My Two Fave Outerwear Staples this Winter

I couldn’t pick which outerwear piece to wear yesterday and so I rotated from the vest to this cape-like jacket. These choices are perfect for a warmer winter day like we had in Michigan when it hit 30 (woo!)

And sometimes it’s hard to choose the best coat or jacket with certain silhouettes like this chunk sweater with wide sleeves, which is why I went for the vest and the cape jacket. I’ve had both of these pieces for a long time, proving they’re classic winter staples that can be restyled season after season.

Recreating the Look

The winter vest and cape jacket are two winter staples that I get lots of wear out of each year. I snapped some pics (thanks to my friend Jen!) to show how I could easily trade out one piece for the other in the same look. The vest was worn for dentist and Urban You appointment and the cape jacket was worn for donut eating and running errands in Lansing.

If you’re looking for a lighter, sweater vest, this wool and cashmere drape vest is beautiful and incredibly cozy looking. I’m particularly obsessed with this cupcakes and cashmere reversible faux fur vest–both sides are so cute making it an easy closet staple. For something a little more casual, this quilted vest comes in muted colors and would be perfect with jeans and a hoodie.

And for capes, I love this faux fur cape jacket. It’s not a full on cape, but more of that silhouette and it’s just a beautiful coat (and on sale.) And I have a similar twill/faux fur cape like this and it’s such a great piece to toss on over almost anything. This beige cape more closely resembles mine but has faux leather trim. Any of these could be layered on top of another light jacket like a leather jacket for extra warmth or with a long-sleeved sweater.

Sweater from Retail Therapy | jeans from Madewell | Vest + jacket from Zara (vest is OLD) | snakeskin boots by Dolce Vita | bag by Gucci | sunglasses by Quay Australia

Photography by Jen Reid