17 Essential Pieces to Have in Your Winter Capsule Wardrobe

Capsule wardrobes make it easy to instantly pull together a perfectly coordinated outfit. However, it’s important to update your capsule wardrobe seasonally to ensure that you’re dressing for the weather while still looking timelessly chic. Here are 17 pieces that we’re including in our winter capsule wardrobes this year:

  1. Puffer Coat

If you live somewhere with real winter weather, then you absolutely need a long puffy coat to keep warm during the colder months. Look for a longer coat that combines utilitarian warmth with fashionable style, and you’ll have a piece of outerwear that you can keep for years. For an extra layering piece, incorporate a puffer vest into your wardrobe as well.

  1. Wool Coat

Puffer coats are a must, but they tend to look more casual. For fancy occasions, enter the wool coat, which looks upscale no matter what and will instantly elevate any outfit you pair it with. Choose a classic design in a neutral color such as beige, brown, navy, gray or black for a versatile piece that will go with your entire capsule wardrobe.

  1. Sherpa Jacket

A women’s sherpa jacket is one of the top outerwear trends for 2022, but still something we predict will be stylish for years to come, which is why we’re adding one to our capsule wardrobe this year. These chunky jackets add interesting texture to any outfit and are the perfect layering piece for cold weather. Be sure to get yours while it’s still cold enough to wear one!

  1. Knit Cardigan

We love cardigans due to their versatility. They can be worn open or closed, making them perfect for layering with other pieces of your capsule wardrobe. Choose a thinner, fine knit cardigan for the office or a chunky knit for a more casual weekend look.

  1. Pullover Sweater

Besides the cardigan, you’ll also find a pullover sweater or two in our winter capsule wardrobe. This classic crew neck style goes with everything from jeans to skirts and also looks great over a button-down shirt at the office.

  1. Turtleneck Tee or Sweater

No winter wardrobe would be complete without a turtleneck or two. Depending on your style preferences, you can get a turtleneck sweater, a long-sleeve turtleneck shirt or both. Due to the higher neckline, turtlenecks look great when layered under sweaters and jackets and provide an extra layer of warmth on super cold days.

  1. Button Down Shirt

Long sleeve button-down shirts are the foundation of any capsule wardrobe, and winter is no exception. We prefer shirts made of thicker fabrics such as cotton twill and flannel for the winter months. We like to have a few solid colors as part of our capsule wardrobe, and it can be fun to add a plaid print or two for some seasonal vibes.

  1. Velvet Top

This isn’t strictly a must-have item, but with all the holiday parties that happen during the winter, we find ourselves getting a lot of mileage out of velvet blouses at the end of the year. Dress it down with pants or make it fancy with a skirt and some accessories, and you’ll have the evening look at any party you attend. 

  1. Sweater Dress

Sweater dresses are the ideal winter layering piece. They look more formal while being extremely cozy and warm to wear. When paired with tights or leggings plus knee-high boots, you’ll look ready for the office or a dinner date while feeling like you are still curled up at home.

  1. Maxi Skirt

Who says that you can’t wear skirts in the wintertime? To update the look for the season, choose a longer maxi skirt that comes down at least to the knee, if not to the calf. When worn with a sweater, jacket and some tights, you’ll look extremely put together while staying warm during cold weather.

  1. Wide Leg Jeans

Jeans are perfect to wear in colder months — you just need to pick the right style and wash. This winter, we favor wide-legged styles in a dark denim or black wash. Choose a more distressed wash for a more casual vibe or a cleaner look if you plan to wear them to the office.

  1. Trousers

Besides jeans, we also love to wear trousers and dress pants in the winter for both the office and more formal occasions. Go for a dramatic wide-leg silhouette, or opt for a more tailored slim-leg cut. Either way, you’ll get a ton of wear out of this capsule wardrobe piece all season long.

  1. Leather Pants

Much like the velvet top, this isn’t strictly an essential piece, but leather pants are extremely on-trend for this year. Not only that, these very fashionable pants are surprisingly versatile, going from the office to a party to brunch with a simple change of shirt and accessories. If you’re looking to liven up your winter capsule wardrobe, don’t sleep on the leather pants trend!

  1. Black Leggings

No capsule wardrobe is complete without a quality pair of black leggings. Not only are they super comfortable, but they’re also way warmer than other pants, making them perfect for those cold days when you don’t want to leave the house but have to run errands anyway.

  1. Knit Joggers

The athleisure trend is here to stay, and one of our favorite results of that trend is knit jogger pants. Jogger pants offer a casual sporty vibe whether they’re made of cotton or cashmere, making them one of our favorite items to wear on weekends when we want to look cute while staying warm.

  1. Winter Shoes

For wintertime, you’d best believe that we are bringing our boots out of storage. For wintertime, we recommend at least one pair of waterproof winter boots, one pair of mid-height lug sole boots and one pair of calf-high or knee-high boots to complete your look.

  1. Accessories

No capsule wardrobe is complete without a few accessories. For winter, we enjoy wearing a scarf and beanie, as well as fun jewelry and a statement tote bag. Accessories are a great opportunity to really let your personality show through and customize your capsule wardrobe outfit, so don’t be afraid to take advantage of them!

What other pieces do you include in your winter capsule wardrobe this year? Whatever you’re wearing this winter, creating a capsule wardrobe around the season is a great way to collect quality pieces that feature timeless style.