How to Layer Your Winter Capsule Wardrobe
Disclaimer: this blog post contains affiliate links. As always, thank you for choosing to support me!I live in a place that gets all 4 seasons (with extreme weather too!) and because of this I used to be the person who had a bin of winter clothes and a bin of summer clothes. If you’ve been following me for a while you know the story. I have been on a journey of decluttering all areas of my home in pursuit of a more minimalist life, not just with clothing and other belongings but with the noise of social media as well. I am on a pursuit of silence and simplicity and am finding there is peace in living detached from things. I have successfully minimized many cluttered areas of my home (including my kitchen) and I love sharing how I have done this in hopes to help you as well!
A Four Season Capsule Wardrobe
A few years ago, I got rid of all the excess in my wardrobe and I created a capsule wardrobe that could function through all 4 seasons. No more clothing bins!! It has taken a few years to fine tune it but it really is possible. This blog post will teach you a few tips to turn your summer capsule into a winter capsule through layering your clothing. This blog will show you how to add warmth in your all season wardrobe for the cold weather months.
Your summer wardrobe can work for you in the winter too! You only need a few extra items. You do not need a winter bin of clothes (though for clarity, each member of my family has a small basket in their closet to store winter snow gear for gloves, hats, snow pants, coats, and boots).
Why have a capsule wardrobe?
There are so many good reasons to have a capsule that functions in all 4 seasons.
Here are a few of my reasons: Less decision fatigue, less overwhelm less clutter, less laundry, easier to tidy, less impulse buying (overall less spending)and more style! Some might question this last one but I am telling you I dress better now than when I had excess. This is because my wardrobe has been more thoughtfully and intentionally put together. It is cohesive and has been fine tuned to match the capsule style I have dreamed of!
Now, how do you make a minimalist capsule work in both the summer and winter?
The key is layering.
How to Layer Your Clothes in a Minimalist Cold Weather Capsule Wardrobe:
I have three tips for layering your clothes. If you follow these three tips, you can make most of your basic warm weather clothes work in the cold weather. Essentially, your warm weather clothes are your mid-layer and your cold weather clothes provide a base layer and a top layer.
So, here are my three tips:
TIP #1: Invest in a good set of base layers.
Have you ever heard of base layers? I was late to the base layers party. I only recently learned about base layers when I was researching how to keep my children warm during outdoor play. How did I go my entire life without realizing there is a method for layering clothing to get maximum warmth? This is what you need to know.
Your base layer controls your body temperature and moisture. This is arguably the most important yet overlooked item for the winter. Ask me how I know. As a 37 year old, this is my first year with wool base layers and my first winter where I am not freezing when I am outside.
For base layers, look for wool or certain wool + polyester blends to keep the body warm, dry and wick away moisture. Cotton should not be used as a base layer as it traps moisture and makes you colder. Check your leggings my friends. Cotton leggings are not a cold weather item! But wool and polyester work for all seasons. Yes! Depending on the weight of the wool they can even be a good option for summer! Merino wool regulates temperature, this means it keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. And did you know quality wool even offers UV protection? And yes, due to its ability to wick away moisture, wool can even be an option for active wear!
If you are a natural fibers gal and are trying to avoid polyester all together, there are some great options for you. And for those who are not as strict about fiber content, you can find great options that include a blend of wool and polyester. Either way, wool is the way to go!!
But isn’t wool itchy? This is going to vary person by person. People with sensitive skin may find certain wool base layers to be itchy or rather “prickly” while others will not. Those who have a sensitivity to it will want to look for merino wool options and specifically look for the micron count. A lower micron count means they are less likely to feel itchy. The only way to know is to try. Check the return policy when ordering wool and give it a try. If you are a person with a higher sensitivity to the texture of clothing, I suggest trying merino wool and polyester blends like the Woolx McKenna leggings as your first step towards wool clothing.
Three Base Layer Clothing Items for Your Winter Capsule Wardrobe:
The three main base layer clothing items you will want in your cold weather capsule are wool leggings, a fitted wool top, and wool socks.
I have added Woolx into my wardrobe for my base layers. Woolx is a family owned merino wool clothing brand. Their wool clothing is temperature regulating, odor resistant, wrinkle resistant, soft and lightweight, quick drying, durable, and naturally breathable. They are a great fit for your capsule because their pants and tops can work as everyday clothing, as base layers, and as performance gear. You don’t need to have multiple different leggings in your wardrobe. Just one pair. They have a few options to choose from so depending on your needs, you can pick the leggings that best fit what you are looking for. They even have leggings with pockets! I recommend the Stella leggings if you are looking for warmth in the winter and the McKenna leggings if you are looking for all season leggings.
