23 Winter Capsule Wardrobe Essentials Our Editors Love and Endorse

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It's entirely possible to look warm and stylish at the same time, which is where a reliable winter capsule wardrobe comes in. These closet staples — boots, heavy coats, tights, knit dresses, and more — are the beating heart of your cold-weather looks, and we rounded up our tried-and-trues for you to shop for the season ahead.

Our Top Picks:

Like our autumn capsule wardrobe staples, our hardest-working winter pieces are those we've come to rely on for shielding us from the elements. These include hero items like fleece-lined leggings, second-skin bodysuits, cosy knit loungewear to throw your Arket Puffer Coat over, fleece and cashmere sweaters for wearing with wide-leg jeans, and chic sweater dresses to pair with knee-high boots for work.

Of course, there's something about winter's shorter, gloomier days that makes most of us gravitate toward darker shades and muted colour palettes — we get it, they're easy to wear and require little styling forethought. But if there's one fall fashion trend we're keen on, it's red and grey.

These hues look great with black, of course, but they also complement each other, as well as other neutral colours like navy and shades of white and cream. Metallic silver (another mainstay on the runways) looks more sophisticated than ever, and for a textural juxtaposition, pairs perfectly with denim and cashmere. Along with a requisite sequins or velvet moment, we also love it for holiday dressing.

Before succumbing to impulse buys (winter clothes are expensive!), revisit what's already in your closet and figure out what fall purchases you made that'll definitely still work for the foreseeable future. From there you can decide what's missing or past its prime. The winter season is a long one, but below you'll find all our tested and endorsed layering pieces and other winter wardrobe essentials for making this time of year your warmest, most stylish one yet.

A closet overhaul — or restock — adds up, so save when you shop your winter capsule wardrobe with these Amazon, Free People, Anthropologie and Net-A-Porter discount codes.

The Winter Coat

The best winter coats are selling out fast! & Other Stories' teddy wool jacket delivers sophisticated teddy bear vibes, and is great quality for the price. If you want to snag a high-quality style for less than £100, be sure to check out options from Marks and Spencer. Their sub-£90 leather trench coat is a fashion editor must (and looks endlessly more expensive than it actually is). For more of a splurge, consider a piece from Reiss Atelier, Rains or or Totême – a buzzy brand our senior shopping editor loves.

Faux Leather Belted Trench Coat£89 at Marks and SpencerTeddy Wool Jacket£205 at & Other StoriesThe Frankie Shop Quilted Padded Ripstop Jacket£290 £249 at SSENSEColumbia Women's Puffect Puffer Jacket£105.68 at Amazon

The T-Shirt

For most people, the underpinning of a well-rounded wardrobe is a perfectly fitting T-shirt. White is a universal choice, though heather grey and black is the fashion must of the season. The below are GLAMOUR-editor and -reader favourites, covering all bases. From heavyweight relaxed-fit tees to slim-fit crew necks. My favourite of late? GANNI's slogan t-shirts which add a bit of ~something~ to my jeans, tee, cardigan and blazer combo.

Slim Fit Cotton T-Shirt£25 at ARKETThe Premium Weight Relaxed Tee£40 £26 at EverlaneRelaxed Red Flower T-Shirt£95 at GANNIISABEL MARANT Zeren ruched organic cotton-jersey T-shirt£265 at Net-A-Porter

The Winter Leggings

The time for warm leggings is now. Lululemon’s Align pants aren't the thickest of the bunch, but they hold up just fine when paired with a long coat or puffer. If you're after a pair of fleece lined leggings, Marks' Heatgen Medium Fleece Thermal Leggings are a bestseller for good reason: lightweight yet so warm, stretchy and high-waisted. Obsessed.

lululemon Align™ Super-High-Rise Pant 28"£88 at LululemonHeatgen™ Medium Fleece Thermal Leggings£16 at Marks & SpencerAlo Yoga Stretch Cable-Knit Leggings£100 £70 at Net-A-PorterCotton Rib Leggings£54 at Skims

The Thermal Top

Whether worn alone, or underneath a button-up shirt, a sweater, or ski clothing, a base top is a lightweight nonnegotiable. It helps you hold on to heat but can also be taken off if it ends up being one too many layers.

Long Sleeve Heat Generating Thermal Top, Grey£18 at Marks and SpencerHEATTECH Scoop Neck Long Sleeved Thermal Top£14.90 at Uniqlo

The Everyday Knitwear

The easiest way to tap into the red and grey colour trend of the season is with a knit — and we're loving the ones from & Other Stories, H&M Premium and Arket. Rails and Aligne also have great everyday knitwear options for minimalists and maximalists alike.

