Although Christmas is long gone, we’re still sat freezing in our mould-sprouting, slug-seeping student houses, cursing our pitiful heating.

With spring in the far-distant future, winter wardrobes are as important as ever. However, everywhere we look, there’s still horrendous choices being made for the bitterly cold weather of January. Here’s what not to do:

Shorts and sandals

Shorts, socks and sandals: the worst combination

Boys, I’m talking to you (mostly). How can you wear a pair of shorts and flip-flops when the weather is currently in minus degrees? This isn’t the Mediterranean; it’s Devon.

There are more clouds than girls slut-dropping in Arena on a Friday night. There’s an enormous range of jeans, trousers and correct footwear out there. Put on a pair, please. Save the shorts for summer.

Christmas jumpers

Make like a Christmas pudding and set fire to jumpers like these

Call us Scrooge but, after Boxing Day, we said a firm goodbye to gingerbread-man patterns, Christmas-pudding logos and giant, 3-D reindeers.

They’re a sight to sore eyes. It’s time to fold them away, far from the public eye, until December 2014. We don’t sing Christmas songs anymore, so why wear the jumpers?

Gilets – yes, gilets

Save the arm flexing for spring

Jack Wills or not, January is not the month to be sporting a gilet – especially without a long sleeved shirt underneath. If you’re cold, wear a jacket or coat.

Gilets only cover your chest, leaving the rest of your arms exposed to the bitter cold. As te-‘rah’-fic as you may feel wearing one, they’re terrible for a winter wardrobe.

Lack of skirt/tights

Observe the short-skirt species in their natural habitat, huddling for warmth

It’s January – JANUARY. Why, then, are we seeing girls going out with skirts and dresses shorter than Spencer Matthew’s attention span? Worst of all, they’re not even wearing tights.

Bare legs and bare bums: not a great look. Looking good for a night out shouldn’t have to mean sacrificing half your body heat (and dignity). Add some tights and a few inches to your hemline. Voila. No more ice-cube syndrome.

Not owning a coat

Behold, the common coat. Invest.

A lightweight jacket in the bitterness of January just isn’t going to cut it. A coat, therefore, is a vital part of the winter wardrobe.

As much fun as having a nose-dripping cold every other week is, perhaps it’s time to pop into town and invest in a decent winter coat.  Go for something simple, versatile and warm. Your immune system will love you for it.