Winter Essentials

Winter is here in Chicago!  We had a mini snow storm and temps in the low 30’s on Halloween.  Talk about a trick! But winter is here to stay and staying warm is on the top of my list.  Therefore, I’m sharing the best 15 Winter Essentials to keep you warm all winter.

Winter for me is slow and gradual, as I need to build up to it.  I try so hard to hold out, which means starting with a little and layering up!  I need time to thicken my blood and get use to the freezing temps.  I’m slightly spoiled because last winter I was conveniently stuck inside during every Polar Vortex as Lizzie arrived in mid-January.  However, this year I am stocking up on winter essentials to keep me warm all season long.

Themes

My major theme this year is layers.  You can never have too many layers on, partly because you can add or remove depending on how hot or cold you get. I personally struggle with finding the happy balance from going outside to indoors given that I walk pretty much everywhere all year long.

Being able to have pieces that I can wear separately or together is extremely important to me.  My goal is always to have a closet with classic pieces that I can mix and match. I rarely buy trendy items.  Instead, I opt for the tried and true pieces that will last forever. 

Key Pieces

Many of the pieces in my winter essentials guide are staples in my closet.  I wear a lot of them so much that I need to replace them.  You always know you have a classic piece when you replace it and the same item is still available in the store.   Talk about a key piece! 

To help you identify those classic pieces that are available each year I’ve placed a star next to them on the winter essentials guide.  In addition, I want to let you know that I own every single item included in this guide. They each are Chicago-winter tested and approved! 

Shop my winter essentials by clicking on the images below.

I’ve put together a few looks to show you how easy it is to layer up the items to stay warm.

Looking for more winter looks?  Check out my ultimate winter packing list, found here.