Following that advice, always use the hoodie as a layer. Pop one on under a leather jacket or wool overcoat on off-duty days, or get creative by wearing one beneath your suit jacket on the commute (we assume to a business-casual office, unless you actually want your marching orders).

Fond as we are of the recent trend for statement prints and sloganwear, resist the urge to become a walking billboard by opting for styles with minimal branding and added design details. Or risk the new classic being banished back to its adolescent bedroom.

The Roll Neck

For many, winter is a time when they are required to choose between form and function. Not so in the case of the roll neck

. Aside from looking good (see Sir Michael Caine, Steve McQueen and more recently Zayn Malik for proof), northwards-creeping knitwear knows no bound in its ability to keep wearers warm.

“The roll neck is a versatile staple and can be worn with pretty much anything,” says Tarling. And he’s not wrong. Want to layer with outerwear? Try a bomber, denim or suede jacket for a look that will fend of frosty winds but won’t cause you to break a sweat. Feeling a little more dressy? An overcoat or blazer make for equally attractive companions.

To achieve all of these combinations, approach buying a roll neck with the same word in mind as you would wine: no not ‘cheap’, but ‘fine’. Chunkier versions in the style of Ernest Hemingway are tempting but limit your pairings.

The Flannel Shirt

Apart from actual lumberjacks and perhaps David Beckham, there are surprisingly few men who can pull off a plaid flannel shirt worn solo and buttoned to the top. For this reason, the rugged piece has reasonable grounds to file for official status as a layering piece first and foremost.

And we’re not alone in our thinking. “As the months grow colder, layering becomes essential for any outfit,” says menswear designer and former Topman creative director Gordon Richardson. “A plaid shirt is a versatile wardrobe staple which will enable you to combine different pieces with ease.”