"Every holiday season, I loosely plan out my outfits for Thanksgiving and my office party, but not much else. I figure that I’ll put my holiday outfits together when the time comes, but the problem with that is how much I’m underestimating just how many festive events November and December bring. Friendsgiving, gift exchanges, dinners out, a day at a Christmas market—I need to account for far more outfits than just the ones for the actual days of each holiday, which is why I’ve ended up turning to a holiday capsule wardrobe.
But don’t get it twisted: Creating a holiday capsule wardrobe hasn’t meant adding six sparkly dresses to my closet and calling it a day. Instead, pinpointing the pieces in my closet that lean festive—velvet, black dresses, anything red—and identifying where a hair bow or metallic accessory could transform an outfit into something holiday-worthy has been game changing.
It’s officially time to make the very most of the 2024 holidays, and we’ve made a list, checked it twice, and created a capsule wardrobe that will make sure you’re celebrating in style.
Why a Holiday Capsule Wardrobe?
A capsule wardrobe is a curated, intentional selection of clothes that can be mixed and matched to create outfits for anything that might pop up on your calendar. The holiday season usually ends up requiring more outfits than you prepare for—a day of gift shopping, cocktail parties, your annual office party—which makes a Christmas capsule wardrobe a no-brainer.
Your capsule wardrobe for the holiday season can—and should!—be created with pieces you wear year-round. While the “holiday outfit ideas” Pinterest board you created is likely full of sequins and velvet, you probably own more versatile holiday outfit staples than you realize. A black mini skirt, your favorite trousers, a cable-knit sweater—all of them can be mixed and matched to create holiday outfits that don’t require too much forethought or planning. Your festive holiday capsule wardrobe should spare you the “I don’t have anything to wear!” panic before your December events. Stress-fress dressing and more time enjoying the season? Yes, please.
The Essentials of a Holiday Capsule Wardrobe
Holiday outfits should feel fun and special—after all, they only come around for one fleeting season a year—but definitely don’t require buying a dozen new pieces. My goal with this year’s holiday capsule wardrobe was to create combinations that feel quintessentially holiday, but achieve a festive feel through a few special pieces that can be mix and matched with clothes that likely already live in most closets. For example, if you already own a red sweater or black mini skirt (both of which are in this year’s capsule), you don’t need to shop for another one this holiday season. Think about the clothes you already own, then identify any gaps that might exist that can be filled with pieces that make holiday dressing a little easier.
Holiday capsule wardrobe essentials include:
- A Festive Sweater: Whether it’s a cozy cable-knit or a sweater in a cheery shade of red, a festive sweater is a minimalist holiday wardrobe must-have
- A Party-Ready Dress: A sequin, velvet, or metallic dress can be styled on repeat throughout the holiday season
- Statement Shoes: Metallic heels or black Mary Janes will be the festive finishing touch for your fancier holiday looks
Must-Have Accessories for Festive Looks
If you’re just starting your holiday capsule wardrobe, the most worthwhile place to start is by adding a few festive accessories to your closet. A sparkly bag or hair bow can transform even jeans and a sweater into an easy holiday look.
This year, I wanted to make sure our capsule wardrobe had the most versatile festive accessories possible; ones that could be dressed up or down as needed depending on the event they’re being worn to.
- A Hair Bow: Winter 2023 was the season of the hair bow, and this year, they’re gearing up to be just as big (both metaphorically and literally)
- Silver Shoes: Metallics have been one of the biggest accessory trends we’ve seen pop up over the past few years, but a pair of silver or gold shoes are the perfect statement-maker for the holiday season
- Shades of Red: Red is the color we can’t escape this year, but this fall’s burgundy trend fits seamlesly into festive dressing
The Everygirl’s
Holiday Capsule Wardrobe
How to Style Your Holiday Capsule Wardrobe
While it can be styled dozens of more ways than these, these six effortless outfits are a great starting point for styling your holiday capsule wardrobe.
To your office holiday party
Bow Top (Alternate Option) | Black Tights | Silver Bag | Black Mini Skirt (Plus) | Mary Jane Pumps
If your office holiday party is more dresses and heels than Santa hats and tacky Christmas sweaters, this bow-adorned top screams “holiday” in a non-cheesy way. With black Mary Jane pumps, a mini skirt, and a silver bag, this outfit is fun and festive, but still totally professional.
