Femininity: Winter Wardrobe

If you didn’t know, my favourite season is winter. As much as I love summer dresses and the lingering sun in the evenings, the cosiness of cold weather is unmatched; cups of tea, wrapping up in blankets, and finally; the winter wardrobe.

While I have never had an extensive wardrobe (but also not quite a capsule wardrobe), in this season of transition I have enjoyed focusing on my winter clothes and how they work together. While I am now settled in my style and the combination of items I have, it is still fun to look out for anything that could be taken away or added in.

Last week I actually bought something I’ve always wanted; a turtleneck! It was on clearance, and it’s an addition I have thought about the past few years but haven’t tried before. I had also been hoping for a pair of pants that aren’t jeans, but the style these days tends to be too casual for me, or the leg too wide. I’m happy to sit back and wear what I have, while keeping an eye out for the perfect pair of pants. It isn’t urgent, but somewhat of a fun side project.

Getting dressed everyday used to be difficult as I didn’t know how to pair certain pieces together, resulting in me wearing the same generic combinations. While I owned some nice items, my skirts and tops didn’t quite go together and I would go shopping without a plan. While this might sound pathetic, I do realise it was a normal period of growth as I became an adult and began to understand my own style and cultivate a wardrobe that reflected that. These things take time. Not to mention the different seasons that call for different needs; how I dress now feels most authentic, but I also have the most freedom as I work in an office. When I used to work in retail, the style was automatically more casual or a proper uniform, while office wear is what I would lean towards anyway.

Now I love getting ready, as I can open my cupboard and everything I own goes together. I feel comfortable and like myself in what I own. In some ways I can’t believe I used to wear items that caused discomfort and insecurity! Again, this was part of the process as I began to invest in clothes that were better quality and made of more natural materials, a comfortable fit for my body, and a reflection of how I see myself. While there are some very pretty floral dresses out there, I know what styles suit me and what ones I’m comfortable in.

Something I have done for the first time is “packed away” my summer wardrobe. In my current place, I have a study which has a built in wardrobe. Because of this, I’ve been able to separate my winter clothes, which I now keep in my bedroom, and those I wore for warmer weather. Of course, there is some cross-over and I am looking forward to styling midi skirts with knitted tops this autumn, but there are some obvious choices I won’t be wearing in the next six months. While I used to not see the point in separating my clothes, I can already see the benefits. One is, I have tried a few new combinations for colder weather and I was able to visualise the items together because they stood alone in my wardrobe. You can see how your entire seasonal wardrobe flows together, if you have a colour palette, and if there is anything missing that could go with everything you already own for that season.

Something else I have enjoyed is finding winter pieces with feminine aspects. While it is easy to feel frumpy in winter due to thicker, shapeless layers, I am loving feminine colours, such as pale blue or a cream with pretty details, extra soft fabrics that feel luxurious and beautiful, and a cropped style to maintain a feminine silhouette.

In thinking about my winter wardrobe, the words classic and cosy come to mind. I have always been drawn to timeless pieces, and one of my goals for my wardrobe is to invest in items that will last more than one season and that will always flatter me rather than buying an item just because it’s trendy.

I am really looking forward to the weather cooling down. I may have jumped ahead in moving out my summer clothing as it has been very hot the past few days, but I also feel excited for autumn and winter and trying out new ways of wearing things that I haven’t done before; turtleneck being number one! Who knows, it might be something I only wear at home…

Sarah xx