Six Cold-Weather Classics Worth the Investment
Season after season, ubiquitous for a reason. These are your safest bets.
Well great! The weather finally seems to be synched up with our collective desire for sweater weather. I’m often guilty of the first-of-fall giddies — and then I sink dough into things I think I’m going to wear… but don’t.
So instead of our usual trend-spotting, let’s revisit some of last year’s greatest hits, re-issued for 2022. I.e., stuff you know you’re going to wear. And maybe stuff you were bummed to miss out on last time around. If you were hesitant before, these items, now with a proven cost-per-wear track record, should reassure you that the investment is well worth it.
That Toteme scarf coat. Yep, that one. It’s back, it’s in two colorways, and as the proud owner of this baby, I’ll tell you there were fewer pieces in my closet last fall/winter that bore a heavier load than this little workhorse. I’d buy it all over again.
Khaite denim. It’s how designer Catherine Holstein got her start, and denim is still the backbone of her collections. This denim jacket has a cool, modern cut that elevates something from “classic” to “okay, that girl is chic.”
Oh, you thought that ubiquitous striped turtleneck was going away? Not this year, miss ma’am. It really does fit so nicely! It’s got just enough swish around the torso, the turtleneck isn’t annoyingly high (remember, fold in towards your neck, not outward), it hits at a flattering spot right above the hip, and the cotton is heavy and high-quality, so the drape makes it look twice as expensive. There’s a reason you’ve seen it all over IG.
My most-worn boot last year were these. Here’s what I like about them: they’re quite roomy in the leg, so they’ll fit just about anyone. The heel is present enough for a little lift, but still highly walkable. The leather is damn-near indestructible. And they look truly killer over a legging. Especially these leggings, which I have two pairs of because of their thickness, ankle zipper, and thus, ease of styling.
Chic sneakers. If you spend any time in a walking city like New York or Paris, then it only takes one day of uncomfortable kicks to teach your feet a valuable (albeit uncomfortable) lesson. If you want to be comfortable but not look like a dork, a pair of designer sneaks might be in order. I love these Loewe pups because they’re super neutral but still high on the luxe factor.
A roomy tote. This is my most-worn bag of the past two years, probably because it goes with nearly everything, sure. But also because the shoulder strap is just right, it’s lightweight, and it’s roomy but not so big that I can never find anything in it. I’ve persuaded at least four of my girlfriends to buy this Khaite bag, and nobody has once looked back. You think you’d have to be precious about the suede, but I honestly beat mine to hell and it only looks better.