Cable Knit Crew Neck Jumper£35 at Marks & SpencerKnitted Cardigan£85 at & Other StoriesAlpaca Blend Jumper£87 at ARKETOversized mohair-blend jumper£64.99 at H&M

The Puffer Jacket

Bundle up in one of the season's best duvet coats — Vuori has a great active option, Grace Beverley's TALA just released a convertible iteration which made over £1million in sales in its first hour live, while a North Face puffer jacket will be an investment you enjoy for years to come.

RAINS Alta waterproof hooded puffer jacket£320 at RainsWunder Puff Jacket£248 £148 at LululemonThe North Face Acamarachi oversized puffer jacket in sage green£330 at ASOSLong Down Puffer Coat£259 at ARKET

The Silver Trousers

As seen at the runways of Isabel Marant, Gucci, Versace and Chanel, silver is big news this season. And one scroll down your Instagram feed will prove that silver trousers are the way to wear it. Pair with trainers, an oversized grey knit and a woolen black blazer for a low-effort, high-impact lunch outfit.

Amy Lynn Lupe Metallic High-Rise Straight-Leg Faux-Leather Trousers£85 at SelfridgesMetallic Faux Leather Wide Leg Trousers£99 £79.20 at Karen MillenCrackle Faux Leather Straight Trouser£95 £57 at WarehouseAmy Lynn Lupe Straight-Leg High-Rise Faux Leather Trousers£75 at Selfridges

The Bag

If a designer bag is on your holiday wish list, consider Khaite's new sell-out Greta bag which will take you from day to night in one fell swoop. With a mid-range budget, Coach's metallic update on their bestselling Tabby bag is a fun way to inject luxury-approved silver into your accessories wardrobe, and on the high street the Melie Bianco bags stocked at Anthropologie are affordable and very chic dupes for a certain Italian label.

Melie Bianco Brigette Large Satchel£115 at AnthropologieTabby Shoulder Bag 20 In Silver Metallic£395 at CoachKHAITE Greta large suede shoulder bag£2,450 at Net-A-PorterQuilted Nylon On The Go Crossbody Belt Bag£58 at Anthropologie

The Slip-On Shoes

The window for wearing mules and slip-ons is a short one, so maximise this time with a design that’s foolproof to style. Ugg’s platform slipper is treaded and raised enough that you won’t mind wearing it out of the house, but if you can’t bear to pack up your Arizonas, opt for its shearling-lined cousin and style it with fuzzy socks from Amazon.

UGG Classic Ultra Mini suede boots£145 at MatchesBIRKENSTOCK X TEKLA Nagoya shearling-lined suede clogs£410 at Matches

The Trainers

You might be not walking as much in winter as you did in the fall, but when you do venture out for your daily walks (and you don't need boots), you want to make sure it's something cute, comfy, and not entirely porous — few things are worse than realising your sneakers are too ventilated and your socks too thin after you've left the house.

Reformation and Veja have a limited edition collab going that's one of our favourite new fashion launches of the season, while the Adidas Sambas — one of the best fashion trainers we've tried — are now in this mood-boosting red that's perfect for wearing a long grey coat.

Asics Gel-NYC sneakers£160 at Luisaviaromaadidas Originals Handball Spezial gum sole trainers in scarlet and white£85 at ASOSMarathon Runner Mesh and Leather Trainers£290 at Axel ArigatoUnisex MR530 Trainers£95 at New Balance

The Black Boots

The range of black boots on the market is limitless, though it's hard to go wrong with the below two: one dressy option for work and another plush staple for weekends. You're set.

Lined Chunky Chelsea Leather Boots£165 at & Other StoriesMid Chelsea Boots£355 at GANNIKnee-High Leather Boots£349 at ArketBLANCA BOOTS£140 at Vagabond

The Long-Sleeve Top

The perfect in-between when temps are mild enough that you can get away with wearing a snuggly coat and a single layer.

Supersoft Frill Detail Top£32 £24 at BodenPure Cotton Everyday Fit Top£9.50 at Marks and Spencer

The Bodysuit

Bodysuits are another editor staple around these parts since they work as both a stand-alone tops and mid-layers underneath sweaters. The Skims one below has earned top marks from our shopping writer, Andrea Navarro, while Lululemon's newest “Wundermost” fabric is cosigned by yours truly — and our Senior European Commerce Editor Sophie Cockett — for its sleek fit and incomparably soft feel.

