Planning my Winter Wardrobe

What I own, what I plan to buy and knit + my Black Friday sales purchases

Dec 02, 2025

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As usual, fall went by in the blink of an eye, and even though the calendar insists there are still a few weeks left, the weather is very much telling a different story: winter is here, and it’s here to stay. The good thing is that I love putting my seasonal wishlist together—so that’s exactly what I’ve been doing for the past two weeks or so.

Reflecting on my seasonal purchases and religiously tracking everything in Indyx forced me (as usual) to face the cold, hard truth: I added more pieces than I thought for fall. I probably underestimated how many things needed replacing. The silver lining is that most of what I bought will carry me well into winter, so I feel pretty set on the clothing front and can focus more on the other areas for the season.

Another (more positive) realization: every single item I bought was a success. Of course, that makes me happy, but it also gives me confidence that when I take my time and plan mindfully, I can trust my instincts—and that I’m heading in the right direction style-wise. I’m not pretending this is a foolproof system or that my success rate will always be 100% (I wish, ha!), but it definitely feels like progress.

My family always jokes that I’m a “professional shopper” because I’m all about getting the most for my money and somehow always find the best deal. I’m the first person they call before making a purchase because I’ll track down the best option for their budget. That’s also why I love thrifting and buying secondhand. However, I’m definitely not immune to the sales trap—especially at this time of year—and I’ve definitely ended up buying things I didn’t really need just because they were on sale before. I’m getting better, but like everything, it’s always a work in progress.

My solution this year was to make my wishlist before all the Black Friday sales so I could stay focused on what I actually wanted. I’m writing this before the sales start, but since I’m posting it the week after, I’ll add a little update at the end with what I actually ended up buying.

I’ll also share my knitting plans for the season, if you’re curious.

Let’s get into it!

Winter wishlist

Last year, I got a puffer coat and winter boots, so my big winter purchases are done — I don’t really need anything else. Would an extra coat in a lighter color be nice? Sure, but honestly, it doesn’t feel essential or particularly high on my priority list. I can always use accessories to bring in a bit of newness if I want to.

This season, I’m mostly looking to spice things up with the right accessories and fill just a few gaps in my wardrobe. Here are the pieces I’m currently eyeing:

1- Belts & winter accessories

Ever since the weather shifted, I’ve been craving simplicity and a more minimal, pared-back approach to getting dressed. Unlike this past summer, I don’t feel the need to add much color—I’m perfectly happy living in my neutrals (at least for now). That said, I do want to play with textures to add a bit of interest, and there’s one thing I’ve been missing: good statement belts.

I rarely wear the Zara rope belt (I really need to find more ways to style it!), but I love and wear my other two belts all the time. The Aritzia one is a thin black leather belt—super minimal and classic. The Madewell one is more of a statement and definitely my most-worn. It’s not the most out-there piece, but it was one of the first items I bought last year when I started working on my personal style, and it’s truly made a difference. The details really do matter, don’t they?

At the end of every season, I tell myself I should invest in higher-quality pieces that will truly last. But then I get caught up shopping fast-fashion again because it’s what’s easiest and most accessible when you live in the suburbs (and you know I prefer shopping in person). This time, I decided to actually follow through—and I’m starting with belts. I’ve been drawn to these styles (and brand) for a while, and it felt like a safe category to invest in.

The other accessories I’m planning to add are two scarves and a balaclava, though they’ll be included in the knitting category later.

2- Jewelry

I think the category that’s grown the most for me this year has definitely been my jewelry collection—more specifically, my necklaces. I now own 11, six of which I’ve made myself. I don’t have any necklace projects on the horizon for now, but I always leave room for another DIY project or a love-at-first-sight piece.

Safe to say I’ve explored necklaces a lot! I also wear three rings that are meaningful to me every day, and I’m happy keeping it that way. However, I don’t own a single bracelet (aside from my Apple Watch, which I wear 24/7), and I only have two pairs of earrings that I haven’t worn since I cut my hair into a bob (I feel like they don’t suit me anymore, is that weird?).

Anyway, since I’m not focusing on earrings for now, I’d love to add a silver bangle or cuff to my collection. I’ve been loving how people style theirs in different ways—over a sweater sleeve or to secure a sweater draped around the shoulders. It feels like something I’d really enjoy doing and that would fit my style quite well.

