Mom Style: Winter Edition

I wasn't sure if I wanted to bother writing this post, because there are so many real style bloggers who do this better than I do...  But then I remembered that I get more ideas from seeing real outfits from regular bloggers than from the style bloggers, so I figured maybe I'll give it another try and maybe inspire one or two of you?

When I think "Winter Style" I'm immediately drawn to big chunky sweaters, wool skirts, boots, and scarves.  But here's the thing about big chunky sweaters: They're too hot for me and they tend to get pilly after I wear them often.  And here's the thing about wool skirts:  You have to dry clean them.  Nuh uh.  Ain't happening.  I've had a dry cleaning pile on my floor for at least a month that isn't going anywhere.

And I just don't want to buy items to add to my wardrobe that are really only going to be useful for a couple of months.  I hate having clothes in my closet that I can't use most of the time, so I'm all about using as much of my wardrobe year-round as possible.

Cold weather has been upon us in Virginia for a while, but I have to admit it doesn't get *that* cold here.  That being said, I spent 4 years in Chicago when I was in college so I know cold.  And I have come to the conclusion that it is absolutely possible to stay warm wearing nothing but skirts and dresses.  It's just a matter of layering.  I'll be honest - it takes more effort than just putting on a pair of jeans.  But I feel so much better than if I were in one of my ill-fitting pairs of denim!

Here are some of my favorite outfits for winter weather (in Virginia) - all of them have stood up to temperatures below freezing, and most all of them to temperatures down to about 10 degrees - it doesn't really get much colder than that here!  And the majority of these articles are also spring/summer/fall staples as well.

Bare knees don't work for cold, but the denim jacket is such a great staple - so glad I finally found a perfect one!  It ended up being $2 because I used coupons and credits from Twice

Same chambray shirt that was a summer staple - still works great for fall and winter!

This sweater was an awesome find - I wear it all the time!  The skirt is one of the only new items of clothing I've bought since at least May, and it was well worth it - a great staple that's going to last a long time.  Boot cuffs were hand-crocheted by my sister!

I don't have a lot of long-sleeved shirts, but I find myself reaching for this burgundy one pretty often.  It's one of the few things I own that isn't blue!

I just had to include this one because of the photo bombers!

A lightweight summer dress with layers under and over - totally works for winter!

So I've found that I'm reaching for the same items every day, and have a kind of "capsule" winter wardrobe that works really well for mixing and matching:

2 knee-length dresses (often styled as skirts)
2 cardigans (striped and burgundy, which isn't pictured)
4 scarves
3 belts
2 pairs of shoes (boots and wedges)
1 denim jacket
4 skirts (denim, full chambray, olive khaki, and high-waisted chambray - maxi skirts are out until snow is off the ground!)
3 long-sleeved shirts (burgundy, chambray, and blue button-down)
2 sweaters
2 short-sleeved shirts
2 pairs tights
2 pairs leggings
2 pairs boot socks

Not counting undergarments, that's 31 items - I've got more than make their way into the rotation since I'm not limiting myself, but I'm perfectly happy with the variety I get with what I have.  And I feel like I'm not constantly looking for *more* clothes - I can mix and match my wardrobe now so much more than before I started being more intentional about how I dress, so I get a LOT more outfits out of fewer articles of clothing.

Check out my WIWS  posts for more weekly fashion inspiration!