Scouting Report: This layering top from 32 Degrees not only keeps me warm but won't irritate my sensitive skin.
When I lived on the east coast, my west coast-raised skin had a very unfortunate reaction to the cold, dry winters. Once the weather would dip into the freezing and near-freezing temps, I’d get a full-body rash that could only be described as a “chapped” skin situation. I learned, quickly, that I had to wear soft, tight layers in order to avoid being uncomfortable.
Now I’m back on the west coast, in the rainy Pacific Northwest where I belong, and I got a pandemic puppy. A pandemic puppy demands to be walked, even when the temperatures are cold, wet, or windy (or a combination of all three). I found this 32 Degrees Base Layer Top and bought a few to wear on my dog walks. It’s close to the skin and is meant to be worn fitted, so it fits nicely underneath all of my outerwear.
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Most cold days, I wear it as a base and put a padded vest on top. This keeps my core insulated while letting the rest of my upper body get some air to breathe so I don’t overheat when the dog and I traverse my hilly neighborhood. If it’s really cold, I put my coat over the ensemble. Because the base layer is so thin, it doesn’t look bulky when I layer but still does what it needs to do to keep me warm.
In the rain, the stretchy blend is moisture wicking and quick drying. Sometimes I overheat in a raincoat when my dog and I are walking quickly, so, unless it’s a torrential downpour, I sometimes skip the rain shell and wear the base layer top with the vest and call it good. I’ve yet to regret that choice on our rainy walks.
It’s stretchy and super soft, so I do actually wear it as a shirt a lot of the time. I’ve even worn it to my pilates classes on chilly days. It’s nice to have a light layer on when you lie on the mat after coming in from the cold. Honestly, I wear this shirt as my uniform for a lot of the wet season here (which is a lot of the year) and it’s cute enough to wear with jeans or a skirt if I need to look presentable to the public.
What I’m telling you is I wear one shirt most days and it’s this one. It keeps me warm but not hot, cool but not cold, dry but not chapped, and is soft and well-fitted. My dog is so happy we can stay out walking and playing longer since I’m comfortable.
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