How to Stay Warm in an Office Without a Cardigan

If you’re cold at work, it’s rarely “just you.” Office comfort is shaped by air temperature, air movement (draft), cold floors, radiant effects (cold windows/walls), and what you’re wearing—exactly the factors formal comfort standards are built around. ASHRAE+2ISO+2

This guide focuses on staying warm without adding a cardigan—using smart layering, targeted warmth (neck/feet/hands), and a few environment tricks that don’t require changing the thermostat.

1) First, identify which kind of cold you have

Different “cold feelings” have different fixes. ISO thermal comfort guidance specifically calls out common local discomfort sources: draft, vertical temperature difference (head warmer than ankles), and cold floors. ISO+1

Quick diagnosis (30 seconds)

• Neck/upper chest feels chilled → you’re losing heat at an exposed “gap zone” (collar/neckline).

• Feet/ankles feel cold → cold floors and/or vertical temperature differences are likely.

• One side of your body feels colder → you’re near a vent or cold window (draft or radiant cooling).

• Hands get cold first → common in slightly cool offices; extremities are frequent “complaint points” in field studies. ScienceDirect+1

2) Use “targeted insulation” instead of a whole extra sweater

A cardigan warms your whole torso, but office discomfort is often local (hands, feet, ankles, neck). Large office datasets show cold discomfort reports cluster in extremities (hands/arms/feet/ankles), with many reports coming from people who are otherwise “okay” overall. ScienceDirect+1

The most effective zones to warm (without bulk)

A) Neck + upper chest (fastest comfort win)A scarf/wrap works because the neckline is a major “leak point” in typical office outfits (open collar, blazer, blouse). Even a thin scarf that sits flat can noticeably change perceived comfort because it reduces local cooling and drafts around the neck.

Make it office-clean (not fussy):

• one flat wrap

• ends tucked inside a blazer/coat opening

• avoid thick knots at the throat (bulk + irritation)

B) Ankles + feet (quietly powerful)Cold feet are one of the most common reasons people feel cold “all day” even when the room temperature is moderate. Cold floors and vertical temperature gradients are explicitly treated as local discomfort factors in ISO guidance. ISO+1

Practical moves:

• socks with a tighter knit (more still air trapped)

• closed shoes (even loafers/derby styles help vs. open heels)

• a small foot mat under your desk if the floor feels cold to the touch (reduces conductive cooling)

C) Hands (micro-solutions)If your hands get cold, it can dominate your comfort perception. Office research on local discomfort repeatedly flags hands/feet as major cold sources. ScienceDirect+1

Practical moves:

• warm mug “hand heater” (simple, surprisingly effective)

• brief hand movement breaks (see section 5)

3) Layer under structured clothes, not over them

Instead of adding a cardigan on top, add thin layers underneath your existing outfit. This is exactly how clothing insulation (“clo”) is treated in ergonomics standards: insulation is the sum of what you’re wearing, and even small additions matter. ISO 9920 is the standard reference for estimating clothing insulation and vapor resistance of ensembles. ISO+1

What “thin-under” layering looks like in real life

• a lightweight base layer under a blouse/shirt

• a thin knit shell under a blazer

• tights/leggings under wide-leg trousers on cold days

• a cami/undershirt that covers the upper chest (often warmer than you expect)

Why this works: you increase insulation without changing your silhouette (and without the “cardigan on/off” hassle).

Worth knowing: The “clo” unit used in thermal comfort work comes from classic clothing heat-exchange research (it’s literally how building and comfort models think about outfits). JSTOR+1

4) Reduce draft exposure (it’s often the real culprit)

People often blame temperature when the real problem is air movement. Draft is formally defined as unwanted local cooling due to air movement and is a standard local discomfort metric in ISO comfort methods (often discussed with “draught rate”). ISO+1

Draft fixes that don’t start a thermostat war

• Move 1–2 meters away from a supply vent if possible (small changes can matter).

• Don’t sit directly facing a vent; air hitting your upper body is especially annoying.

• Create a “still-air pocket”: a scarf at the neck + sleeves down + hair not pinned fully off the neck can reduce that constant cooling sensation.

(There are also controlled studies looking at draft and head–ankle temperature differences in real indoor environments, showing these local factors matter even when overall temperature is “neutral.”) ScienceDirect+1

5) Use “metabolic bumps” instead of more clothing

Thermal comfort models explicitly include metabolic rate (how much heat your body is producing). That’s why standards reference activity levels (“met”). ASHRAE+1

You don’t need a workout—just tiny pulses:

• 60–90 seconds of walking every hour

• 10 slow calf raises at your desk

• a quick stair run once or twice a day

These small activity bumps can warm hands/feet and reduce the “I can’t get warm” feeling.

6) If your office is chronically cold, it’s a known building problem (not a personal failure)

Overcooling in offices is widely discussed in the building-science community, and research has documented patterns of inequity in who is most affected by cold indoor conditions. Nature+1

And temperature isn’t only about comfort—controlled experiments have found that performance effects can differ by gender across temperatures, which is one reason “one fixed setpoint” can be a bad fit for mixed groups. PLOS

That doesn’t mean you need to debate anyone; it just explains why personal strategies (local warmth, draft control, thin layers) are often the most realistic day-to-day solution.

7) Optional: “personal comfort” tools (if your office allows it)

Building researchers increasingly study Personal Comfort Systems—things like heated/cooled chairs or localized heating—because they can improve comfort without changing the whole building setpoint. ScienceDirect+2Research Hub+2

If devices are allowed, the evidence base is real. If they aren’t, you can still borrow the principle: heat the body parts that complain first (feet/hands/neck). ScienceDirect+1

A simple “no-cardigan” office warmth checklist

If you only do five things:

1. Add a flat scarf/wrap at the neck (no bulky knot).

2. Add thin base layer under your top (not over it). ISO+1

3. Upgrade socks/shoes and protect ankles from cold floors. ISO

4. Avoid direct draft paths (vents/windows). MDPI+1

5. Do micro-movement once an hour (metabolic bump). ASHRAE+1

Academic references (selected)

• ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55: Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy (comfort factors incl. clothing + activity). ASHRAE+1

• ISO 7730: Ergonomics of the thermal environment — PMV/PPD and local discomfort criteria (draft, vertical temp difference, cold floors). ISO+1

• ISO 9920: Estimation of thermal insulation and water vapour resistance of a clothing ensemble (how clothing insulation is treated/estimated). ISO+1

• Chang, T. Y., & Kajackaite, A. (2019). Battle for the thermostat: Gender and the effect of temperature on cognitive performance. PLOS ONE. PLOS

• “Overcooling of offices reveals gender inequity in thermal comfort.” Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio). Nature

• Local discomfort evidence (extremities): recent multi-building study linking local discomfort points (hands/feet/ankles) to cold discomfort reports. ScienceDirect+1

• Draft/DR background: On the Procedure of Draught Rate Assessment in Indoor Spaces. (Applied Sciences, MDPI). MDPI

• Personal Comfort Systems and heated/cooled chairs (field + energy/comfort results). ScienceDirect+2Research Hub+2

• Gagge, Burton & Bazett (1941): origin of “clo” as a practical clothing insulation unit. JSTOR+1