Love or hate it, winter has arrived and, for the next few months, temperatures will likely only continue to drop. The upside? Cold weather fashion can be incredibly fun to partake in. Puffer coats, cozy sweaters, fur-trimmed everything—honestly what’s not to like about it?
That answer to that, of course, is all the logistical thinking that goes into dressing up for frigid and icy conditions. It can be a real challenge to pull together a winter outfit that fully reflects your personality, and makes sense in sub-zero weather. However, it’s not only completely possible, but also easy if you have the right pieces in your closet. A well-thought out winter capsule wardrobe—i.e. a warm and snuggly selection you can mix and match multiple ways—can be a real sanity-saver between the winter months of December and March.
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If this all sounds foreign to you, some good news: You probably already have more than a few of the key pieces needed to create some memorable chilly day looks. From there it’s a matter of being more strategic in the way you think about deploying them (especially on a dark, gloomy morning when you have next to no motivation to get creative with your style). Begin by picking the winter wardrobe essentials that you feel best encapsulate the way you want to be perceived this season—like, say, a chunky fair isle pullover or a playful pink puffer coat. This will help you pinpoint the sort of key items you’d need to support these hero pieces to begin filling the holes in your collection. The end goal is to eventually have six to ten pieces that can be broken up into multiple combinations with little effort on your part.
The LoveShackFancy team is here to make the process easy for you and help you find the perfect versatile pieces. Ahead, you’ll find perfect examples of everything you need to create the ultimate winter capsule wardrobe.
A Layering Piece
A cozy sweater is obviously a no-brainer in cooler conditions. However, it’s helpful to have options in a variety of textures and silhouettes to maximize your outfit options. If you don’t yet own one, a thin, lightweight style is the first thing you should purchase as you can wear it on its own or sandwich it in-between a fitted base layer and heavy outerwear to keep warm without creating bulk. Opt for classic pieces like a cashmere sweater in a neutral shade, as these effortlessly complement other items in your winter capsule wardrobe. The Adeanne Cropped Cashmere Cardigan or Bellman Cropped Cashmere Pullover are ideal options for this, but if your style veers more casual, go for a zip-up hoodie like Pierra Cotton Cropped Bow Hoodie.
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Come spring, you’ll also find this purchase to be incredibly useful in finicky transitional weather. It’s something you’ll be able to wear on a crisp morning with a light jacket and then alone once the sun hits its high point in the afternoon. Basically it's a year-round essential… so you might want to stock up on more than one.
A Statement Pullover
Consider this style your secret weapon on days when you’re totally over the whole, you know, getting dressed and leaving the house thing. By throwing on a sumptuously soft sweater with a memorable detail (like the Parson Alpaca-Blend Ribbon Pullover or the Pammie Embellished Wool Pullover) with your comfiest bottoms, you’ll look pulled together and chic without trying.
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Feel free to follow this formula multiple times in a week if you’re feeling low on new outfit ideas. It’ll always look good and no one will notice you’re repeating yourself so long as you have a few different variations on the theme to rotate in and out. In other words, you want to invest in pullovers with different colors, textures, and motifs from each other so each one feels fresh. Another low lift way to switch things up: accessorizing with a variety of earrings and lipstick colors.
Pants You Can Wear With Anything
We’re not saying you should pack away all the separates in your closet that require some extra finesse to pull off. However, it’s more than likely you’ll have mornings when you don’t want to deal with extra fuss—which is when a sleek and simple pair of trousers (or jeans if that’s more your thing) will come in handy.
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Consider the beautifully tailored Costella Pants or the streamlined Bordeaux Pants as your ideal foundation piece in the months ahead. They are both understated enough to remix with an endless number of tops and shoes, but still feel quite special in their own right. Better still, you can dress up both with a silky camisole and blazer should a more formal occasion arise. And if it does, might we suggest the Laticia Embellished Satin Top and Pantonia Wool-Blend Peplum Blazer?
The Festive Dress
Whether it’s for a holiday party or a Capricorn’s wild birthday bash, chances are you’re going to have at least one occasion (fingers crossed it’s more) worth getting dressed up for before spring rolls around. Do a favor for your future self now and invest in one show-stopper of a dress for your seasonal capsule that you can grab and go when the right occasion arises. We’re quite partial to the Miriana Iridescent Midi Dress with feathers for New Year’s Eve fetes, while the vibrant Joelette Floral Satin Maxi Dress is ideal for black tie dinner (it—bonus—can also be made more casual by adding a sweater on top).
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A Going Out Coat
Remember that party dress we were just talking about? You one thousand percent don’t want to ruin the effect by throwing just any old jacket over it. That’s where luxuriously draped outerwear worthy of an Old Hollywood starlet comes in. In short? Bring on the faux fur. The Mahika Coat and Baileene Coat are both guaranteed to deliver the glamour and warmth you crave on late night outs. During the day, they’ll also make the most mundane of looks feel so much more interesting—seriously you could wear them over pajamas and still seem so fabulous.
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A Playful Puffer
Love or hate ‘em, puffer jackets are non-negotiable if you live or visit anywhere significantly above the equator during the winter season. So if you must channel the Michelin Man to survive freezing conditions, why not do it in supreme style? The Rosetta Jacket from LoveShackFancy’s collaboration with Bogner does this by way of irresistibly feminine pastel prints and a silhouette that hits right at the hip (ideal for giving you shape in spite of being swaddled in fabric). This puffer jacket blends personal style with function, making it a standout in any winter capsule wardrobe. If you’re planning on partaking in any winter sports, you may want to invest in the matching ski pants as well.
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Boots Made For Walking
Sturdy footwear is a requirement for winter, but there’s no one-size-fits all selection that works for everyone. For instance: If you live somewhere that’s very wet and snowy, a pair of thick and waterproof winter boots is your best bet, even if you mainly use them for commuting and errands. (The bow-bedecked Les Arc Boots are so cute, though, you may find yourself looking for excuses to wear them.) However, if you merely need something warm and substantial for navigating icy sidewalks, you may want cowboy kicks with a stacked heel you stomping around all day. We’re obsessed with these.
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You also won’t regret buying some sweet little ballet flats to tuck away in your work tote. They’re great for a quick change in a blizzardy situation in which you need giant, tread bottom shoes to get to your destination. Footwear changes are all but inevitable this time of year, so it helps to have a plan to make them seamless. And let’s be honest—there’s something undeniably satisfying about finding that perfect pair of boots that feels as good as they look.
