I spent the entire winter in thick stretchy black pants - sort of like leggings but heavier - tucked into a pair of big fat shearling boots, with tops of varying dressiness. On super dressy occasions I'd switch the clodhopper boots for a pair of high heeled black leather ones. After seeing Elaine Stricht in black pants and a white top apparently every day of her life, I didn't feel so bad about it.