Winter style looks complicated from the outside. In practice, it’s just a few decisions you repeat until they feel like you.

Here’s the thing I learned the hard way: you don’t solve winter with more pieces. You solve it with fewer pieces that always perform. They always work without trying. Everything else becomes optional.

I think about winter like a system. Not a Pinterest fantasy. A system that has to survive: cold mornings, long days, last-minute dinners, walking more than you planned, and still feeling like you look like yourself.

These are my notes - the ones I actually follow.

This is the winter truth no one says out loud because it makes styling feel too simple. But it’s real.

If your coat is right, you can wear almost anything underneath. If your coat is wrong, you’ll spend all winter trying to fix outfits with scarves and accessories and still feel slightly off.

Coat test #1: does it look good open and closed?

If it only works open, it’s not a real winter coat - it’s a prop.

Coat test #2: does it hold its line after you’ve worn it for a full day?

If it collapses, it gets tired looking fast. The goal is a coat that keeps you looking intentional even when you’re not.

Coat test #3: can you wear it with denim, tailoring, and a dress?

If it only works with one mood, you’ll stop reaching for it.

This is why winter investment makes sense: the coat does the most work, for the longest stretch of the year.

I like cozy as much as anyone, but winter style gets sloppy when everything is soft.

A good knit has a little backbone. It sits neatly at the neckline. It doesn’t stretch out at the elbows instantly. It looks the same in hour one and hour eight.

My knit rule: if it looks perfect in the morning and messy by lunch, it’s not coming home with me.

What actually works:

• ribbing with weight
  
• clean cuffs and hems
  
• a neckline that doesn’t collapse
  
• a silhouette that doesn’t need constant adjusting
  
  Also: winter knits don’t need to be interesting. Interesting is for summer. In winter, your knit is there to make the outfit feel calm.
  
  

3. Denim is a winter staple when it’s the right cut

People overthink winter denim because they think denim is “casual.” It’s not. Denim is a base layer. And a good pair of jeans makes winter dressing easy because you can repeat them without anyone noticing.

The difference is always the cut.

The winter cuts I trust:

• straight
  
• slightly wide
  
• barrel (when the proportion works)
  
• high-rise for that iconic vibe and flattering fit (hello long legs!)
  

Winter denim should feel like a reliable frame. If it stretches out, sags, or changes its shape halfway through the day, it stops doing its job.

And yes: the best winter jeans are the ones you don’t need to check in the mirror.

4. Boots decide your mood more than you think

Shoes don’t just finish the outfit in winter — they determine whether you feel confident walking through your day.

Boot test #1: can you walk all day and still feel like yourself at dinner?

A boot that looks great but makes you miserable isn’t a wardrobe piece — it’s a mistake you repeat once.

Boot test #2: does the toe shape feel current without being a trend?

If the toe is too “of a moment,” you’ll look at the photos next winter and feel slightly embarrassed.

Boot test #3: does it work with the jeans you actually wear?

So many boots fail here. They’re fine in theory and annoying in real life.

I also think boots are the fastest way to make a simple outfit look more expensive — especially when everything else is quiet.

5. Winter outfits look expensive when they’re about texture

This is the easiest styling trick and it’s not even a “trick.”

When it’s cold, your palette can stay simple. The interest comes from texture:

• wool
  
• cashmere
  
• suede
  
• leather
  
• denim
  
• a little crisp cotton under a knit
  

If you get your textures right, you don’t need “statement” anything. The outfit reads as considered without looking like you tried to style it.

This is also why quiet luxury works so well in winter: the season is naturally about materials.

6. Color matters, but not in the way people think

Winter color doesn’t have to be dark. It just has to be coherent.

I like winter palettes that feel intentional even when they’re neutral:

• cream + black
  
• charcoal + navy
  
• chocolate + ecru
  
• grey + camel
  
• ton-sur-ton with everything else quiet
  

My rule: pick two neutrals, then add one “soft contrast.”

That’s enough. It keeps you from spiraling into random outfits.

If you want to add something seasonal without looking themed, do it through texture or a single accessory.

7. The 'repeat outfit' formula

This is the part people pretend they don’t do, but everyone does.

If you want winter to feel effortless, you need one formula you can repeat.

Mine is usually:

• coat
  
• structured knit (or a tee + cardigan)
  
• straight denim or trousers
  
• boots or loafers
  
• one good bag
  

You change the coat, you change the shoes, you change the knit - and suddenly it’s a new outfit. It’s not. It’s a system.

And that’s why it works.

8. The point of a winter wardrobe

A good winter wardrobe does something very specific: it makes you feel steady.

You don’t want to feel like you’re styling yourself for the weather. You want to feel like you’ve already solved it - and you’re just living your life.

That’s what the right pieces do. They remove friction. They let you move through the season without thinking about what you’re wearing every morning.

Winter style isn’t about doing more.

It’s about having pieces you can trust.