A winter capsule wardrobe is a simple way to make cold-weather dressing easier and less overwhelming. And, honestly, it can also help you avoid buying every cute sweater you see. Is it just me? The goal isn’t just fewer clothes, though, it’s about choosing winter wardrobe pieces that work together to be styled in many ways. So, let’s discuss how to build a capsule wardrobe for winter, the essentials to include, a checklist for how to build your capsule, and outfit ideas!
It gets quite cold here in DC, so I always need true winter items, such as sweaters, a wool coat, and warm boots. When it comes to wardrobe colors, I rely a lot on neutrals for my winter clothes because they’re just so easy to mix and match. While I wear both black and brown, if you’re creating a capsule wardrobe, I would focus on either black or brown to help streamline your outfits. One of these colors is enough for you to build a capsule around for clothes and shoes. For example, both black and brown boots and shoes can be styled with grey and navy sweaters and pants.
I typically rotate between a couple of sweaters, button ups, jeans, trousers, and a dress or skirt. I love to use accessories, such as a belt or scarf, to add a unique look to my outfits or just pull it all together. Not every outfit has to feel like it’s meant for something special, but it should still feel like you! Since my wardrobe is currently focused on elevated casual outfits, I rely less on so-called work outfits. But, most of my outfits are still work appropriate for a lot of dress codes, and I included work outfit ideas in this post too.
This winter capsule wardrobe is very similar to my own winter capsule wardrobe, and I own a lot of these pieces or something similar! CLICK HERE to shop.
So, What Is A Winter Capsule Wardrobe?
A winter capsule wardrobe is a group of cold-weather pieces that are versatile, so they’re easy to mix and match. The clothes and accessories typically come in a color palette that all work together. The number of pieces in your unique capsule wardrobe depends on your lifestyle, the climate where you live, and your work needs! You can read more about what is in a capsule wardrobe in this post I wrote.
How To Build A Winter Capsule Wardrobe
Step One: Look in Your Own Closet First
The most important thing you can do to start your capsule wardrobe is to identify what you like to wear, what you never wear, and what you need more of. Personally, I love to wear sweaters and button ups throughout the winter, so I’m always updating my closet with those pieces. I also know how much I rely on jeans, so I’m not afraid to add another pair of jeans to my closet.
Step Two: Consider Your Daily Routine
Speaking of routines, it’s so important to shop for your own daily reality. So, if you go to an office with a business casual dress code, you probably need more trousers or skirts than you do jeans.
Step Three: Think About the Colors You Love to Wear the Most
You should also think about which colors you like to wear because you don’t want to invest in trendy colors that you won’t end up wearing next year. I know that earth tones look good on me and I feel confident wearing them, so I typically prefer to purchase those colors! Neutral colors also just happen to mix and match easily.
Step Four: Create A Wishlist of Pieces You Need
Put together a list of pieces you think you need or just want to add to your wardrobe as you go through your closet. This could be anything from one pair of trousers to three sweaters!
Step Five: Invest in Quality Over Quantity
Winter is actually one of the best seasons to invest in quality over quantity. If you’re deciding between three sweaters that are mostly polyester and one or two cashmere sweaters, I always choose the cashmere options. Cashmere is obviously gorgeous and very soft, but cashmere sweaters are actually going to keep you warm and they’ll last in your wardrobe way longer if you take care of them.
Winter Capsule Wardrobe Essentials
Outerwear
Outerwear is obviously a very important part of a winter wardrobe! I’ve collected a few coats over the years, but the core pieces of my outerwear remain the same: A wool coat for dressier occasions and for those really cold days, a trench coat that layers with a warm scarf for rainy winter days, and a leather jacket or suede jacket for something chic.
- Wool coat
- Trench coat
- Leather jacket or suede jacket
Sweaters and Knitwear
- Cashmere crewneck sweater
- Turtleneck sweater – check out my post on how to style a turtleneck
- Cardigan sweater
Tops and Layering Basics
Read my tips for how to layer for cold weather!
- Long-sleeve layering tee
- Short sleeve sweater to wear under button ups or other sweaters
- Button ups
Bottoms
- Dark denim
- Wide-leg trousers
- Skirt
Dresses
I don’t always include dresses in a capsule wardrobe because you don’t always need a dress for daily outfits, especially when it’s cold. However, if you do want to include one, I’d go for a sweater dress or an a-line dress, and I’d style it with knee-high boots.
- Sweater dress
- Midi dress for work
Shoes
- Knee-high boots
- Ankle boots or just a pair of shorter boots in general
- Loafers or ballet flats – be sure to read my post on how to wear loafers in the winter!
Accessories
- Warm scarf like a cashmere scarf or a wool scarf
- Gloves, whether they’re leather gloves or cashmere gloves
- Belts that can pull your outfit together to make it feel cohesive. Belts are also perfect to make outfits made of the same pieces in your winter wardrobe feel unique
Winter Capsule Wardrobe Checklist
If you’re wondering how many of each thing you need, this is the checklist I’d use to get your capsule wardrobe started! It can be a combination of the categories above, and you can base your checklist on what is best for your daily routines. For example, if you like to wear skirts to work and only need a pair of reliable jeans for the weekend, then simply focus on skirts instead of jeans!
