The Winter Capsule Wardrobe

Could you cover all your winter workwear needs with just 15 key pieces – and look fabulous while you’re at it?

Hello – and welcome back to Workwear Inc. After a short, much-needed life break, I’m excited to get back to regularly scheduled programming, with some interviews and other features I can’t wait to share coming up on the horizon.

This week’s send-out is all about the ‘capsule wardrobe’. For anyone who hasn’t read a glossy women’s magazine, the idea is that your wardrobe can be whittled down to a small edit of essential, endlessly wearable items with which you can build multiple outfits. While I am not exactly a minimalist and I hate the idea of having a Zuckerberg-style uniform (what a joyless way to be rich), I am a big proponent of investing in good-quality clothes and wearing them over and over and over again. So I set myself the challenge of coming up with a winter workwear capsule and after A LOT of deliberating, I’ve come to the conclusion that you could get it down 15 pieces in total, accessories included.

The temptation when building a capsule wardrobe is to go as boring as possible (plain white shirt, navy blazer and so on). This simply makes for boring outfits. Rather you want pieces that sit in that sweet spot between wearability and interest – the sort that you can style in multiple ways AND which will get complimented every time. Here I ascribe to the ‘classic-with-a-twist’ philosophy. Yes, you’ll need a work shirt, but why not go for something with an exaggerated cuff or oversized collar or quirky buttons? True, loafers are ‘an essential’, but there’s no need for them to be strait-laced and unembellished for you to consider them a smart investment.

It took some time to narrow it down, but below are my picks if I were to build a 15-piece capsule workwear wardrobe from scratch. As always, let me know if you end up buying any of the below (nothing makes me happier than receiving a photo). And I’d also be very keen to know in the comments or via email what you’d like to see more of from Workwear Inc. this year.

Fedora x

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1. A Chic Blazer

£175

If I were to invest in one blazer for my capsule wardrobe, it would be this one from Aligne. It’s not exactly your traditional blazer, which is exactly what I love about it – it’s miles more interesting, thanks to the round-neck silhouette. What’s especially great about it is that you could wear it unbuttoned as a jacket, or buttoned up as a top (perhaps with a vest stealthily layered underneath for warmth). Maximum wear is key!

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2. A Wool Coat

£250

Cos is my go-to for affordable-ish outerwear on the high street – I bought a thick wool beige coat from them just over a year ago, and a stranger will compliment me EVERY TIME I wear it, without fail. This one is 100% wool, and I personally love the cinch effect when the belt is tied. However, if you have a bit more to spend (and a coat deserves it), I’d also check out Max Mara, Toteme, Joseph and The Row for a proper investment piece.

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3. A Patterned Shirt

£130

If I were keen to add just a sprinkle of colour to my capsule wardrobe, it would be in the shirt department. My top recommendation will always be WNU – their pieces are around £100-150 each and far better quality than ‘designer’ shirts that are three times the price. I’m personally obsessed with their Tencel, which washes and irons easily and has a very subtle sheen that makes it look extra expensive. And if I had to pick one style, I’d go for their exaggerated cuff Boyfriend, which has an effortlessness about it.

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4. A ‘Plain’ Shirt

£350

Note: plain doesn’t have to equal boring. For example, this piece from Workwear Inc. fave Rejina Pyo bears a bunch of chic little details – the oversized collar, the mismatched buttons – that will subtly convey your exquisite taste. On a side note, I absolutely love the earrings the stylist has paired with it too, which play off the hardware perfectly and give the outfit even more personality.

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5. Sleek Loafers

£435

I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with patent leather, but these from Emme Parsons have more of a glossy sheen than that horrible, plasticky-look. The croc effect also adds texture to an outfit – again it’s one of those small details that takes a workwear outfit from dull and uniform-y to stylish in an understated way. I’d pair with a lovely thick pair of cashmere socks.

