Today, I want to share with you my 2022 winter capsule wardrobe. I started using capsule wardrobes back in 2018 when I decluttered my closet. A capsule wardrobe is a small curated collection of clothing to support daily living. At the time, I wanted to simplify my life, completely. This included making dressing up every day an easy task. By choosing to use a capsule wardrobe, I only need to own a few, well-loved items of clothing. It makes getting ready for the day stress-free, because I look good and love everything I choose to wear. I also avoid decision fatigue by having less options. And I spend less money shopping! This saves me from having to work more, to earn more, only to spend more. Gone are those days!
I am quite lucky in that I either work from home or at the dental office. I can employ a wardrobe made up of scrubs and athleisure wear. Both are very comfortable. I like to choose clothes that are first and foremost both comfortable and functional. I also hone in on clothes that look good on me. If ever I think an article of clothing doesn’t look good, it gets decluttered right away. Lastly, I stick to neutral colors that I like. My favorite colors are black, grey, and green.
A note on sustainability. The word gets thrown around willy nilly these days which lessens its meaning. But the intent still stands. I make a strong effort to ensure that items are made using good materials by people who are paid fair wages. That is important. I like companies that uses natural materials, meaning they will biodegrade. I favor companies who treat people as people. And the most sustainable thing of all, I keep my clothes for as long as possible and purchase very few. When they end their life in my hands, I pass it on to someone in want or need. Half the time, that is how I receive them anyway. From someone else. My capsule wardrobe isn’t perfect, but I still try.
Either way, every season is different, and I change out my capsule every three months or so. I wanted to spend a few moments today jotting down my 2022 winter favorites!
My 2022 Winter Capsule Wardrobe
- Eddie Bauer Puffer Jacket. California doesn’t get crazy cold, but we do live in the mountains. Therefore it still reaches snowy temperatures at night, even though it never rains. I got a black puffer jacket one year ago and I wear it almost every day. It doesn’t matter if I am going to work or to the gym. I hardly need to layer sweaters underneath it as it insulates very well! It was one of the best winter purchases I have ever made!
- Patagonia Rain Jacket. My parents gifted me a black Torrentshell for Christmas one year ago because they knew I loved to be outdoors and would do so rain or shine. I love this jacket. It is my second worn jacket after the puffer. It keeps me dry when it rains, and is a great windbreaker and shield from the sun when hiking. I bring it every time I travel.
- Patagonia Fleece Jacket. I bought this fleece jacket more than 5 years ago when my husband and I were planning our honeymoon in New Zealand. It looks absolutely brand new! This jacket has seen it all. I have taken it on a 3-day-hike through a storm in the mountains of New Zealand. I have taken it to Banff the day my husband fell into an ice cold lake. It has been with me to my waterfall hikes in Iceland, to Oktoberfest in Germany, and to a rainy New Year’s Eve in Sydney, Australia. This jacket has weathered the storm, so to speak, but looks as stunning as when I bought it. I love this jacket. This is a casual jacket that I throw on underneath the puffer or rain jacket.
- Prana Sweater. I have been living in this Prana sweater since the day I got it. It’s perfect to throw on my yoga attire, before and after my workouts! It has enough appeal to wear out with boots and look completely put together, as long as I swap my leggings for a pair of jeans.
- Beyond Yoga Attire. I wear athleisure wear every day I am not at the dental office. I am a pretty active person and do multiple things in one day and I just find that athleisure wear really supports me in all those tasks. Beyond Yoga’s Spacedye 7/8 Leggings and Spacedye Slim Racerback Crop Tank is my current favorite outfit. The fabric is so soft! And very flexible. The leggings fit like a full-length legging on petite me. And the crop top actually hugs my body without squeezing! I spend all day in these! I can do yoga at home, write a blog post while drinking coffee, go to pilates or spin class, bake up a storm in the kitchen, or read a book while cuddling with the cat. I pretty much wear it all day long and if my entire capsule wardrobe was made up of 7 of these, I wouldn’t be mad about it! (PS: Another brand I’ve had my eye on is Vuori. They have a similar legging and crop top duo that I might put on my Christmas list next winter).
