As the October chill gives way to the November nip and December dip of mercury, woollens warm and heavy are known to be pursued hotly. But global warming is telling on the winter vogue as fashion houses beat the heat out of warm clothes for men.

"Over the past couple of years, winter hasn't been as chilly and for as long as it used to be, so we have come up with a range of woollens that's light and warm instead of blazing hot," says Shruti Khaneja, Manager Retail of Numero Uno Clothing Ltd. "We have used twill and corduroy to fashion jackets out of instead of thick wool. Even pullovers are more of sweatshirts just a bit heavier and warmer than cotton-knit T-shirts," she describes.

Another fresh entrant is full-sleeve shirt with a detachable hood to cover the head and ears while driving a two-wheeler.

A not so new variant of the full shirt is one that is layered and looks like one is wearing a shirt or t-shirt one on top of the other, the better to trap the air and keep one cozy as temperature falls.

Sweatshirts at Koutons sporting bold motifs or broad stripes are temptingly priced at just over Rs 400 apiece. The range of jackets don't seem cut out to brave extreme cold. Denim brands Levi Strauss, Wrangler, Pepe, Lee, Killer, Moustache, etc too have not gone to town with anything that prepares you for a trip to Siberia.

"It's just practical and a lot more convenient than heavy stuff that becomes uncomfortable after a while," says Hashmat Hanifi, an avid buyer of fashion clothes and accessories. "Besides, for extreme cold or for if you have to travel to sub-zero climes, there is always the convenience of thermals that allows you to wear fashionable clothes without the risk of catching cold."