How to Stay Warm & Chic This Winter: 44 Classic Minimalist Outfits

DOWN OR SYNTHETIC WINTER JACKETS

If winters are really cold where you live you should consider buying a puffer jacket. You can find 2 types of puffer jackets: down and synthetic jackets. A down feathers filled jacket is the warmest option. It’s also much lighter than a synthetic one. A synthetic filled jacket is much cheaper and depending on the quality, it can be pretty warm. The only thing that should hold you back is that most of them are made from newly produced plastic, which is not sustainable at all. So if you decide to go for it, choose from brands that make puffer jackets from recycled water bottles or go for a vintage one. It’s better for you and the planet.

You don’t have to give up on style to stay warm. This capsule wardrobe example is full of fashion matching methods that will allow you to create chic and warm winter outfits in a classical style. Take these ideas for outfits into your own personal wardrobe and apply them to get a modern classic fashion style.

Creating interchangeable outfits while shopping will maximise your wardrobe’s potential. The Wonder Wardrobe Course will teach you how to do that and more. You will learn how to create a visual outfit guide with new outfits to make sure everything is cohesive and interchangeable.

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Fabrics that keep you warm.

One of the most important things you need to remember when building your winter wardrobe is that you have to pay close attention to the fabrics and materials you choose. If you prioritise materials over brands, you’ll do just fine. That’s because there are materials that can keep you warm, and then there are the ones that are completely useless during the cold months. 

Let’s see some examples and compare these different fabrics together.

Cotton & tencel

Cotton and Tencel (Lyocell) are both great materials in terms of durability and quality but they don’t hold heat well and can’t keep you warm in winter. If you choose to wear a cotton top or a dress, you might need to add another layer like a cardigan or a jacket to keep yourself warm.

Silk

Silk is a natural fabric which has the great ability to keep your body temperature comfortable and even. Thicker types of silk can be a nice choice for your winter blouses.

Viscose

Viscose Rayon is not a natural material, but a semi-synthetic one. It’s actually made out of wood mixed with toxic chemicals. Yeah… it doesn’t sound great. Although it looks light and breezy, it’s not breathable and also water-repellent. That means it can keep you warm but it will also allow sweat to build up.

Polyester

Polyester is a synthetic fabric made out of plastic. As we all know plastic is not a breathable material, so the clothes that are made out of polyester can keep you warm in winter easily. The only problem is that it’s also water-repellant, which means that rather than absorbing sweat, it allows perspiration to build up inside the garment. So it’s not the best fabrics to wear close to the skin.

Velvet

Velvet is a thick, woven material that can be made either from natural fibres like silk and wool - super warm material - and from polyester, which is not that warm. Velour is kind of a thinner version of velvet. It’s usually made from cotton or again, polyester. Velvet is a little warmer than velour, but both fabrics are suitable for winter and will keep you pretty

Corduroy

Corduroy is a fabric that is made with fibers twisted together. Similar to velvet it also can be made from natural materials like cotton or wool, or mix of synthetics. Corduroy made from natural materials will obviously be the warmest and the most durable one.

Wool

Wool and Acrylic also look very similar, but have completely different properties. Wool is a natural fibre that is available in a variety of weights and textures, and is probably the warmest fabric you could wear in winter. Just keep in mind that wool that is blended with synthetic fibres is not as warm as 100 percent wool, and its warmth depends on the percentage of wool in the fabric. Any type of wool absorbs moisture, and allows the body to regulate its temperature. That means it keeps you warm when you're cold, and cools you down when you're hot.

Acrylic

Acrylic is a synthetic material and it’s not a very warm one. As any other fabric made from plastic it doesn’t breathe, it can make you sweat and it also doesn’t keep the shape as well as wool. That’s why it’s better to wear your acrylic sweater with a t-shirt underneath to keep yourself warm and dry. There are many coats including faux fur that are made out of acrylic or mix of synthetics nowadays. They are cheap and people might find them cute, but I’d say a wool coat would be a much smarter investment. It’s 3 times warmer and it will last you much, much longer.

As you can see, materials like silk, velvet, corduroy, wool and leather are the best choices for a winter wardrobe. They are all very warm, soft and cozy. Besides, when you mix them together they create very interesting combinations of textures, don’t you think? 

Now you might think that the fabrics in your current winter wardrobe are not that warm, or they are mostly synthetics. That’s ok. No need to panic and throw everything away. You still can make them work. First of all, you can wear multiple layers in an outfit. The more layers you have, the better the heat insulation is. I have a FREE e-book dedicated to layering. Check it out if you’re interested.

Classic Minimalist Capsule Wardrobe for cold winters.

Capsule wardrobe overview:

This capsule wardrobe includes 7 tops, 2 dresses, 6 bottoms, 1 blazer, 1 cardigan, 2 winter jackets, 2 pairs of shoes, 1 bag that result in 102 beautiful outfit combinations.

Fashion Style: Classic Minimalist style. 

Colour type: Autumn.

Method: Wonder Wardrobe

*Please note, that this method should be used as a learning springboard, not a ready-to-buy wardrobe. No brands or prices will be disclosed as the purpose of this blog post is to teach you a life-long skill, not to sell you more clothes.

I was paying careful attention to the fabrics when selecting the clothes. I have items made from wool, cashmere, silk, denim and corduroy. As we discussed earlier, these are the warmest, natural and eco-friendly fabrics. Besides, there are so many options for layering, that it will be almost impossible for you to get cold.  

I chose these 2 pairs of leather shoes. The ankle boots go well with all the pants. As you can see, the jeans and the green trousers are cropped, so I had to find boots that are high enough to cover the ankle, so no skin is exposed to the cold. The knee boots are perfect for outfits with skirts and dresses. 

For the top layer I’ve decided to go with down jackets. One is short and fitted to go well with the pants, and the other one is longer and more spacious so you can wear it with the suit underneath or for outfits with skirts and dresses.

To create this capsule I used 58 fashion principles and methods from the Wonder Wardrobe course. Although I didn’t include that many items, this wardrobe came out to be fully interchangeable and very versatile.

What keeps you warm, yet stylish every winter?

Let me know in the comments!