- Girlfriend Collective Leggings. Since I only own one Beyond Yoga Attire, I resort to wearing my Girlfriend collective leggings the rest of my days off.
- Lululemon Tank Tops. I pair my Lululemon Tanks with my Girlfriend Collective leggings for a very comfortable work day from home.
- A pair of jeans. I gravitate towards one pair every 4-6 months. Currently, it’s a pair of high-rise, wide-leg crop jeans similar to these from Etica.
- Eileen Fisher Silk Shell Box Top. When I am stepping out anywhere nicer than the gym, I put on one of my two go-to Eileen Fisher silk tanks. I have owned these for years and they have never failed me. These tanks are such a great investment and can be dressed up or down. They are part of the company’s “System” which is it’s own curated capsule wardrobe of essentials.
- Figs Scrubs. I wear Figs Scrubs every day I go to the dental office. Believe it or not, Figs Scrubs changed my life! They are stretchy, comfortable, AND cute! I can do yoga in them in the morning before work, or lounge and read a book during my lunch break. I can go out to happy hour with co-workers and still look decent! This innovative company really improved the medical field’s lifestyle, and for that I am thankful. I currently go into the office three days a week. Figs is my ‘uniform’, along with my Clove shoes.
- Nisolo’s Chelsea Boot. By far the best boot I have ever worn! I just recently got Nisolo’s Carmen Chelsea Boots and they are all the hype. I am NOT taking these off this winter. Unlike a majority of leather shoes, these were comfortable right out of the box. They fit like a glove, but I did size up a half size because I wanted to wear thick woolly socks. I could have ordered my usual size and it still would have fit really nicely either way. Usually, boots make my short legs seem shorter but this was not the case. The shape of the boot is really flattering. And the bottom has nice traction (yes, I tested it on rainy pavement!). If you buy one pair of boots this winter, this is it. I got the Tobacco color, but am already looking at the black ones too for next year. PS: These would look great with short dresses in the other seasons!
- Mizuno Wave Riders. My parents bought me these running shoes for Christmas. I first wore Mizuno wave riders back in dental school, when my runner roommate Katie took me to a running store to test out my gait. I got into running for a bit and it turned out that Mizuno wave riders best fit my running style and step. I like to be comfortable so these shoes will definitely be used for more than just running.
- Lo and Son’s OG2 Bag. This bag is a great option for a winter capsule wardrobe. This bag is highly functional and serves many purposes. You can say that it carries me through my daily activities. I use this bag to go to work. It carries my laptop, my lunch, and my planner. I can use this as a weekender bag, and it travels well as it has the strap that attaches it on my overhead carrier handle. Additionally, this bag works as a gym bag. It has a water bottle pocket, a pocket for my spare clothes and yoga towel, and the yoga mat fits between the handles. It seriously does it all! The material travels well, and looks professional. I got it in black (of course!) and it matches every outfit. This is my number one purse choice for a capsule wardrobe.
There you have it! My winter 2022 capsule wardrobe. I do own other clothes but they mostly just sit in the back of my closet until the season shifts or I cycle these guys out. To be honest, this is mostly what I wear. Below, I give you an idea of how I use my wardrobe.
A Week of Styling My Winter Capsule Wardrobe
Monday – Beyond Yoga Activewear, Prana Sweater, Nisolo Boot
Tuesday – Lululemon Tank, Girlfriend Collective Legging, Patagonia Fleece Jacket, Mizuni Rider
Wednesday – Figs Scrub #1, Puffer Jacket, Clove Shoes, Og2 Bag
Thursday – Figs Scrub #2, Puffer Jacket, Clove Shoes, Og2 Bag
Friday– Figs Scrub #3, Puffer Jacket, Clove Shoes, Og2 Bag
Saturday – Eileen Fisher Tank #1, Etica Jeans, Nisolo Boot
Sunday – Eileen Fisher Tank #2, Etica Jeans, Nisolo Boot
And then I repeat next week. It’s amazing because I hardly have to think what to wear. It’s pretty much a uniform that supports everything I do and gets up and doing the things I love, faster and sooner.
Anyway, I hope this has been helpful to some of you who wish to declutter, simplify, and be productive in 2022.
Photo by Andrej Lišakov on Unsplash
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