Graphic: Sophia Coutino and Nicole O’Dell

Winter closet essentials are basic clothes that everyone needs in their wardrobe, such as puffer jackets, vests, jeans, and sweaters. With basic staple pieces, you can create more outfits than you think and can put an outfit together in less than 5 minutes. An example of an outfit made with winter essentials is some jeans, a long sleeve of any color, a puffer jacket, and UGG boots or sneakers depending on the occasion. You can also elevate a look with jewelry and certain hairstyles. If you don’t want to do layers you can use a sweater instead of a long sleeve and pair it with a puffer vest instead of jacket.

1. A closet essential is sweaters. It is a must to have sweaters for winter because it is what most of your outfits will consist of. Sweaters are cute, cozy, warm and perfect for winter. Basic plain sweaters are better to have since they go with everything, and you can mix and match and layer with coats. You can find cute sweaters at Urban Outfitters, Zara, H&M, PacSun, and Hollister.
2. Jeans are something everyone needs in their closet for winter since they go with anything. Jeans are matchable because you can either dress them up or dress them down. You can dress up jeans with a satin long sleeve and a blazer or a big coat. Dressing down jeans would be wearing them with sweaters, sweatshirts, and even long sleeves. You can find jeans in Zara, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Levi’s, and H&M.
3. UGGs are a perfect winter footwear staple that keep your feet warm. They have a variety of styles to choose from. UGGs go with any outfit during the winter season and can cost from $50-$150. When it comes to sneakers, the New Balance 550 can be a staple sneaker for any winter outfit, costing up to $120. Although these may be pricey, they are worth the money because you can wear them year-round in any season. You can buy UGGs on the UGG website or on Amazon, New Balance sneakers can be purchased on the New Balance website or your local shoe store.
4. A skin care essential, especially during the winter season, is ChapStick or Vaseline. Lip hydration is crucial during winter since skin and lips get dry faster. There are different brands for lip hydration, including Vaseline or Aquaphor. You can buy these at any grocery store, including Walmart, Target, Albertsons, Walgreens, or CVS.
5. Jewelry can pull any outfit together, even on a cold day. Some staples are gold hoops, layered necklaces, and some dainty rings. Gold hoops make a look effortlessly classy. Layering necklaces are a cute way to boost your look. Rings and a fresh set of nails are an essential to your winter aesthetic. Depending on the brand, jewelry can be as affordable as $15 or as pricey as $200. You can buy any of these items on Amazon, Kendra Scott, and Cartier.