I’m Updating My 2021 Wardrobe—Here Are 7 Editor-Approved Winter Items I’m Buying

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(Image credit: @discodaydream)

'Tis the season for the closet cleanout. Few things rival the feeling of finally hunkering down to organize and get your piles of stuff together. So far I've tackled my underwear collection (basically rebuilding it from scratch after months of neglect), and now I've set my sights on my everyday wardrobe. While I declutter, rearrange, and swap out all of the clothes I'm either over or have outgrown, I'm already thinking about the upgrades I'll be adding for this winter.

Quite a few styles have caught my attention at the tail end of last year second-skin tops, pink sweaters, and grandpa cardigans to name a few and now I’m eager to finally pull the trigger and buy. Since working from home is still very much on the agenda, my primary focus is on affordable items that look a step up from sweatsuits and loungewear, yet don’t require much effort to style (I want to be Zoom ready ideally in less than 15 minutes). I’ve got a lot of items on my mental shopping list, so get comfortable, and let’s go through them together.

1. Pink Cable Knit Sweaters

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(Image credit: @courtneecrews)

I'm sure everyone can use an injection of color during these dreary winter days, and bright pink just might be what the doctor ordered. You can't help but feel happy seeing a shade like this which is precisely why I've been pairing it with almost every pair of jeans I own. It's a commanding color, but you'd be surprised at its versatility; chunky pink sweaters look amazing with floral skirts for fancy looks, pin-stripe trousers for more professional looks, and jeans for relaxed days.

2. High Waist Printed Pants

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(Image credit: @jeannie.roxas)

I will forever be team high-rise pants because they flatter my lower proportions the most, but this year I'm switching things up with prints. It definitely took time to get to the point where I'm comfortable pulling off busy printed pants, but it's a new year so why not experiment a little? I plan on wearing these swirling printed pants with a white tee and black puffer coat. Très chic.

3. Second Skin Tops

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(Image credit: @josie_francis)

By now you should know we thoroughly endorse a "second skin" top. This trend has slipped into 2021, with many fashion girls dressing them up with slick leather pants or jeans. It's the kind of piece you can throw on with ease and create the illusion that you spent much longer planning your outfit. 

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(Image credit: @branhrichardson)

4. Grandpa Cardigans

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(Image credit: @brooklynngallagher)

These days my outfits have been more and more reminiscent of my grandfather, and these chunky cardigans are partly to blame. Heavy-knit and soft as a hug, a thick oversize cardigan has been my work from home go-to. They feel a little more put together than say a sweatshirt, and seeing how fashion girls effortlessly dress them up has further validated my choice. 

5. Belted (Faux) Leather Pants

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(Image credit: @xosunnykhan)

I swear there's magic in the look of leather pants everything just looks a thousand times better with them. I regrettably didn't buy a pair at the start of this winter season, but coming into 2021, I won't make that mistake again. You could invest in the real deal, but if you're looking to save a buck like me, faux leather can provide the same elevated sophistication for less.

6. Turtleneck Maxi Dresses

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(Image credit: @linhniller)

Dresses were pretty low on my priority list last year, so now I'm putting more emphasis on not letting my sense of style fall to the wayside. The perfect medium between low effort and high style payoff is the turtleneck dress. It's not a silhouette that needs a complicated print or neckline to make work, really all you need is a great pair of shoes. I'm looking to buy a few in elegant neutral colors. 

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(Image credit: @dawn.tan)

7. Exaggerated Sleeves

Shop More Editor-Approved Winter Pieces:

Coming up, Get Ready To See These 5 Pattern Trends Everywhere this Spring.

Fashion Market Editor

Indya Brown is a fashion editor, stylist, and writer living in Los Angeles. While going to school at Columbia University in New York City, she got her feet wet in the fashion industry interning at Elle magazine, Harper's Bazaar, and New York magazine's The Cut. After graduating in 2016, she joined The Cut as a fashion assistant, eventually working her way up to fashion editor. There, she worked on a multitude of projects, including styling inbook feature stories for New York magazine's print issue, writing and pitching market stories for The Cut, and serving as fashion lead for The Cut's branded content. While New York has been her home for over 10 years, she moved to Los Angeles in the midst of the pandemic in 2020 for a new chapter. Now she is a fashion market editor forBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , focusing on emerging designers, rising trends on and off the internet, interior design, and BIPOC creatives and brands. Aside from her duties as a fashion market editor, Brown is also a freelance stylist and writer, working on national print and video commercial campaigns for Sephora, The Independent, and Cadillac. Her bylines also include Harper's Bazaar, Vox, and The New York Times. But once the computer goes down and the emails turn off, she's likely eating her way through Koreatown, hunting down vintage furniture, scoping out new outrageous nail designs to try, or taking a hot cycling class.