Your wardrobe will naturally shift throughout the year, but winter is the season when the weather dictates your wardrobe choices the most. You want to make sure you have a roster of reliable and classic pieces that will make getting ready every day so much easier. It can sometimes feel like a challenge to remain stylish in the depths of winter, but these 11 staple items will keep you warm and comfortable, in style.
Photo: Getty
Are capsule wardrobes seasonal?
There are certain staples that you can wear every month of the year – a tank top, a white shirt and jeans, come to mind. There are, however, other season-specific wardrobe heroes that will rotate within your capsule as the weather changes. For winter you may want to introduce more heavy-duty items, like leather boots, a big winter coat and an oversized scarf.
How do you build a winter capsule wardrobe?
Winter dressing is all about clever layering and focusing on quality, durable fabrics, but that doesn’t mean everything has to be too practical, either. We’ve found lots of pieces that are as stylish as they are warming.
We recommend investing in the items you will wear the most – cashmere jumpers, tailored coats, cosy accessories and knee-high boots et al. This is the season when it’s really important to pay close attention to the fabrication of your clothes – upgrading to cashmere or wool can ensure you’ve got a capsule that you’ll return to year after year. You want to lean towards classic items that aren’t too trend-focused, but that doesn’t mean an all-black uniform – think about the colours and silhouettes that you always wear the most to help inform your choices.
And, as always, it’s worth considering which pieces you can buy second-hand. For example, there are plenty of leather jackets to be found on resale sites such as Ebay and Vinted, many of will which have that love-worn quality that new iterations try to imitate. Tailoring is another winter staple to consider investing in second-hand – our top tip? Look in the men’s section of vintage and charity shops, as you’ll find plenty of high-quality pieces at reasonable prices. Don’t forget that a good tailor can work wonders on a piece that is too big.
Keep scrolling for our capsule wardrobe staples for winter 2024.
The cosy coat
A cashmere or beautiful wool coat is the ultimate investment to your winter wardrobe – the longer and more oversized, the better.
The wide-leg jeans
Wide-leg jeans – whether they’re horseshoe-shaped, low-slung or high-waisted – pair well with winter layers. We recommend opting for rigid denim to achieve a structured silhouette.
The flat knee-high boots
Take inspiration from Rivals this winter and invest in a pair of equestrian knee-high boots. Equal parts practical and stylish, they are sure to add polish to dresses, skirts and denim-alike.
The winter skirt
Skirts have really taken over from dresses in 2024, and for autumn/winter they come in a plethora of statement-making styles that will pair beautifully with your favourite boots: think plaid blanket skirts, pencil-pleat kilts and look-at-me studding.
The go-with-everything knitwear
A high quality knit is an investment, and while you’ll treasure a neutral-coloured jumper year after year, make sure you don’t forget to check out colour-pop styles from the likes of Cos and M&S. Oversized fits make them look even more luxurious, too.
The puffer jacket
In the depths of winter you just want the warmest coat you can get your hands on – enter the puffer coat. Arket’s long down coat is our hero buy when it comes to duvet outerwear, meanwhile quilted bombers are handy if you’re craving more detailing: think elasticated waistbands and faux fur hoods.
The cult sneaker
From Adidas’s sellout partnership with Wales Bonner to Puma’s re-released Speedcat, cult trainers have become a year-round staple, but they make for a particularly tempting proposition when it comes to dressing down polished winter separates, such as tailored trousers and shirting.
The polished trousers
Nothing spells elegance quite like a well-fitted pair of tailored trousers – just throw them on with a cashmere knit and loafers and you have a ready-made winter uniform. While wool is a classic option, cord fabrics are also proliferating this year. And remember: don’t hesitate to get them altered if they’re not quite right.
The oversized leather jacket
When chosen well, a good leather jacket will stand the test of time, and while there are plenty of iterations to choose from this season (from bikers to bombers), we’re lusting-after oversized silhouettes, as seen on the Saint Laurent autumn/winter 2024 runway.
The cold-weather accessories
Sometimes the devil is in the detail, and this is certainly the case when dressing for sub-zero temperatures. Keep yourself cosy this season with clever layering pieces: think puffer gilets, knitted hoods and cashmere tabards. The ultimate meeting of form and function.
The XXL tote bag
Every capsule shopping list needs a hard-working handbag that you can wear with everything, and an XXL tote is a classic choice you’ll wear all year.
Originally published on Vogue.com
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