Work-At-Home Mom 2022 Winter Capsule Wardrobe

Looking for inspiration for your first capsule wardrobe? Go ahead and take a peek at the items in my winter capsule wardrobe, and even shop for the same or similar items! My capsule is created for my lifestyle, the life of a work-at-home-mom. So, if your lifestyle is similar, take a look!

Head back to the beginning if you need guidance on how to create your own capsule wardrobe or a capsule wardrobe for kids.

Looking for another seasonal example of a capsule wardrobe? Check out my other capsules: 

Spring Capsule Wardrobe
Summer Capsule Wardrobe
Fall Capsule Wardrobe
Back-to-School Capsule Wardrobe for Girls

What is a Capsule Wardrobe?

A capsule wardrobe is a smaller, pared-down wardrobe of only items you absolutely love and are preferably versatile, timeless, and of high quality. Having a wardrobe containing only items you adore means you don’t have clothing around that doesn’t fit you well, doesn’t flatter your body shape, or simply doesn’t fit your personal style.

Having a capsule wardrobe filled with versatile pieces means you can mix and match to create many outfits with a minimal amount of items.

Creating a capsule with mostly timeless clothing means you won’t spend as much money on clothes since what you have doesn’t quickly go out of style.

And finally, having a wardrobe of quality materials means you can buy less because they don’t wear out quickly.

Doesn’t it sound great to have a capsule wardrobe? I love that I save time shopping and creating outfits every day. It’s a bonus to save money on clothes and have more room in the closet! Having a capsule wardrobe is just one change I’ve made since embracing minimalism and simple living. I’ve really decluttered my entire life!

My Work From Home Capsule Wardrobe

I didn’t restrict myself to a certain number of items in my winter capsule wardrobe. When I initially made my capsule wardrobe in the spring, I simply decluttered my closet and made a capsule of interchangeable items with what was left. Finally, I shopped  for high-quality pieces to complete my capsule.

In that first spring capsule, I ended up with 37 items. From there, I pared it down even more in the summer to 30 items. (Once I started putting my capsule to use, I could more easily see what worked well, and what simply didn’t!)

So, the same capsule moves from season to season, with a few items swapped out. For instance, shorts were swapped out for pants, and tanks were exchanged with long-sleeve tops. Otherwise, many of my basics have remained the same. My t-shirts have moved from season to season, as well as many of my bottoms, dresses, and shoes.

Another thing to note about my winter capsule wardrobe is that when I say winter, I mean WINTER. In all its Minnesota glory. Snow and sometimes below zero temps and wind chills. So if you live in a milder climate, your capsule might not look like mine, and that’s fine. Living in a milder climate actually allows you to have one capsule year-round, and that’s awesome!

What’s Included in my Capsule Wardrobe

I ended up with 28 items in my winter capsule wardrobe. Don’t worry about your number necessarily. It may fluctuate from season to season like mine does. And, it may get further pared down as you learn what works and what doesn’t over time.

Here are the types of items I’ve included in my winter capsule wardrobe:

• Tops
• Dresses
• Bottoms
• Shoes

What’s NOT Included in my Capsule Wardrobe

Some people choose to include more than what I did. For me, I wanted to keep my capsule simple as I am not a huge jewelry and accessory person anyways. It was going to be too difficult and stressful for me to try to match up accessories and jewelry with my clothes. Also, I don’t really have much for jewelry and accessories, so I didn’t really need to pare these down.

I also limited my winter capsule to only items I would wear out of the house. I work from home, so I don’t need work clothes per se. When I leave the house, it is usually to go out with my family or friends, go to church, or run errands. That’s what my capsule is designed for…the times I need to look somewhat presentable.

These are the types of items I chose not to include in my winter capsule wardrobe:

• Accessories (scarves, jewelry, purses)
• Pajamas
• Undergarments
• Swimwear
• Lounging clothes
• Exercise clothes
• Formal wear

Again, I own all of these types of items not included in my capsule. But, I either wear them so infrequently (like my formal dresses) or I didn’t care if they were perfectly matched to the other items in my capsule.

I have a few bottoms and tops that I only wear for lounging (and working!) at home. And I still have a few tops and bottoms for working out, a couple swimsuits, and a few pairs of pajamas for cold and warm weather.

I simply only have as much as I need. I do laundry at least every-other-day, so I don’t need a ton of clothes outside of my capsule.

And for all of my clothes, inside my capsule and out, I use the one-in-one-out rule. When I buy something new, something old has to go. That way, my wardrobe will never get out of control again!

Shop My 2022 Winter Capsule Wardrobe

I can’t wait to show you my capsule wardrobe winter 2022!

Your capsule won’t look exactly like mine, even if you work from home like me. That’s because my capsule represents my style and preferences, and your capsule will represent your style.

But, in case you see something you would like in order to complete your capsule, I’ve included links to my items or similar items. (Not everything in my winter capsule wardrobe is new and available to purchase.)

For my winter 2022 capsule wardrobe, I’ve chosen black as my base color. That means I base the rest of my wardrobe off of what looks good with black. My other neutrals also have to look good with black. I use white, gray, and tan as my complementary neutrals.

You’ll notice that the accent colors in my wardrobe repeat themselves. That helps me be able to mix-and-match and create the most outfits with the fewest items! That’s key so that you don’t start to look like you own two things. I’ve chosen blush, burgundy, and olive green as my accent colors. You can choose whatever looks great on you!

T-Shirts

My work from home capsule wardrobe consists of several T-shirts, both short- and long-sleeved. I find these the most comfortable and easy for me to dress up or down. Also, I include several T-shirts in my winter capsule wardrobe, because Minnesota winters call for lots of layers!