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6. Ankle Boots

Various prices (depending on where you look)

I’m always conscious of featuring the same pieces over and over BUT I’ve scoured the internet and I’m yet to find a pair of black boots that I like quite as much as my ones from Aeyde. I always go for a slightly taller, slimmer style of ankle boot so that they sit nicely under any trouser fit, and the just-right height / thickness of the heel of these makes them walkable but still glamorous. They’re now sold out on the brand’s website but you can find a few sizes lingering on Net-A-Porter, Farfetch, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols.

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7. A Classic-ish Cardigan

£165 (originally £275)

I say “classic-ish” because this gorgeous piece from A.P.C. sits somewhere between a jacket and a cardigan. With cardigans for work, I’d always opt for shorter, more fitted pieces in a substantial fabric as it just reads more sleek and polished. I love how clean and boxy this one is, and if it weren’t tax-return season it would be on its way to me right now.

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8. A Collared Knit

£79 (originally £119)

This sort of knit, whether a jumper or a cardigan, is a highly underrated piece for winter IMO (I bought this from Sandro in burgundy a few years ago and it always gets lots of compliments). Something about the collar just makes it feel smarter and creates a more interesting shape. I stumbled across this one from Holland Cooper which is pared-back and crisp enough for the workplace, and would look extra chic layered over number nine below. For a more informal office, I also quite like this one from Paul Smith.

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9. A Thermal High-Neck T-Shirt

£24.90

This may be a shocker but if I had to pick just one piece from this list that no winter workwear wardrobe should be without, it would be Uniqlo’s turtleneck thermal. It’s a pretty utilitarian choice at first glance, but layer it under your favourite shirt or blouse and (1) you’ve added more dimension and contrast to your outfit (always a good thing), (2) you’re not freezing and (3) you’re getting lots more wear out of your non-winter clothes. It may count as cheating, but I’d actually buy at least two or three of these that you can rotate throughout the week.

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10. Black Trousers

£136 (originally £195)

My Theory trousers are still my ride-or-dies for work meetings, but I also stumbled across this single-pleated, high-waisted pair from the Frankie Shop on My Theresa which happen to be on sale. Fit is everything with trousers, so I’d spend the money saved on getting them altered to fit perfectly. It’s always worth the investment.

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11. Non-Black Trousers

£250 (originally £495)

Sure, there’s plenty of black in this edit, but I’m also a fan of layering on shades of beige and cream in winter – something about it just feels so luxurious, especially when everyone else is trudging around in their gorpcore. I especially love the ‘latte’ colour and texture of these 100% wool trousers from Nanushka, which would look fabulous with the APC cardigan and turtleneck.

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12. A Canvas Bag

€186 (originally €310)

For everyday bags that take a bit of a battering, I’m generally of the view that it’s worth saving your coins and going for a chic yet unfussy tote, such as this one from my fave Rue de Verneuil. I also find that bags in fabrics like canvas and tweed and felt knock back the stuffiness of a smart outfit a bit – and they’re much more interesting than plain black leather. However, I’d stay in this sort of colour palette and go for a boxy silhouette rather than anything that makes it look like you’re off on holiday / to the farmer’s market.

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13. Edgy Earrings

£125

I’m of the view of that jewellery is as integral to a capsule wardrobe as any item of clothing – and it’s where I’d be inclined to go a bit more statement. (IMO it’s very chic to have a signature piece of statement jewellery that you wear every day.) I love a modern spin on pearls, such as these from By Alona – they’re grown-up and elegant, but you’d also very happily wear them with jeans at the weekend or on a night-out.

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14. A Chunky Necklace

On sale for £176

A chunky chain necklace adds instant drama to an outfit, in the best way. It’s the sort of piece I throw on five minutes before a video call to look a bit more put-together and commanding and like I’ve actually made an effort.

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15. A Luxe Scarf

£170

Last but not least, a scarf. You’d be slightly mad to go out in this weather without one – but function aside, a luxurious (not ratty) scarf elegantly tied around the neck is like the final garnish that elevates a winter outfit. Acne Studios make the best ones.

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