The leaves have almost all fallen and the cold air is settling in to stay. The sun is setting so early and holiday lights are strung on the houses and trees along the neighborhood streets. Classic Christmas songs can be heard all around town and that makes me super happy— winter is almost here!

Beanie | Sunglasses | Coat (sold out from H&M – similar, similar, similar) | Jeans (tts, 28 with the 28″ inseam and I am 5’7″) | Bag (old fro ABLE – similar, similar) | Hoodie (old from Target – similar) | Boots

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Winter weather can vary greatly depending on where you live. Here in Nashville, our daytime winter temperatures usually range from about 30- 50 degrees. It gets cold but it’s still mild compared to how it was growing up in Michigan where the temperatures would sometimes fall into the negatives. We had a lot of snow!

Has the cold weather ever snuck up on you? The temperatures drop and if you are not prepared, it can feel brutal. Winterizing my wardrobe while living here in the south is not a big process but it’s still an important one! The mildly cold air can feel extra cold if you do not properly dress for it. So today I am sharing the things I do to transition my fall wardrobe to become my winter wardrobe.

If you haven’t read my series about how to build your fall wardrobe layer by layer, you can read through it starting here. Today’s post continues with that process so I recommend reading that first and then coming back to this post.

If you followed my fall wardrobe process you should have a grasp on what you have in your wardrobe. It should be appropriate for you lifestyle and pretty balanced. You have your classic garments, accessories, and shoes and you have your statement garments, accessories, and shoes. You also have any additional lifestyle layers you may have added as well. I build this winter layer like I did my optional layer five, which was workout gear. I gather it all together instead of splitting out the classic and statement pieces.

Four Easy Steps to Build Your Winter Wardrobe:

1.) Put Away Warmer Weather Clothing

The first step to building your winter wardrobe is to clear out clothing that no longer works for the colder weather. These are items like tank tops, short-sleeved shirts, and summer dresses. Just like when you built your fall wardrobe, this is dependent on the weather where you live, your closet size, and your clothing storage preferences. I leave my tank tops and tees out and still wear them layered, but I tuck away my short-sleeved tops/blouses into another sections of my closet that is less accessible. That way, they are out of my view and and do not add visual clutter when I am trying to pick out my outfit each morning, but they are still close by if I want to wear them.

2.) Add Unseen Layering Pieces

If you live in a place that is extra cold it makes sense to have pieces that you can layer under your clothing for added warmth, and no one will see them. This way if you know you’ll be out and about you can continue wearing some of your favorite outfits, but with added warmth! Some items for layering include: bodysuits, fitted long-sleeve shirts, leggings, tights, and warm socks.

3.) Bring Out Cold Weather Clothing & Top Layers

If you have any super warm and thick sweaters that you weren’t wearing in the more mild fall temps, now is a good time to add them to the mix of what you are currently wearing. I have a super thick, long, wool sweater that only makes it into my wardrobe during the winter!

Now check-in to make sure you have warm winter coats, fleeces and vests. I have a tan coat for everyday outfits and a casual, black puffy coat that can be worn with everyday outfits and athleisure clothing. I also have a couple of shackets and the long quilted coat pictured above. Because the weather is only mildly cold in Nashville, I still wear some of my lighter jackets, like my denim jackets and green military jacket. I add layers underneath them (like a hoodie or sweater) and wear throughout the winter when the temperature is on the higher-end of our averages.

4.) Bring out Cold Weather Accessories & Footwear

Accessories have a huge impact on how warm you will be out in the cold weather. Adding a warm beanie, gloves, scarf and boots makes such a difference in how comfortable you are out in the cold. We barely get snow here— often just light dustings and usually only one snowfall that sticks each year. Living here we don’t really need snow boots like you would if you live somewhere that gets snow. Here, we all have rain boots that we can wear during the rainy season and also for the rare occasion that we get snow that sticks. When that happens we add a couple pairs of socks for warmth. This year I also added these all weather combat boots to my wardrobe. I’ve worn them throughout fall and they will be perfect for winter as well!

Final Tip: Make sure you have a sled and all of the ingredients to make hot chocolate— those the most important winter necessities of all! : )

What is the weather like where you live? Do you have other tips for dressing for winter weather? I would love to hear from you in the comments below!

***This post was originally posted on December 8, 2020 and was updated on December 8, 2021.***