- Two or three coats, including a warm coat, a trench coat, and some sort of fun jacket. I have a suede jacket as a fun jacket!
- Three sweaters, which should look different but can definitely be the same material
- Three layering shirts, which can include sweaters because I love a sleeveless sweater as a layer!
- Three bottoms, which can include jeans, trousers, or skirts
- Three pairs of shoes
How To Style A Winter Capsule Wardrobe
Let’s look at how to put some of these pieces together!
Everyday Outfit: Cardigan, Dark Denim, and Ankle Boots or Flats
This outfit is perfect for colder months because my sweater is wool, and I love how these dark denim barrel jeans bring more of a fall and winter outfit feel. This cardigan is also just so versatile. You can wear it to work, casually, and you can also add pieces underneath for extra warmth. I love the idea of dressing it up with a skirt that’s part of your winter capsule wardrobe. Wear this exact look with ankle boots or knee high boots when it’s really cold!
You can also style this outfit with any of the sweaters I included in the capsule wardrobe at the beginning of this post! Click here for my post on winter outfits with jeans.
Work Outfit: Button Up, Wide-Leg Trousers, and Boots
These corduroy trousers are super comfortable and chic, which is the perfect combination for a work outfit. You can style them with a brown turtleneck, the brown cardigan I’m wearing above, or a navy or white button up. I love how the color of the corduroys is sort of a chameleon, so it matches brown, cream, black, and navy.
If you’re looking for more work outfit ideas, I also wrote a post about how to put together a business casual capsule wardrobe.
Work Outfit: Trousers, Button Up, and Layering Shirt With Boots
I love wearing this navy tank top under my button ups. It’s the perfect layer, and it looks really nice with necklaces. I’ve been wanting the matching button up to wear with jeans, but I absolutely love how this outfit idea looks for a dressier outfit. You can obviously wear this to work, but it would also be perfect for a vacation in the fall and winter if you’re going somewhere like London, Paris, or the English countryside!
Trench Coat Outfit: Style With A Sweater
This trench coat has to be one of my most worn coats ever. I seriously live in it throughout the year. I love how you can easily layer under it, whether you’re wearing a sweater or multiple layers like I am below.
You can also wear this exact outfit with the corduroy trousers I’m wearing above and included in the capsule wardrobe. I would also style it with a plain slip skirt and knee high boots!
Skirt Outfit: Turtleneck Sweater, Midi Skirt, Suede Jacket, and Tall Boots or Loafers
I love an outfit that you can wear to work, to a weeknight dinner, for date night, or even to a school event for your kids. You can recreate this outfit with the fun skirt and the loafers or boots from the winter capsule I put together at the top of this post. I love to bring a print into a tonal outfit that has really different shades of the same color so you don’t feel like you’re looking at mismatched colors. You can see what I mean with my outfit below, which I wore in London! I love how this outfit works easily with loafers or boots, too.
Click here to read more about how to style sweater and skirt outfits.
Suede Jacket Outfit: Style With Jeans for Casual Work Look or Weekend Outfit
This is one of those outfits that works for late winter days when there are hints of spring in the air. It can also work for fall days that are leading into winter. I love how this suede jacket instantly elevates your look. I styled it with loafers and socks here, but I also wear it with boots.
Cold Weather Outfit: Layered Knits, Wool Coat, Scarf, and Warm Hat
This is one of my favorite outfits because I felt really comfortable, warm, and stylish! You can add a scarf and warm hat to this outfit if you need one.
You can easily recreate my outfit with pieces from the capsule wardrobe I put together! I love this gray cable knit sweater so much.
The jeans, socks, and belt I linked are exactly what I’m wearing above. I included them in the capsule wardrobe in a slightly different wash, and I own both colors. I wear them both frequently! The pair I’m wearing above is a slightly lighter wash than the pair I included in the capsule collage at the top of this post.
Winter Capsule Wardrobe FAQs
How Many Pieces Should Be in a Winter Capsule Wardrobe?
I don’t think there’s a certain number of pieces that need to go in a capsule wardrobe. It’s all about quality over quantity to me, and I also like to make sure everything can mix and match to some extent.
The one thing I didn’t include in my capsule is a leather tote, but it’s definitely a good option for winter. I love patent leather for winter since it’s so durable.
What Colors Should a Winter Capsule Wardrobe Be?
The colors in your winter capsule are all about the color palette you like! Whether you prefer neutral colors or typically wear bright colors, the key is that most of what you buy feel like versatile pieces. You definitely don’t have to buy neutrals for things to be versatile. Bright colors also look nice together, with jeans, paired with trousers, and even with a fun skirt.
What Can You Leave Out of A Winter Capsule?
There are plenty of things that are nice to have in your closet in the winter, such as a puffer jacket. However, I don’t think you necessarily need one unless you know you’re going to be out in the snow. Here in DC, you definitely need some sort of warm, waterproof jacket for snow days, but I know that’s not the case everywhere!
You also don’t necessarily need white sneakers or any sneakers in your winter closet to style with the type of outfits in this post. My gym sneakers feel chic enough to also wear to other things, such as for errands. I also wear them to doctor appointments and the playground with jeans.
That’s all from me today. I hope this post was helpful as you put together your winter capsule wardrobe! Be sure to sign up for my email list below if you’d like to hear more from me on style and travel.
