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.
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| 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 |
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| Same chambray shirt that was a summer staple - still works great for fall and winter! |
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| 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! |
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| 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! |
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| I just had to include this one because of the photo bombers! |
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| A lightweight summer dress with layers under and over - totally works for winter! |
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!
? Cecilia: My pwincess dwess!!!) (PS it was only $20 when we bought it and is aaaaaaawesome so you should get one for your princess!)
, because she has learned to recognize the words Jesus, Mary, and baby and tried to find them on every page.