I like to have mostly solid pieces, but to keep things interesting I’ll include some patterns. In this capsule, I’ve included some striped and floral pieces. Because they are all in the same handful of coordinating colors, they mix and match to create many outfits.

I keep these same short-sleeved T-shirts in my capsule every season. The long-sleeved T-shirts are added in the fall.

My favorite places to buy basics like these are Target, Old Navy, and H&M. These places typically have good-quality basics for less money. I don’t like to spend a lot of money on T-shirts because I tend to be hard on them. Life of a mom…

1. Floral white tee
2. White t-shirt
3. Black t-shirt
4. Olive green t-shirt
5. Red t-shirt
6. Black/white striped t-shirt
7. Blush long-sleeved t-shirt (These are SO soft and come in a bunch of colors!)
8. Gray long-sleeved t-shirt (Same ^^^)

Tops and Dresses

Again, the tops I’ve chosen to include for my work-from-home capsule wardrobe are great for layering. They include button-up shirts, cardigans, and a zip-up hoodie. I also have one casual tunic dress. I have a couple fancier dresses that I do not include in my capsule since they are worn so infrequently. They coordinate well with the t-shirts in my wardrobe, as well as with the bottoms and shoes you will see below.

My absolute favorite top was a surprising one for me. I read somewhere that a chambray shirt is actually considered a neutral, so I bought one. To my surprise, it is the most versatile thing that I own!

My chambray shirt can be worn with almost anything in my wardrobe. Most of my other items can coordinate with 3-8 items. However, I can wear my chambray shirt (#3 below) over 16 ways and in any Minnesota season!

Check out all the ways you can wear a chambray shirt in my e-book, “How to Create a Capsule Wardrobe That Works For You” when you sign up for my emails.

I love plaid shirts because they are comfy and layer well. They can be worn over T-shirts or under sweaters.

I don’t wear dresses very often, so I only have one casual tunic dress. I like a casual dress, however, because it can be worn with leggings, boots and a cardigan in the winter and look oh so cute.

My all-time favorite place to buy cute and comfortable tops and dresses is H&M. They have such a wide variety of styles there, so I always find something I love.

1. Olive green and black plaid shirt
2. Red and black plaid shirt
3. Chambray shirt (This is my all-time favorite shirt because I love how it looks and it’s so versatile!)
4. Cream sweater
5. Burgundy sweater
6. Black floral tunic dress
7. Black cardigan
8. Gray cardigan
9. Gray zip-up hoodie

Bottoms

The bottoms in my winter capsule wardrobe are pretty basic and go with almost anything. My capsule includes two pairs of jeans (one light, one dark), a pair of black pants, a pair of gray pants, and a pair of black leggings. With just these 5 bottoms, I can put together a multitude of outfits.

I tend to spend a little more on my bottoms since I don’t own as many and I want them to last. I LOVE Express for jeans and pants. I’ve been lucky enough to score these a few times at second-hand stores!

My favorite leggings are from LuLaRoe. My black leggings are so soft they feel like butter, and they aren’t see-through like so many leggings are. If you love leggings, dresses, and long, comfy (yet stylish) tops, you have to check LuLaRoe out.

1. Black leggings
2. Gray pants
3. Black pants (didn’t fade like all my other black pants did!)
4. Light blue jeans
5. Dark blue jeans

Shoes

These 6 pairs of shoes are all I need in my work from home capsule wardrobe to make an outfit look put together. They allow me to take a day outfit tonight. And they help me dress up my semi-casual wardrobe when I need to get fancy!

I wear boots most of the time in the winter, but occasionally I’ll pull out the others for a different look. The black boots go with everything so well. And I love how the tan boots look with anything olive. 😍 Otherwise, I’m more of a sneaker girl. I like a comfortable, casual style more than anything.

1. Tall black boots
2. Short tan boots
3. Black sneakers
4. Black high heels
5. Nude high heels (Did you know that wearing nude heels makes your legs look longer?)
6. Black ballet flats

My Winter Capsule Wardrobe Through The Years

So, now that you’ve seen my winter capsule wardrobe, you may be wondering a couple of things. First, how long will I wear only the items from this capsule? I will wear this capsule as long as the weather permits…probably around 3 months before spring temps roll in.

Second, what happens next winter? Actually, as soon as I’m ready to put away this year’s winter capsule I will take a moment to evaluate it. I will ask myself what worked well and what didn’t. In other words, I will think about what items didn’t get worn much…or not at all and consider selling or donating them.

Even more, I will inspect my clothing for wear and tear. If anything has lost quality over the course of the season, I will make a note of it on my shopping list so I can pick up a replacement. This evaluation process is what alters my winter capsule wardrobe from year to year and allows me to properly maintain a capsule wardrobe.

In addition, I may occasionally choose to freshen my wardrobe with a new item I love. I simply use the one-in-one-out rule, so I know that means if I choose a new item for my capsule, something else has to go. This helps me make a wise decision in regards to quality and versatility when picking up new items. If it doesn’t make the cut, I don’t buy it.

Remember, you need to create a capsule wardrobe that works for you. Don’t forget to consider your personality, style, lifestyle, and climate. Otherwise, you will end up with a capsule that bores you, or one that looks great but isn’t functional for you.

I hope you found this post helpful if you are thinking about creating your own capsule wardrobe. Having a capsule wardrobe really is the best way to keep the clutter out of your closet AND save you time and money in the long run.

Are you thinking about creating a capsule wardrobe? Let me know if you found this post helpful in the comments! If you already have a capsule wardrobe, what is your favorite thing about having a capsule?