We are heading back to the UK for one whole month in December and among other things, this trip is going to be cold. Damn cold.

In a bid to effectively deal with my usual winter wardrobe crisis, I am starting early (I’ve also heard that this stuff is so insanely popular that by mid November they’ve completely sold out) and today popped in to 313’s Uniqlo to stock up on anything and everything from their much hyped and extremely good value Heat Tech range.

Heat Tech can only really be described as a kind of modern day thermal underwear/underwear with a brain: it’s meant to keep you hot when you’re cold and – crucially as I hate sweating as soon as I walk inside a centrally heated house after a freezing spell spent outside – cool when you are hot.

This stuff is amazingly clever. And sadly, like most amazingly clever things/people, it’s not much to look at.

Sure, it may come in a number of different guises and masses of colours – tank top, spaghetti strap vest, T-shirt, lacy vest in navy, white, cream, plum, blue or black – but from my point of view, the saving grace of buying any of them is that they are not going to be seen by anyone.

You can then wear normal, nice clothes on top.

My UK packing list can now also include a favourite flimsy cotton kurta (bought from Little India for $10) which I’ll be able to pair with just a Brora cashmere cardi and jeans thanks to my own central heating I’ll have going on…all for the total investment of $16.90.

The Uniqlo branch at 313 is the only one in Singapore that carries a children’s range as well as an adult’s. Heat Tech is available for everyone, from babies to adults, for both men and women.

Uniqlo store image courtesy of I-S