The foundation of any winter bike-to-work outfit for ladies is a warm, quick-dry baselayer. This will be your bread and butter. You will learn to roll out of bed from December to March and throw it on no matter what else you plan to wear. It will be your second skin.
The first principle is to avoid cotton at all costs. If there is ANY cotton in a pair of leggings you are considering purchasing, put them back on the rack and step away. Imagine yourself drenched and shivering, out of the cold for hours but still unable to dry off, your sickly yellow legs goose-pimpled and raisiny under your damp tights: you've just purchased a one-way ticket to cotton town. Don't board that train. You're looking for wool or smart-tech fabrics. These will cost you, I'm not going to lie. There are three investments for your winter bike-to-work outfit that will set you back, but are non-negotiable components. These are your coat, your leggings, and your boots. You may purchase several sub-par versions of these elements, but I assure you you will suffer for it (I did). You will then wise up and may survive an entire winter on one pair of superb black leggings (I once did) but I recommend two to start off and three to end up. Ideally, you'll want a black pair and a gray pair, maybe a brown pair. (I've yet to find a suitable pair in brown myself, so let me know if you do.) So, don't be shocked by the price tags on the following recommendations. They are well worth their cost.
The first recommendation, the cadillac of winter bike leggings, are no longer available anywhere online that I can find. These are the lululemon wunder under *brushed pants. The good news is, they often carry them in lululemon stores, I just purchased a new pair myself last month, so pop in and check if you can. I am not a huge fan of this brand, their corporate philosophy, or their exorbitant prices, but I cannot tell you how much of a difference these leggings have made in my life. They are pretty thin, fit like a glove, and look like tights under a dress, but are unimaginably warm--even when soaking wet. I have worn them for miles in cold rain, sleet, and snow, and arrived at my destination with toasty legs and leggings that are dry to the touch on the outside within fifteen minutes.
A second runner-up, available online, are the ibex wool energy tights. These will keep you just as toasty as my beloved wunder unders, but they have some drawbacks. First: the waist is not that comfortable. It's a little high, and the elastic is a little pinchy. Second: they have a zipper at the ankle. That's not a huge deal if you plan to wear knee-high boots (which I recommend and will soon post about) but I like a legging free of any visible bells and whistles--say NO to logos, reflective designs, zippers, or strange seams because they will ruin the "oh, these are just plain old tights" illusion we will be going for under dresses. You will want leggings, not tights, as leggings tend to be warmer and I advocate a thicker sock than tights will provide (sock post coming soon). Leggings also tend to be more comfortable than tights and we will not be able to see the sock/legging ridge beneath your boots.
You can probably find your own brand of super leggings by checking out your local outdoorsy/athletic store or through a good online search. Some that I have not tried myself but that may do very well are here and here. Be wary of anything cheap--they will either not breathe or not keep you warm. Be sure they are advertised for winter wear. Winter running tights will do just fine. Pick matte ones though, nothing shiny. That would not be lady-like.
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