3- Bags

You know I have a soft spot for bags—they’re the one thing (well, okay, maybe shoes and outerwear too) that I’m not afraid to invest in because I’ll wear them to death. I’m very picky when it comes to choosing one, which is probably why they’ve been such a success for me. I’ve mentioned this before, but the bag I often feel like I’m missing is one in a lighter color. The pale blue bag is more of an accessory than a bag because it barely fits my phone, and the red one is made of paper, so it’s really only for warmer weather. That leaves me with three bags for the colder seasons, which is fine—but since all my coats and boots are black or dark brown, I’d love a beige/off white one to bring a bit of freshness and light to otherwise darker outfits.

I need my bags to do the heavy lifting for me, since most of my clothes don’t — so I want something with texture and/or an interesting shape. I’m a silver-only girl, so no gold hardware, and it also needs to be weather‑appropriate and easy to maintain, so no suede. That actually narrows the field down quite a bit, as you might imagine.

I had my eye on the J.Crew snake-print tote bag, but I’m not sure if the animal print would feel like too much given its larger size. And since I already plan to add a snake-print belt, I don’t want to go overboard or get tired of the pattern.

I’ve been really intrigued by Freja bags for a couple of months now. These ones have a subtle croc texture, a beautiful off-white color, and a shape I love. The only thing I’m unsure about is the vegan leather (which, let’s be honest, is still plastic, no matter how nice it is). It’s not necessarily a deal breaker, but I want to do a bit more research on durability before deciding. If you own one, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

4- Tops

I have plenty of tops, so I only feel like I have two gaps:

A black turtleneck for layering. I had one, but it was so old and worn out that I couldn’t wear it anymore. I thought the brown mock-neck top from Zara that I purchased in the fall would replace it, but the material isn’t as thin as my old one, so it works better on its own than as a layer, as I had hoped. I’m not in a hurry to buy a new one — I’d actually prefer to wait until later in the season, when I inevitably get tired of wearing my sweaters every day. At that point, having a new layering option would feel more special than it would right now.

A long-sleeve white tee to wear on its own. I have a Uniqlo Heattech one for layering under sweaters, but I’d love something that works as a standalone top. I wear my short-sleeve white tees year-round, but there are definitely days when I’d like the extra warmth of long sleeves. I try to look for little details that make basics feel less “basic,” and this one from Zara caught my eye with its contrasting collar and (what looks like) textured cotton. It’s on its way to me, so I’ll report back once I’ve tried it — but I don’t mind waiting for the right one if this one doesn’t end up working.

Special mention : Pants

I’m mentioning pants here because between the time I did my fall review and my winter wishlist, I ended up adding two new pairs to my wardrobe.

First, I finally found my perfect pair of straight-leg jeans — the ones I’ve been searching for for ~~what feels like forever~~ the last few months. They’re from Frame, and I love them so much. Prepare to get sick of seeing me wear them, lol. With these, I now have six pairs of denim in different cuts, washes, and lengths, so I feel pretty set on that front.

As for my other pants, there are three pairs (my Everlane off-white linen and both COS ones) that I’ve put into storage since they don’t work well with winter boots and I can’t layer leggings underneath. I probably won’t wear my white barrel pair much either — not because I don’t want to, but because they’d get ruined in slush and dirty snow. And, as you know, I really can’t be trusted with white bottoms anyway.

That left me with two (brown) pairs. I love my Aritzia trousers, but they’re really long — great for the look, not so great for winter when the hems practically skim the ground. I’ve been reaching for my Gap cords whenever I don’t feel like wearing denim, but it made me realize I could really use another option. I’d been seeing the Uniqlo barrel pants everywhere online, so I tried them in store — and they were exactly what I was hoping for. So, they came home with me.

Non-seasonal wishlist items

Like most people, I love a good sale, and Black Friday is sometimes the best — or only — time some brands offer discounts over the year. I don’t mind shopping out of season, but I do have some rules: the items need to be timeless (at least, to me) rather than trendy, so basically things I’m 100% sure I’ll still love as much when the time comes to wear them. I have two items on my list this year.

First, a one-piece swimsuit from Left on Friday. If there’s one thing I absolutely hate shopping for (and wearing), it’s a swimsuit. I don’t like wearing a two-piece, and it’s always a struggle to find a one-piece that fits my extra-long torso (iykyk). I bought this one from LOF earlier this year and absolutely love it. Ever since, I haven’t wanted to wear anything else, so I’d like a second one for our upcoming Punta Cana trip — I’ve just been patiently waiting for their Black Friday sale to snag it.

