9 Versatile Items You Need to Include in Your Winter Capsule Wardrobe

1. Breton top

This Breton sweater has become my ultimate wardrobe item! It’s soft organic cotton that sits so snug and feels great.

There are so many ways to style a Breton top, as you may have seen previously in my tutorial on 10 Classic Breton Top Outfits.

Here, I wore jeans and ankle boots, bringing out the navy stripes in the Breton top with a navy coat. You could swap the blue jeans for white and switch the beige ankle boots for black as well.

2. Smart pants

Don’t save your smart pants just for the office; there are many more ways to wear them. Here, I relaxed the look by pairing mine with some classic white sneakers.

Then, I decided to polish up this ensemble with a relaxed cashmere jacket. 

I also wanted to add another neutral shade into the mix, so I opted for a neutral leather tote bag. The different textures work so well with this look. 

3. High boots

The coat and boot combo never fails. It's practical, yet timelessly fashionable.

Boots are a must-have, and a good neutral pair is great to feature in your winter capsule wardrobe.

Make sure your boots are at least knee-high. Over-the-knee boots are very on-trend at the moment, but I don't think they suit me, so I opt for just knee height.

This lovely tan-colored coat is so versatile and smartens up any outfit I’m wearing. When the tones all come from the same family, the outfit feels cohesive. 

4. Leather pants

Has anyone else recently discovered their love for leather pants? I went from doubting their place in my winter capsule wardrobe to making them an essential item.

It’s important to note that I opted for a somewhat looser fit with a bit of slouch. Super-tight leather can be unforgiving.

My favorite way to style my leather pants is with a big chunky knit! By keeping the bottom half of the silhouette slimline, you can get away with something oversized and cozy on top.

This outfit would also work well with ankle boots of course, but I prefer dressing down a more formal item with sneakers.

The look wouldn't work with socks, but wearing flesh-colored tights under your pants can help keep your ankles warm!

5. High heels

Winter is full of holidays and events, so a pair of good high heels is essential in a winter capsule wardrobe.

Here, I’m wearing a lovely white blouse, a long cream cardigan as a light throw-over, denim, and some chic pointy heels.

The key to looking effortless in winter outfits is comfort. I prefer an easygoing outfit that's elevated with a pair of heels, rather than something like a bodycon dress that makes me feel uncomfortable.

6. Sweaters

I’m a firm believer in making something warm and toasty look as chic as possible. One trick I use to elevate a simple sweater is matching it with my coat. This instantly makes an outfit feel more polished.

Here, I matched a black sweater with a black coat, then accessorized with black loafers and a black bag. To offset all that black, I opted for a lighter wash on my jeans.

If you’d prefer a lighter look, you could replicate the same idea with a palette of nudes and browns. 

7. Monochrome pieces

I love playing with monochrome outfits. Here, I paired my cashmere cardigan and white pants with tan boots and a tan sweater.

I love light shades for winter, as it reminds me of being cozy by the fire. You don’t have to go for white; there are tons of other shades you can go for. Think of emerald green or lovely deep red hues. 

8. Blazer

This particular blazer has definitely been making its appearance in my winter capsule wardrobe every year.

The blend of tones together, rather than just one, gives the blazer a charming depth and means it goes with a lot of different outfits. That's why I end up wearing this more than my plain black blazer.

Here, I've paired the blazer with black flared flannel pants and wrapped a cozy light gray scarf around my neck for extra warmth. See how they contrast nicely with the blazer tones?

9. Cigarette pants

While I do love my jeans, one thing that I don’t mind swapping them with is a lovely pair of cigarette pants.

I love styling these with ballet flats, and I kept to the soft neutral hues throughout the rest of my items. Think of beautiful warm golden brown tones blended with cozy knits!

This is a look that’s purely classic and I don’t think it will ever go out of fashion. 

Winter capsule wardrobe

I hope you enjoyed my winter capsule wardrobe style guide. My advice is to keep your eye out for quality, layers, neutral-colored items, different textures, and of course, functionality!

Go on and make a capsule wardrobe checklist for winter, and you’ll be surprised at how many simple items can be worn in different ways!