Wundermost Ultra-Soft Nulu Square-Neck Long-Sleeve Bodysuit£78 at LululemonWundermost Ultra-Soft Nulu Mockneck Sleeveless Bodysuit£68 at Lululemon

The Cosy Sweatshirt

Adanola is the GLAMOUR team's current go-to for epic sweatshirts that have enough style credentials to wear to the office - though they sell out quickly, so act with speed. Anine Bing hoodies are another influencer favourite. Expensive? Yes – but with a flattering shape and cut from premium fabric.

The ReTrack Hoodie£95 at EverlaneSportswear Oversized Sweatshirt - Light Grey Melange£54.99 at AdanolaThe Drop Margot Loose Long Sleeve Crewneck Drop Shoulder Sweatshirt£13.71 at AmazonAlec Hoodie ANINE BING£206 at Revolve

The Even Cosier Sweatpants

Some would argue that you can never own too many sweatpants, but we're of the mind that you need only one or two really great styles, since that's all you'll realistically be wearing day in and out. Adanola and Alo's have all the hallmarks of an MVP: soft, durable, and entirely unfussy.

ACCOLADE SWEATPANT£130 at Alo YogaSweatpants - Coffee Bean£49.99 at AdanolaAdidas Women's Joggers£38.22 at Amazon

The Party Dress

Sequins, rosettes, plaid — start with these fab winter dresses as you plan out your holiday party ’fits.

Frankie Silk Dress£298 at ReformationEsen Knit Dress£178 at ReformationLena Silk-Velvet Dress£265 at RIXORhinestone-Embellished Dress£37.99 at H&M

The Tights

You'll be needing these to wear with dresses and skirts (or under jeans if it's really cold) — and at the top of our shopping list are the classic and patterned styles from Sheertex. They live up to claims that they are rip-resistant and then some. Seriously. Test it.

Mini Dot Super Sheer Rip-Resist Tights£99 £35 at SheertexClassic Sheer Rip-Resist Tights£59 £35 at Sheertex

The House Socks

For wearing in (and perhaps out of) the house. These pair best with the Uggs and Birks you were eyeing above.

UGG Teddi Cozy Crew Socks£12 at Urban OutfittersCream Ribbed Lounge Socks£4.99 at New Look

The Walking Boots

Black ice, sleet, and rain have nothing on these water-resistant boots; Adidas' collab with Stella McCartney hiking boots are our senior shopping editor's preferred style for snow.

ADIDAS BY STELLA MCCARTNEY EULAMPIS BOOTS£180 £113.40 at AdidasGanni Leather, Canvas and Twill Hiking-Style Boots£345 £138 at Coggles

The Fleece Jacket

The power of a great fleece can't be understated. FP Movement’s snap-button jacket has been a celeb staple for years and comes in a bunch of colours and styles, including a quarter-zip pullover with contrasting piping.

Hit The Slopes Printed Fleece Jacket£158 at Free PeopleHit The Slopes Fleece Jacket£140 at Free People

The Loungewear Pants

The elevated sister of joggers, knit pants are a no-fuss option for when you want to feel relaxed but still put together — and look great with either sneakers or boots. You can find quality wool and cashmere blends for under £200, or splurge on pure cashmere ones if budget isn't a concern. (Pro tip: keep a sweater comb handy to remove pilling).

Amie Wide Leg Joggers£55 at HushCashmere High-Waist Jet Set Wide Leg Pants£360 at Alo Yoga

The Cold-Weather Essentials

Protect your extremities with thermal gloves (or just classic winter gloves), a mohair or down scarf (trust, it's so cute IRL), and warm winter hat. Note: all the cool girls are repurposing their New Eras baseball caps for the cooler weather.

Adjustable Bucket Hat£24.90 £14.90 at Uniqlo'47 Suede NY Baseball Cap£30 at AnthropologieUGG Logo Bonded Fleece Bucket Hat£60 at AnthropologieMohair Bucket Hat£45 at COS

The Leather Blazer

Over the past few seasons, the leather blazer seems to have transcended every seasonal trend to become a modern classic. In the same way an oversized blazer elevates every outfit, leather blazers have a magical ability to make any outfit look sleek. AllSaints forever nail leather outerwear, but if you have a smaller budget, H&M and M&S are our high-street go-to's.

Corinna Relaxed Bonded Leather Blazer£699 at AllSaintsMonki Faux Leather Blazer£60 at H&MWe The Free Stevie Blazer£188 at Free PeopleFaux Leather Tailored Single Breasted Blazer£65 at Marks & Spencer

This story originally appeared on GLAMOUR US.

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