The Ultimate Capsule Wardrobe for Winter 2022/2023

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Are you wondering how to create a winter capsule wardrobe?

This winter capsule wardrobe checklist will help you build the perfect capsule wardrobe this winter season!

If you are new to the concept of capsule wardrobes, they are a collection of items that you can wear interchangeably. The purpose of a capsule wardrobe is to maximize the number of outfits you can create while minimizing how many pieces you need to own.

Women’s Winter Capsule Wardrobe 2023

There are many benefits to having a capsule wardrobe. If you are interested in minimalism or sustainability, capsule wardrobes allow you to dress stylishly without owning an excessive amount of clothing.

Capsule wardrobes also make it easier to put together outfits every day, so you aren’t wasting time standing in front of your closet thinking what should I wear today?!

The items in a capsule wardrobe are designed to be mixed and matched so you can effortlessly create a variety of outfits that always look great.

Are Capsule Wardrobes Seasonal?

While the whole purpose of a capsule wardrobe is to cut down on the amount of clothing you own, it does make sense to have separate seasonal wardrobes.

For most people, the kind of clothing you can wear during the winter is going to be very different from the kind of clothing you can wear during the summer.

In most parts of the world, winter means cold weather and even snow, so you’ll need warmer clothing, layers, and outerwear for your winter capsule wardrobe.

It’s still possible to have a minimalist winter wardrobe with pieces that you will be able to mix and match all season long.

What Should Be In a Winter Capsule Wardrobe?

How do you build a capsule wardrobe for winter? One of the first places you can start is by evaluating your current fall wardrobe.

Some items can be carried over to winter – think basics like jeans and sweaters and cold-weather shoes like boots.

As for what else should be in a winter capsule wardrobe, the following winter capsule wardrobe list will help you curate the best pieces.

Some of it will depend on your lifestyle (for example, do you work from home or do you go into an office where you need to dress up more?) You’ll want to have winter staples you can use for casual, professional, and dressy outfits.

For a winter capsule wardrobe, it’s also a good idea to stick to more neutral tones so you can mix and match pieces more easily.

Winter Capsule Wardrobe Checklist

Ready to create your own capsule winter wardrobe? Here are some items to include for your seasonal capsule wardrobe, organized by category.

How many items are in a winter capsule wardrobe? There’s no right or wrong answer to this question. If you live in a place that has milder winters, you may only need one heavy winter coat, for example.

If you work from home or don’t go out much, you might not need as many winter dresses or dressy tops, and can add more comfortable sweaters instead.

In general, you can set a limit for the number of items in each category for your capsule wardrobe. For example, five tops, five sweaters, five bottoms, and so on.

It’s important to select pieces that are interchangeable and can be combined in several different ways so you can maximize the number of outfits you can create from your closet.

Here’s the ultimate winter capsule wardrobe checklist you can follow:

Black Bodysuit | Knit Cami | Crew Neck Top | Turtleneck | Cashmere Sweater

Tops

For tops in your winter capsule wardrobe, you’ll want to stick with lightweight pieces in neutral colors that can easily be layered with cardigans and outerwear and dressed up or down.

Items like a long-sleeve bodysuit or a knitted camisole can be worn with dressier outfits, while basics like a long-sleeve crew-neck top or turtleneck can be worn for everyday outfits.

Black or white long-sleeve bodysuit

A bodysuit is a great basic to have for winter. This can be dressed up or down, and paired with jeans or trousers for work, or leather pants for a night out.

Neutral-colored long-sleeve crew-neck top

You may want more than one of these in your capsule wardrobe, because a long-sleeve crew-neck top is another closet staple that can be layered and worn with anything.

Cashmere crew-neck sweater

A cashmere sweater is a classic, cozy piece that you can wear all winter long. Go for black, white, or tan so you can easily pair it with anything.

