10 Must-Have Additions to Winterise Your Wardrobe

It’s mid-July; we’re deep in the brunt of winter now (although the top half of Australia was a little late to the chill party). Whether you’re a fashion lover or not, it is time to do a stocktake of your current wardrobe items and add a few key pieces, to get you through the next couple of (cold) months. No, this doesn’t mean you have to take out a small mortgage to achieve a fabulously fresh winter wardrobe, in fact; with these tips you can still get wear out of some of your more summery pieces. 

What kind of clothing you require this time of year depends on your location. Here in Queensland, we’re able to strip off the layers by lunch time to absorb some welcome midday sun, and our choice of outerwear may be a lot thinner and lighter than those worn by our friends down south. I see images on Instagram of women sporting fabulous coats and luscious thick knits, whilst I’m still wearing denim shorts and a cotton cardi. However, no matter where you live, adding some simple additions to your collection can lift your whole look, boost your fashion-attitude, punctuate the simplest of outfits and ‘winterise’ your wardrobe without having to start from scratch. Here’s how:

1. Layers for the win. The most efficient way to reuse last season’s pieces is to dress in layers. Try not to make every layer bulky, or you’ll end up looking like a blimp with legs. The goal is to add warmth, but not a lot of excess size. This can be achieved by varying both body-hugging under layers with slightly roomier layers on top. Ensure they’re complimenting in colour/pattern/texture and easily removed when needed.

2. Scarves, glorious scarves. My all-time favourite accessory for any season (but mainly in the cooler months) is the ubiquitous scarf. Add a few new scarves to your must-have list, and ensure you have a variety of materials (again, this comes down to where you live and how much extra warmth you need.) My scarf collection consists of wool, cotton and satin/silk, and most of them are of a neutral colour palette (this includes animal print), so I can grab them in a hurry and know they’ll match almost everything else in my wardrobe. 

3. Know what’s on trend. Yes, dressing to meet the demands of a ‘trend’ may be a controversial topic, but it doesn’t hurt to know what’s ‘in-fashion’ right now and what’s available in stores. No, you don’t have to follow these style guides religiously, but it’s always fun to take snippets of inspiration from current looks. This way you’re not stuck in a style-rut looking like it’s 1998.

4. What summer pieces can still be used? Summer tees can still be worn – simply layer a long-sleeved top underneath or a jacket on top. Add some stockings, leggings or boots to a short dress for a warmer approach. A vest, blazer or faux fur coat can transform a summery top or dress easily. Swap the sandals for sneakers or ankle boots to spice up a skirt combo.  

5. Rely on your favourites! Certain pieces (or trends) just keep on keeping on, through all the years and all stages of life. Denim, lace, leather, stripes and monochrome are some of these long-lasting go-to looks that should always be relied on when you’re dressing for a new season or utilising as many pieces from last year as possible. I recently retired a denim jacket that I bought over a decade ago. I wore that magical piece every winter without fail – if we were to calculate the cost per wear on that $80 jacket it would’ve almost earned me money! 

6. Shop for versatile items. Life as a Mum is never dull. One minute we’re scrubbing Weetbix from the floor tiles and the next we’re sideline at Under 8’s soccer. Later that day we’re grocery shopping and then heading to a formal Graduation Dinner. When you’re adding to your wardrobe and purchasing new winter pieces, try to keep in mind how many different events/functions/circumstances you could wear this to. Instead of lashing out on a glittered cape that will get worn once to a cocktail event, consider getting a structured blazer that could be dressed both up or down, and get plenty of wear over the coming months.

7. Have a muse. We’re all busy and time-poor. Having a go-to style muse at our fingertips (thank you Instagram and Pinterest) can give us some ideas and direction on what kind of looks we want to achieve this season and what pieces we want to add to our current wardrobe. (Don’t have a muse yet? Check out these 10 Stylish Mums for all the style-inspo you’ll ever need). 

Click through the gallery above for 10 must-have additions that will winterise your wardrobe. All of these are currently ‘on trend’ and in stores and can easily be mixed and matched to create whole new looks when added to your older pieces.  

Stay warm mums.

Try these for style tips too:

• 1 Outfit, 7 Looks: Take Jeans and a White Shirt to the Next Level
• How to Find Your Mum Style After Hanging Up Your Work Wardrobe
• How to Style a Lob

Feature image: Clare Chadwick