The Stella leggings are a mid/heavyweight fabric for cool to cold conditions with a warmth weight of 330g and a fabric blend of 85% Australian Merino Wool - 12% Nylon - 3% Spandex. The nylon and spandex give added stretch for a smooth fit when worn as outerwear leggings or pants and they are fitted enough to wear under your clothing as base layers. I like the design of the seam running down the back of the leg as well. Woolx has an identical option for leggings with pockets called Piper leggings. I personally don’t feel the need for pockets in mine as I mostly wear leggings under clothing. But if you are a pockets gal, they have something for you!
As you can see, these items are good as base layers but can also be worn as your regular tops and pants. They are opaque and not too thin as some base layers are.
The McKenna leggings are great if you want one pair of leggings for winter and summer. These are your all season mid-weight leggings for cool to warm conditions. They are the perfect base layer for hiking and running and great for higher activity in cold weather or low activity in cool to warm weather with a warmth weight of 250g and a fabric blend of 38% Australian Merino Wool, 46% Recycled Polyester, 16% Lycra. They also have pockets!
Here are some photos of how I have styled Woolx baselayers in my capsule wardrobe. I have layered Woolx items under my dresses, skirts, and pants to keep me extra warm in the winter. My Woolx leggings have replaced my tights and my cotton leggings. In these photos I am wearing the Stella leggings, the Hadley Top, and the Core Crew Socks from Woolx.
In these photos, I am wearing the Stella Leggings, the Hadley Crew Top, and the Core Crew Socks. As an aside, I have an obsession with Woolx socks. I have two pairs of their socks and I am wearing them on rotation all throughout the winter. They are odor-resistant and can go many wears before washing. They are tight fitting, comfortable, and the perfect thickness for winter. They work great in sneakers, boots, and my LL bean boots as well!
In the photos above, I am also wearing Neuflora jeans, a vintage floral skirt, Frye boots, and a Neuflora jumper dress (Neuflora discount code: Marriedandahouse10)
TIP #2: Make your mid-layers versatile for the seasons.
If you are aiming for a minimalistic capsule wardrobe, a good rule to follow is to make your mid-layers versatile. You want options that can be easily mixed and matched and layered in a variety of ways. This tip coming from the recovering excessive bin lady…you don’t need a different clothing item for every possible event, occasion, or season. Those items have their place but there isn’t an need for an excessive amount of them. A good tank top dress from the summer can be covered with a sweater or t-shirt to look like a skirt or worn by itself or layered like a jumper over top of a shirt.
The key to a wardrobe that can function in all seasons comes down to the versatility of your mid layers. In the summer, your mid-layers are all you wear. Your mid-layers are your warm weather clothing. These can be your linen and cotton clothing items. Dresses, button downs, tops, skirts, and jeans. In the winter, these mid-layers go in between two other layers.
The core of capsule should be basics that can be styled and layered in a different ways. Good news, basics do not need to be boring! The mid-layer is where you can bring your unique style into your wardrobe! For this mid-layer, play around with color, patterns, and textures!
And finally, for extra warmth, you add a top layer. The top layer is my third tip for adding warmth to your capsule wardrobe and it is my personal favorite clothing item of all…cardigans.
TIP #3: Find the cardigan you can live in every day of your life.
This last tip is about your top layer; your sweaters, your knitwear, jackets, pullovers, and the like. You can turn your mid-layers into winter wear with a good chunky knit cardigan. I wear cozy cardigans year round in my house. I still find myself grabbing my knitwear in the summer to stay cozy in the air conditioning or as I take walks in the garden on cool summer mornings.
As a staple in your capsule wardrobe, I recommend finding a timeless and amazing cardigan that you can live in throughout the year! I have had great success in thrifting cozy chunky vintage style cardigans. You can add some staple one of a kind pieces into your wardrobe this way! You may want to wait to thrift the perfect vintage knit but if you don’t want to wait, I have also found great staple capsule pieces with Neuflora (10% off: Marriedandahouse10). I love Neuflora sweaters and will layer them over my dresses and tops in the winter. These two sweaters are from Neuflora.
Another top layer option you could consider is the “shacket”, which is a fun word for a “shirt jacket”. Think heavy cozy flannel. On occasion Neuflora has shackets available, but Woolx also has an awesome selection of these as well.
For more of my style and wardrobe inspo, you can take a look at my capsule wardrobe collection on ShopMy.
A final word…
There is freedom in having less and in choosing a few good staple pieces to “live in”. Let your wardrobe serve you as it is meant, not bind you in the endless cycle of purchasing more and more things. I hope this blog post helps you fine tune your wardrobe. Shuffle out what is not working and find some staples that you can hold onto!
Now tell me in the comments, which of these are you?
Are you a bin lady or a capsule wardrobe gal??