Second, I’ve been obsessed with this wood bead bag from Elaree Studio ever since I spotted it on Instagram last summer. I literally gasped when I first saw it — it just feels so me. I know it’s more of a warm-weather bag, but if they offer an interesting Black Friday promo, it’ll be very tempting to grab it. I love all three colors they offer, so choosing a favorite will be a challenge.

Knitting plans

I’m not a winter person, but if there’s one thing I do like about the season, it’s that it’s perfect for knitting. Here are the projects on my list — though I often change my mind when it comes to knitting, so we’ll see what actually happens.

I never include knitting projects in my wishlist or wardrobe budget — they’re a separate spending category for me (i.e., hobbies).

1- Blue triangle scarf

After finishing my COS sweater dupe, I wasn’t sure what to start next, so I decided on a simple triangle scarf. I picked a gorgeous blue yarn since I’m always drawn to this shade and don’t own anything in it (and the wonderful thing about knitting is that there are endless color options available). I’ve started the project, but scarves—especially straightforward ones like this—are a bit boring for me to knit, so I’ll probably work on it on and off for a few weeks before it’s done.

*I’m not using any pattern, so it’s my own photo and the link is to my Ravelry project page.

2 – V-Neck Sweater

I knit a V-neck sweater a year or two ago, but my mom loved it more than I did, so I gifted it to her. I’ve been missing having a V-neck in my wardrobe, so I want to knit another one for myself. My favorite local yarn store had a great sale on Cardiff Classic Cashmere yarn (if you’re a knitter, you know how pretty—and expensive—this yarn is), so I treated myself. It took me two days to decide on the color (and I’m still not entirely sure I made the right decision), but it’s (obviously) been such a joy to knit with cashmere. This will actually be my first-ever cashmere sweater, and I can’t wait to wear it (though it’ll be a while, since it’s a thin gauge). I’m using this pattern, but as usual, I’m making a few tweaks to suit both my taste and body.

3- Giant scarf

I already have the yarn for this project, but as I mentioned, I’m not the biggest fan of knitting scarves. I just need to find the motivation to do it—because once I do, I know I’ll love wearing it, especially on brutally cold winter days.

4- Balaclava

I’m not really a hat person, but I also don’t like being cold, so a balaclava feels like the perfect compromise. I haven’t settled on a specific pattern yet, but there are plenty of options, so I’m confident I’ll find one. (If you’re a knitter, I’d love to hear your suggestions!)

Update: What I Bought During Black Friday Sales

I’m writing this part a week later, and I’m sooo happy and excited about my purchases! But also — is it just me, or were the sales particularly overwhelming this year? You know how much I love shopping, but this felt like too much, even for me. I was more than happy to have my list, since it helped me stay focused and avoid getting distracted.

First, I got both(!) Déhanche belts. Did it still take me a few days to commit, even on sale? Yes, yes it did — I won’t lie, it’s still a lot of money for me. The snake-print one was actually a no-brainer — you know how much I love and wear my snake-print flats, and with the sale, it came out to under $100?! The black croc one, though, required a bit more time and reflection. I haven’t received them yet, but I’m so, so excited.

I also purchased the LOF swimsuit during their 30% off promo, just as I hoped. I’m now all set for our upcoming trip!

I ended up passing on the Elaree bead bag (for now), even with their 20% off promo — mainly because I hit full decision fatigue. I couldn’t decide which color would fit my spring/summer wardrobe best, and I figured I’d make a better choice (and be more excited about it) if I get it when I can actually wear it.

I’m really proud of not buying anything else. I even resisted going to the COS Black Friday sale in store (we can’t order COS online in Canada) because I didn’t want to be tempted — which might seem like nothing to most of you, but honestly, it was quite an achievement for me since it’s my favorite store!

Final thoughts

As I review my list, I’m happy to see that — unlike this post — it’s actually quite short: six items, including only two clothing pieces. I don’t intend to buy everything at once like last season either. Our winters feel like they last forever, so I know I’ll eventually get bored of winter dressing, like I always do, and spacing out my purchases will likely be more beneficial for me this time.

If I can stick to this list, I’ll be pretty proud. Maybe it’s a bit optimistic, but at the very least, I hope it serves as a reminder of what I truly felt I needed at the start of the season and helps me stay focused on my goals as the months unfold.

Now I’d love to hear from you: what are you excited to wear or add to your wardrobe this winter? What did you pick up during Black Friday sales?

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