional; the sunscreen is not.
The Ski Trip Mistakes To Skip This Year
- A cotton base layer. It soaks up sweat and chills you on the lift. Merino or synthetic only.
- Two pairs of socks. They cut off circulation and make your feet colder. One tall ski sock is enough.
- Skipping sunscreen because it is cold. Snow reflects most of the UV back up at you. SPF 50, reapplied at lunch.
- Packing an outfit for every night. Two knits, one pair of jeans and one dress cover a week in a ski town.
The layering rules are from REI’s layering basics and the UV numbers from the Skin Cancer Foundation. For more cold-weather travel, our packing tips help with the bag and the fall foliage getaways cover the trips before the snow.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I wear on a ski trip?
On the slopes: a merino or synthetic base layer, a fleece or light down middle layer, and a waterproof jacket and pants, plus a helmet, goggles, mittens and one pair of ski socks. Off the slopes: a few warm knits, jeans, snow boots and a warm coat.
What do you wear to après-ski?
Something warm and easy to change into: a faux fur or shearling jacket, leggings or fleece-lined tights, a turtleneck and snow boots or moon boots.
How many outfits do I need for a week of skiing?
One ski kit with two or three base layers to rotate, two knits, one pair of jeans, one dress or nicer outfit for dinner and a lounge set. Most of it can be worn twice.
Do I need sunscreen when skiing?
Yes. The Skin Cancer Foundation says snow can reflect up to 80 percent of UV rays and recommends a broad-spectrum SPF 50 or higher, reapplied at least every two hours.
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The Last Word on Ski Trip Outfits
The best ski trip outfits are two wardrobes in one bag: a plain, technical kit for the mountain and a few cozy pieces for everything after. Get the layers right, protect your skin and let the knits and boots carry the style.
If I could keep only one look, it would be the Fair Isle sweater night, because it is the outfit the whole trip seems to happen in. Real talk: nobody remembers your ski pants, but everybody remembers who was still smiling at après.
Real Talk. Delivered. XOXO
Photos by morgan thompson, Madison Milliken, Karen OBryan and Emma Dyroff via Dupe, photos by Mikhail Nilov and Haziq Farooqi via Pexels, featured photo by Gabriele Romano via Pexels
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xoxo, Edina
The girl behind Can We Talks — I test the recipes, wear the trends and plan the parties so you don’t have to guess. More about me