Well hello there, new year. Nice to meet you. I hope everyone had a lovely holiday break and ate lots of good food.
If you missed my first Instagram post of 2020, I briefly talked about how I want this year’s motto to be, “Back to Basics.” There’s a general theme in my life to overthink things, both creatively and personally. This feeling often leads me to do nothing at all. This year I want to bring it all back to basics. Just go with whatever idea I have without over-complication.
So what better way to do that than start this year with a post on 5 Basics for a Neutral Winter Wardrobe. Simple and to the point.
Neutrals became my go-to style last year. I guess it’s kind of been that way all along, only last year I fully gave into it. For awhile I tried my best to incorporate color into my wardrobe bit by bit, but it never felt right. So this year it’s full steam ahead.
With a little experience under my belt, I think I’ve collected some solid neutral basics to mix-and-match with a winter wardrobe.
The Sweater
I’ve had a great love affair with sweaters the past few winters, especially turtlenecks. They’re just so COZY! It’s like a blanket around your neck. Or maybe that’s the purpose of a scarf… Either way, I’m down with any and all turtlenecks.
A neutral turtleneck is a great layering piece. Give it a french tuck into your favorite denim, skirt, or pants on top of a t-shirt or button down. Pair it with a beautiful long coat or a cropped teddy coat and leave the collar peaking out at the top.
Turtlenecks are versatile in their design too. There’s everything from the baby mock neck that just grazes your neck to the voluminous turtleneck that goes up to your chin. Find your middle ground and play around with it.
The Blue Denim
Blue jeans are a staple for any and all wardrobes. What’s left to say about denim that hasn’t already been said? It’s comfortable. It never goes out of style. And it comes in just about any shade you can imagine.
But blue jeans are what I want to focus on for this post. It was a hard toss up between black and blue denim, but blue is what I wear more often. Blue denim is the most colorful piece of a neutral wardrobe I’d say, but it blends so nicely with everything else.
It’s just easy. There’s no fuss with blue denim. You know it will always work for every occasion. Dress it up with a blazer and heeled boots for a nice dinner or event, or dress it down with flat boots and your favorite sweater for a day around town.
If you’re really lucky you’ll find a pair comfortable enough to wear around the house. But if you’re one of those people who lounges in jeans, I don’t trust you. Team sweatpants all the way.
The Brown Boot
Boots are another versatile option in this five-piece lineup. When you find the right one, all feels right in the world. Like a good pair of denim.
Boots are something you could spend a little more on if budget allows. If you plan on wearing them season after season, think of them as an investment piece. To me it’s better to spend a little more on a classic boot rather than spend money on a pair that wear out every year.
Brown boots are so buttery delicious. Especially a good camel-colored pair like these. Pair them with a cream sweater and blue denim, or break up an all black outfit with a pop of brown on the bottom. They’re also gorgeous as part of a brown or cream monochrome look.
The Coat
For those of us that live in a cold climate during the winter months. coats are the majority of an outfit November – March. It’s important to think of your coat as part of your neutral style, and obviously one that keeps you warm as well. (Who else is guilty of form over function a little too much?)
Just above the knee camel coats caught my eye last year. They’ve been around since the dawn of time, but that goes to show how timeless they are. They look beautiful with a monochrome cream outfit or all black outfit. It’s that subtle pop of color that ties a whole look together.
I’ve had this grey wool coat for a few years and have found it to be a great staple to match my neutral pieces underneath. Admittedly it doesn’t look the best with cream/tan/beige pieces, but it looks beautiful with black, white, and grey.
Coats like this are easy to throw on and instantly dress up an outfit. They’re also the perfect length to cover skirts and dresses.
The Bag
And last but not least, a good, solid, trusty neutral purse. Coats tie a look together in winter, but picking a neutral purse ties a look together all year round.
I’m pretty picky about purses. They need to be functional, cute, obviously, and of high quality. I’m not someone who has a million purses, so when I buy one I want it to last me some time and go with most of my wardrobe.
I’m still on the hunt for a good brown purse, but this black Michael Kors number has fit in well with my wardrobe. It’s got a unique, but functional shape, fits most of my things, and has a minimal design.
A minimal design is kind of the backbone to a neutral wardrobe, so you definitely don’t want a purse that screams too loud. Keep it simple and fun.
I’d love your feedback on this post. What would you add or take away from this list? It was hard to whittle down, but I think this is an easy place to start. I plan on doing this post for every season this year, so stay tuned for spring. Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!