Minimal winter capsule wardrobe

Before I even start diving into this post, let me start by making it clear that this is not a “traditional” capsule wardrobe, in the sense that I haven’t curated it on purpose and in a strict way, nor have I covered every single piece one would need for a proper capsule. It’s simply my version of a minimal winter capsule wardrobe, and is essentially a set of items that I’ve been wearing this winter season on repeat and almost exclusively.

How has my wardrobe evolved in the last year

In 2021, my style continued to evolve. On the one hand, thanks to the pandemic, it became much more casual and sporty. On the other hand, I kept moving into the minimal direction and embracing neutral colours more and more – I still love a pop of colour though and a nice print. Looking back, I have to admit that I added quite a few pieces to my wardrobe this past year and for better or for worse, it definitely was not a year of restraint. However, I am quite happy that a lot of the pieces added were selected with care – I chose natural materials and neutral colours – so I hope they will be with me for the longer run.

In 2022 I have big plans for my wardrobe. I dream of finally learning to let go (!!!) and fully decluttering. As said, I have done some important purchases last year and invested in a few good pieces. This year, I’d like to keep that up and continue to make space for it. I have to admit that it’s quite difficult for me to let go of clothes, so this will definitely be challenging. I’ve attempted it in the past and I’ve only been able to get rid of few pieces that were quite old and worn. There are several reasons as to why I hold onto them – weight fluctuations and therefore both clothes that fit and don’t fit at a given point, not wanting to contribute to waste and get rid of clothes that are still in good condition yet don’t fit me or my style fully anymore, etc.. I try to buy and especially wear clothes somewhat responsibly, however I realize that we keep growing and evolving and so does our style, and therefore keeping a more “curated” or “clean” wardrobe is the only way to make it out with some clarity of mind.

Now, with all this said, whether I will be successful or not with a full decluttering, well, I guess we will only find out later in the year. However, I have to say that I’ve taken some baby steps this past week already. I’ve already decluttered my pyjamas, sportswear and sweaters, andI am quite happy with the progress so far.

My minimal winter capsule wardrobe

Already last year I’ve started to somehow naturally gravitate towards rotating a few pieces, in neutral colours and natural materials. This led to building a bit of a “capsule wardrobe” when it comes to my winter clothing. As mentioned, it’s by no means a strict “capsule wardrobe”. It hasn’t been built on purpose nor it covers every single item I wear, and as said it came quite naturally. But wearing the same pieces again and again and not getting bored of them, made me think that they do work pretty well together, so why not collecting it all on a board and calling it a capsule wardrobe. I’ve used old pieces and also added a few new ones. I’ve tried to link most items, except for those that are not in stores anymore as they’re old (note that some of the links are affiliate links) and my “capsule” consists of the following items:

Outer wear & mid layer:

• Weekend MaxMara wool coat in black. On the pricier side, this one was an investment item. I wanted a classic coat that is 100% wool and that I can dress up and down. I absolutely love it so far!
• The North Face 3 in 1 parka in black of course. Similar story here as it’s also more on the pricier side. I wanted to make sure I have a cold and water proof winter jacket for years to come.
• Mango faux fur coat in black; mine is from last year but there are still similar ones across many brands. To me this coat is a classic – at least for my style. For the price point, the quality is outstanding. It withstands snow, rain (moderately of course) and is extremely warm.
• Uniqlo compact ultra light down vest in beige. I’ve never been big into layering. I’ve always found it somewhat uncomfortable and the end result never seemed too flattering on me. This season though, I decided to give a try to the Uniqlo ultra light down garments and I love them. Truly lightweight, they go perfectly under my wool coat for some extra warmth.
• Uniqlo compact ultra light down jacket in black.

Tops & Dresses:

When it comes to tops, I rotate between a few thin, wool sweaters. I have a couple of them with a more relaxed fit, and two others on the tighter side, plus a heat tech cotton one for layering.

• Zara 100% wool turtlenecks in beige and black with a relaxed fit.
• Uniqlo ribbed merino wool turtleneck in white.
• Uniqlo merino wool turtleneck in black.
• Another Uniqlo sweater; this one is the heat tech cotton turtleneck.
• Lululemon half zip hoodie in pink. My second ever Lululemon item and I absolutely love it for casual outfits, either when travelling and even for weekend strolls.
• Shirt dresses. A few years back I discovered that shirt dresses work like a glove on my body shape and are great for both casual and work outfits. I included 2-3 shirt dresses in this capsule, but honestly, with the lockdown, I rarely reach for them. I used them while travelling and keep them for when I feel a little “fancier”. Mine are old so cannot link them, but here are a few similar ones:
  • Zara shirt dress similar to mine or also this one
  • Shirt dress from Mango

Bottoms:

I’m seriously just rotating a couple pairs of dark grey jeans, one skinny and one straight leg + leggings for work from home days and even daily walks.

• Zara skinny jeans in grey, mine are from last year, similar here
• Mango high waist straight leg jeans in black/dark grey
• Wunder Under Lululemon leggings. I bought my first ever pair of Lululemon leggings and oh my, I can’t even begin to describe how much I love them. I don’t know how they do it, but they are 100% soft, stretchy and make me feel like a million dollars.
• H&M seamless leggins. I rotate between a pair of black and grey leggings I got a couple of years ago for both work from home and daily walks.

Shoes:

• Low heel black booties for work days. Mine are old and I can’t remember the brand, but they are simple, leather booties.
• Combat boots for colder days. I got mine at Massimo Dutti a few years back but they still have similar styles, such as these.
• Nike Crater Impact sneakers in black. I got these during this season so I can go on my daily walks and not have to worry about getting them dirty.
• Veja Campo white sneakers. Classic white sneakers for the few sunny days we get over the winter.
• Nike Air Max 2021 sneakers in pink for a pop of colour and to match my pink hoodie.

Accessories:

• Grey, beige and red scarves + hats from H&M
• Coach Field Tote – this one is the perfect work bag this season
• LV NeoNoe bag – for the times when I want my outfits a bit more extra.
• My trusty Furla Metropolis bag with handle is one of the best bags. I’ve had it for 3-4 years and it holds extremely well; I am very impressed with the quality and the versatility of this bag.

With the job change, I’ve been going back to the office only a couple of days a week at the start of winter, and now due to the lockdown I am not going at all. While this minimal winter capsule wardrobe is more casual, for my casual office dress code (thank you tech industry!) it’s quite enough, as I can still pull together nice outfits.

Below you can also see some of the outfits I’ve been putting together based on my minimal winter capsule wardrobe:

So this is it, my minimal winter capsule wardrobe. Let me know in case you found any inspiration from it, or if maybe you share the same wardrobe dreams as I do. Would love to get some inspiration and motivation from you!