Winter Capsule For Petites
Okay I know mid-February is way too late to get a winter capsule wardrobe up… but for some reason, I could not bring myself to put this post together this year! First, I blamed all of the holiday content, then I blamed the fact that I hadn’t purchased anything new. And the past month or so, I was so sad about still not being able to really go anywhere. But since we still have a lot of winter left, I decided that it was finally time to just do it.
If you remember my Fall Capsule Wardrobe post from 2019, I gathered a selection of new/available pieces and styled them different ways. It was SO fun to put together, and I loved that you could shop and get sizing insights on the EXACT items I was wearing. I was worried that anything less than that wouldn’t be helpful… and then I realized that everything is out of whack right now, so why not just pull some suggestions together anyway?
Before we get started, while this is geared towards petites, the rest of you can shop this post too! I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but pretty much everything that comes in petites also comes in regular sizing, too ? Have at it! But if you’re petite like me, I really tried to gather items that specifically come in sizing made for us and/or still work for our proportions. Shopping can be tricky, especially when it’s mostly online, but we do have a lot of options!
For me, I always try to find petite sizing for jeans and coats. Hemming pants that are too long or struggling with jackets that have super long sleeves is a pain. That being said, I can usually find great tops and sweaters in regular sections. I’ll explain more below!
Winter Capsule For Petites
Cozy Sweaters
Cozy sweaters are truly the best way to get through a cold winter. While I don’t always shop in the petite section for sweaters, it is important to make sure that they don’t totally overwhelm your figure! I love to shop at Loft, J.Crew, Abercrombie, and Nordstrom because they carry petite sizes, as well as a lot of petite-friendly styles. For example, my favorite sweater purchase this year was a regular sweater, but I got one color in XS and the other in XXS for a more fitted look!
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Tops
In addition to sweaters, it’s always a good idea to have layering shirts/bodysuits and blouses for anytime you are (safely!) out and about, or just for Zoom meetings and gatherings. I’ve grown to really like Abercrombie’s bodysuits for layering, especially since they’re really reasonable. In terms of blouses, Yumi Kim will always have my heart! I still wear her blouses that I purchased 8-10 years ago! They are this perfect mix of fun and classic. I also really love Madewell’s selection right now, too – plus bonus points for sustainability!
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High Rise Jeans
I am convinced that high rise jeans are a gal’s best friend – especially if you’re petite!!! By drawing focus to the natural waist, it makes our legs look longer, and who doesn’t want that?! Everlane jeans in the “short” length are definitely my most worn. That being said, I also really like Abercrombie and Madewell denim, too!
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Leggings
Every gal needs both workout/lounge leggings and leggings to wear out and about. For workouts and loungewear, Lululemon will always be my favorite. As for leggings that you can wear with sweaters and cute tops, I just got this pair from Loft and I HIGHLY recommend them. They are thick, almost like a ponte material, and they come in petite, so you don’t need to worry about the length. Huge win!
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Warm Puffer Coat
I mean… duh. If you live somewhere cold like Chicago, you need a puffer coat. My favorites are both old by J.Crew and Lole. That being said, J.Crew always makes new variations of their puffer every year, and it’s always cute, warm, and available in petite sizing! I actually just ordered this color blocked version because it’s 50% off today. SO CUTE!
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Midi Length Wool Coat
In addition to a puffer, I always love to have a pretty wool coat in my closet too. I know this won’t be surprising, but I think J.Crew is the best place to shop for this category, too! They are all great quality, they have frequent sales, and they have petite sizing. What more could you want?! I treated myself to this pink wool coat this year and it makes me so happy. It’s not the warmest (I’d get the cocoon coat if you want it to be super warm!) but it’s great for mild winter days!
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Snow Boots
Unfortunately my favorite cute winter boots are sold out right now, but honestly, the need to be super cute went down a bit this year ? If you only really need them for dog walks and trips to the grocery store, I highly recommend my Koolaburra slip ons! So warm and cozy.
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Knee High Boots and Booties
Looking for boots and booties to help you look sleek and professional? I’m sure you already know that over the knee boots are tough, but I love my pair that I got a few years ago, and these are the same height! If those don’t work for you, I love the knee high boots I’ve linked below – and I can’t recommend these booties enough. Seriously, the most comfortable booties of all time.
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Sweatsuit
If there’s one thing quarantine taught us, it’s to never underestimate the power of a great sweatsuit!! While there are a ton out there, I am a full blown Lou & Grey superfan. They make the softest sweatsuits of all time – and they have a lot of cute variations right now. I just got this tie dye pair recently and I am in love!
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Sneakers
Every wardrobe needs sneakers – both for working out and running errands. If you have been on the hunt for weather resistant sneakers to run errands in, I highly recommend Allbirds mizzles. I’ve had my pair for 2 years now and they still look great, despite walking in terrible weather – and they’re warm, too!
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Accessories
Last but not least, winter requires accessories! In addition to the typical hats, scarves, and gloves, I also like to include a pair of fleece lined tights, in case you need to wear a dress or skirt when it’s -5 degrees outside!
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Winter Outfit Ideas For Petites
Outfit Idea #1
Wool Coat (runs small) / Sweater (runs big) / Jeans (runs true to size) / Booties (runs true to size)
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Outfit Idea #2
Cardigan (runs true to size) / Bodysuit (runs small) / Jeans (similar, but runs true to size)
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Outfit Idea #3
Puffer Coat (runs true to size) / Hat (similar) / Tunic Sweater (similar) / Leggings (similar) / Booties (runs true to size)
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Outfit Idea #4
Sweatshirt (runs big) / Sweatpants (runs big)
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Outfit Idea #5
Mockneck Sweater (runs true to size) / Leggings (runs true to size)
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PS. You might also like The Best President’s Day Sales!