If your office party is on the more casual side, you can also swap the black mini skirt out for your favorite pair of jeans instead.
To a formal party
Wool Coat (Plus) | Earrings | Silver Heels | Sequin Dress (Plus) | Silver Bag
The holiday season isn’t complete without at lest one sequin moment, and a formal party is the perfect occasion to check it off your list. This black sequin midi dress is a Christmas capsule wardrobe staple that screams “happy holidays,” but with the addition of silver accessories, will serve as a modern take on party dressing. You can even double-dip and break it out again for New Year’s Eve cocktail party, too.
To your S.O’s family party
Wool Coat (Plus) | Suede Bag | Black Mini Skirt (Plus) Mary Jane Pumps | Cable-Knit Sweater (Plus) | Pendant Necklace | Black Tights
Whether it’s your first or fifth holiday season celebrating with your S.O, heading to a partner’s family’s house for a party is always a little nerve-wracking. You don’t want to be too casual nor too overdressed, so this cable-knit sweater and black mini skirt combination is a pretty risk-averse choice that’ll feel appropriate for any family party.
To Christmas Eve dinner
Silver Bag | Silver Heels | Mini Dress (Plus) | Earrings | Black Tights
Christmas Eve is the night to dress up (Christmas Day is meant for sweats and lounging—sorry, I said it), so it’s the time to break out your holiday dress. Given that this mini dress is sequin-free and isn’t in a traditional holiday colorway, it’ll be totally wearable beyond the holiday season, but with the help of a few festive accessories, is a chic take on holiday dressing.
To walk around a Christmas market
Wool Coat (Plus) | Ballet Flats | Jeans (Plus) | Cable-Knit Sweater (Plus) | Hair Bow | Suede Bag
If you’re headed out for a day of holiday activities—like my personal favorite, a walk to admire my neighborhood’s Christmas lights—relying on a slew of festive accessories are your best bet. Start with a base of your favorite denim, a cable-knit sweater, and a wool coat, and make them feel a little more merry with a Christmas capsule wardrobe essential: an oversized hair bow.
To a festive dinner with friends
Fringe Sweater (Plus) | Black Tights | Black Mini Skirt (Plus) | Black Turtleneck (Plus) | Silver Bag | Silver Heels
While shades of red and green are obviously holiday classics, choosing a piece with interesting texture or an out-of-the-box silhouette can take your seasonal style to the next level. Enter: this fringe sweater. It’s a little more unexpected than your traditional holiday party garb, which your friends will appreciate at your annual holiday celebration more than your grandma or mom ever could.
Tips for Creating a Budget-Friendly Capsule Wardrobe
Especially during the holidays when money is extra-tight, not having a number in your bank account that allows you to toss money into your closet is totally understandable. To create an affordable holiday capsule wardrobe, start by wearing things you already own. So much of holiday dressing comes down to styling, and by evaluating what pieces you have in your closet that can be worn throughout the holiday season, you can skip the need to shop for new pieces entirely.
If you look at the individual pieces in our holiday capsule, most of them aren’t quintessentially holiday—but when shown next to a silver purse or sequin dress, feel more festive. A budget-friendly holiday capsule wardrobe should start with basics that you know you’ll wear far beyond month of December. If you’re choosing between buying a red sweater or a sequin dress, opt for the one you’ll get more wear out of in the long-run (the red sweater, unless you have a much more exciting social calendar than I do).
A great dress, versatile sweater, and a couple of festive accessories are the only pieces you need for a minimalist holiday wardrobe. Don’t fee pressure to add new pieces to your wardrobe—by working with what you already own or shopping secondhand, you can style looks you’re excited to wear this holiday season and make your wallet happy.
Madeline Galassi, Senior Fashion & Beauty Editor
Madeline Galassi is the Fashion & Beauty Editor at The Everygirl, where she oversees the fashion and beauty categories of the site. She brainstorms, writes, and edits stories across a broad range of topics including trend reports, product reviews, celebrity style, and more. She’s always keeping a pulse on the latest trends to create timely, exciting content for our readers.