Every year I find myself going through my overly packed closet staring at the amount of things I don’t wear. I keep going through useless shopping phases where I try to force myself to buy color and pattern because I feel like my closet is SO boring. But…I never actually wear that colorful stuff (nor like it, to be honest), and I’m realizing how wasteful this self-denial actually is. So. I’m embracing my neutral-loving self and am playing around with alllll the ways to style neutral clothing.
Winter specifically is my favorite time of year to style, so making a capsule wardrobe for the colder months was pure joy. My biggest tip? Layers, people. They make everything so much more interesting — obviously winter makes this tip easier to achieve. (Updates to come when I figure out how to wear black in an interesting way all summer long. Expect it in 2045.)
Winter Capsule Wardrobe: Neutral Color Palette Edition
17 pieces may seem like a lot, but these are my tried-and-trues.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17
I came up with four different ways to mix and match these pieces, but trust me, there’s even more.
At first I wasn’t sure if having three jackets was Capsule-Wardrobe Appropriate, but shoes and jackets are my weakness. A leather jacket, winter moto and wool trench are my go-tos.
Tops is where the whole capsule closet thing starts to get tricky. But, I’m realizing I mostly wear band tees and sweaters. So, with that I decided that the only thing I really needed to add was a white tee. It goes with everything — and honestly, it can be dressed up or down (to a certain degree…of course.)
Pants are the easiest. Two pairs of jeans to alternate between, a pair of leggings and a pair of trousers are all I need.
As for shoes, chelsea boots are my obsession. I think every single person should have a pair. They’re sleek and pretty much go with everything — work or weekend. And, of course, a pair of white sneaks for the days I wanna be extra comfy. Both of these shoes would look great with any of the outfits mentioned below.
Winter Outfit Idea 1: Weekending With A Leather Jacket
A leather jacket just finishes off every outfit for me. Enough said. When it comes to tops, I’m a big fan of oversized turtlenecks for the winter. If it’s big enough, you can wear it as a dress with tights. For this outfit in particular, I went with a pair of leggings that pair with the white sneaks, and a pair of gray jeans to wear with the chelseas. To be honest, though, you can wear either shoe with either pant. So easy!
Winter Outfit Idea 2: A Cozy Moto, Two Ways
Obviously, it’s not always warm enough to wear a leather jacket, so in that case I go for a moto-style winter coat. It may be gray, but it’s far from boring. It’s all in the little details. A white tee is a classic and a band tee is its spicier sister. For me, band tees are an everyday thing and definitely also a classic. (And technically, there’s color…) I may have paired the trousers with the band tee, and the black jeans with the white tee, but you truly can mix and match either pant with either top. (Same goes for the shoes.)
Winter Outfit Idea 3: Casual Friday
A black wool trench is perfect for dressing up any outfit. It can take you from day to night, from work to play, and everything in-between. It helps elevate the plain white tee especially when paired with the trousers and chelsea boots. Casual Fridays at the office has never been comfier.
Winter Outfit Idea4: A Plaid Blazer (& A High-Fashion Moment)
I decided to throw in a blazer too, because I think everyone should have at least one good blazer in their closet. If you really wanna go high-fashion, Vogue, I say wear the mismatched plaids together. If that’s not your thing, try out either pair of jeans with a white tee and sneaks. Another option for casual Fridays? I think so!
Shop Capsule Wardrobe Outfit Ideas
Hopefully, this gives you neutral lovers not only some outfit inspo, but the encouragement to wear what makes you feel the most you. I definitely needed to be reminded of that…
– Danielle