Black, tan, or gray cotton turtleneck

Along with a cashmere sweater, another winter wardrobe must-have is a cotton turtleneck sweater. This is a lightweight top that will still keep you warm, and is perfect to wear to work or with an everyday outfit during the winter.

Knitted camisole

A knitted camisole is a stylish piece to have in your winter capsule wardrobe. This can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion, and it’s easy to layer.

Cream Cardigan | Graphic Hoodie | Wool Turtleneck | Cable Knit Sweater | Striped Pullover

Sweaters

Sweaters are an important staple in a capsule wardrobe for winter. These are great for layering up on extra cold winter days. Sweaters are also perfect for everyday or work outfits.

Neutral (white, cream, or gray) knit cardigan

An oversized knitted cardigan can be worn over any of the tops mentioned above. On a milder day, you can wear it as outerwear, or throw a winter coat over it.

Graphic hoodie or sweatshirt

For casual winter capsule wardrobe outfits, you’ll need some more relaxed pieces like a graphic hoodie or sweatshirt. This can be dressed up a little with jeans and stylish sneakers, or just worn around the house with leggings or yoga pants.

Oversized wool turtleneck

A wool turtleneck is a winter wardrobe staple that will keep you cozy and warm on the coldest days, while still looking cute. Go for a neutral or earth-toned color for this to make it easy to style with other pieces in your wardrobe.

Neutral heavyweight knit sweater (solid color)

Another winter essential is a heavyweight knit sweater (think a wool crew-neck sweater or a cable-knit sweater.) This is perfect to wear with work or everyday outfits in the winter.

Striped, patterned, or statement-color sweater

While most capsule wardrobe items should be neutrals, it’s always a good idea to have a few fun, bold pieces too. In addition to a couple of solid-color, neutral sweaters, you may want to have one patterned or brightly-colored sweater in your rotation too.

Black Straight Jeans | Blue Straight Jeans | Faux Leather Leggings | Black Leggings | Wool Trousers

Bottoms

For bottoms, you will want a couple of pairs of jeans in your winter capsule wardrobe for their versatility and ability to be dressed up or down. Similarly, a pair of black leather leggings or pants are great for making a winter outfit dressier.

Black or gray straight-leg jeans

Black or gray jeans can be worn with just about anything, and transition well from daytime to nighttime. One or two pairs of these are a staple for your winter capsule wardrobe.

Straight-leg blue jeans

Similarly, you’ll also want a pair of blue jeans. These can also be dressed up, or you can pair them with a hoodie or sweater for a more casual winter look.

Leather pants or leather leggings

When going out in the winter, leather pants or leggings are one of the best things you can wear because not only are they super cute and stylish, they will actually keep you warm!

We included the coveted Spanx faux leather leggings above because we truly believe they are incredible. Although we 100% believe they are worth it, they are on the pricier side for leggings.

If you prefer to try a pair of black faux leather leggings that are on the more affordable side, here’s a pair you should check out.

Leggings or lounge pants

No winter wardrobe is complete without some comfortable pieces for those days when it’s just too cold to dress up. A couple pairs of leggings, joggers, or lounge pants are an important staple to have in your capsule wardrobe.

Black or gray wool trousers

For a more professional outfit, you can pair wool trousers with some of the tops mentioned above, like a cashmere sweater or cotton crew-neck and a cardigan.

Ribbed Sweater Dress | Midi Bodycon Dress | Cable Knit Sweater Dress | Black Ruched Mini Dress

Dresses

If you want to add a couple of capsule wardrobe dresses to your winter wardrobe, go for neutral pieces that will keep you warm. Unlike other seasons, you probably won’t want too many dresses in your winter capsule wardrobe.

Neutral sweater dress

A sweater dress is perfect for winter and it will keep you reasonably warm. Go for a neutral color like tan or light gray for a cool winter look.

From experience, we can say with confidence that both of the lighter-colored dresses above are good quality.

Black long-sleeve bodycon dress

Another good dress to have in your winter wardrobe is a black long-sleeve bodycon dress. This can be worn for going out, or you can throw an oversized cardigan over it to dress it down.

There are plenty of options to choose from including mini, midi, and maxi styles.

Grey Wool Coat | Tan Teddy Coat | Plaid Shacket | Puffer Coat

Outerwear

When it comes to outerwear for your winter capsule wardrobe, it’s a good idea to have a mix of options that will keep you warm in every situation, from a snowy day to a mild winter afternoon.

Stick with neutrals, but have a few different color options (black, gray, tan, etc.)

Gray wool coat

When it comes to outerwear, a good wool coat is a winter essential. Depending on where you live, you may want to choose a heavier, longer coat. If you live somewhere with a milder winter, you may choose a coat that just hits at mid-thigh instead.

Tan teddy coat

Along with a gray wool coat, a tan teddy coat is another great piece of outerwear for your winter capsule wardrobe. This can be styled so many ways and will keep you nice and warm.

Neutral plaid shirt jacket

For those days when you don’t need an extremely heavy coat, a plaid shirt jacket (also known as a “shacket”) is a light, casual piece of outerwear that completes any outfit.

Black puffer coat

A black puffer coat is a winter closet staple. This is another piece that you can choose a variation of based on where you live. If you live somewhere with long, harsh winters, you may want to invest in a long puffer coat with a fur-trimmed hood that will keep you super warm.

Shoes

Shoes are another area in your winter capsule wardrobe where you’ll want to focus on practicality and comfort. But that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style!

Black Chelsea Boots | Tan Ankle Boots | White Sneakers | Black Combat Boots

Black Chelsea boots

A pair of black Chelsea boots can be worn with almost anything in your winter capsule wardrobe. These can be dressed up or down, depending on the occasion. They work just as well for going to the office as they do for a night out.

Tan suede boots

A pair of tan suede boots is another great item to have in your closet. You can choose the height and style of these, be it ankle boots or knee-high boots.

White sneakers

One of the best basic shoes to have in your capsule wardrobe that can be worn year-round are white sneakers. When you want a more casual outfit, these can be paired with anything.

Black combat boots

Another good pair of shoes to have in your winter capsule wardrobe is a pair of black combat boots. Alternatively, you can swap these for a pair of water-resistant, snowproof boots if you live somewhere with wet or snowy winters.

Black Leather Tote Bag | Tan Crossbody Bag | Khaki Scarf | Beanies

Accessories

Finally, you may want to add a few accessories to your winter capsule wardrobe. A black leather tote bag is a great everyday bag for winter, while a small crossbody bag is good for going out.

Depending on how cold it gets during the winter where you live, you’ll probably want to add some cold-weather accessories like a scarf, beanie, and gloves or mittens.

Black leather tote bag

A black leather tote is the perfect everyday bag for winter. Whether you’re carrying it to work or out running errands, this gives you plenty of space for everything you might need and goes with any outfit.

Tan or black crossbody bag

A small neutral-colored crossbody purse is another good bag to have in your winter capsule wardrobe, and can be used for any situation.

Neutral-colored scarf and beanie

One last thing you can’t forget in your winter capsule wardrobe is accessories to keep you warm like a scarf, beanie, and gloves or mittens. For a scarf, stick to a neutral color or simple pattern.

How to Create a Winter Minimalist Wardrobe

This checklist will help you create the perfect winter capsule wardrobe.

Whether you want to declutter your closet and get into minimalism and sustainable fashion, or just make putting outfits together easier and more effortless, having a capsule wardrobe will help you achieve that.

A winter capsule wardrobe should consist of neutral, interchangeable tops, sweaters, bottoms, outerwear, shoes, and accessories.

The key to creating a capsule wardrobe that you love is sticking to pieces that feel great to wear and can be styled in several different ways. For winter, it’s also important to pick items that you can layer so you stay warm.