How to Build a Versatile Winter Wardrobe for Kids

Shopping for kids is hard because they wear through their clothes or grow out of them so quickly. Plus, they always want to be a part of the latest trend, which means you’re spending a lot of money on clothes that won’t last.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

The best way to approach having a versatile, durable, and practical winter wardrobe for your kids is to think more minimalistic. You can support the environment by purchasing kids clothing that supports your kids playing habits while keeping warm this winter.

Instead of buying kids clothes you will have to throw away in a few months, consider stocking your kids’ closets with a few essentials to get them through the winter, and each of the seasons, without having to cycle through sets of clothing for each.

The key idea here is to keep it simple. It’s not about the number of pieces you have but the sustainability and versatility of each. Try gender neutral colours that can be used for more than one child in unbranded or plain pieces. Long-term wearability is key.

Because your child also needs to be able to play in these clothes, here are some pieces you should look into getting:

• Sweaters warm enough to get through the winter in one size bigger allow you to roll up the sleeves now, so you don’t need new ones next year.
• Hoodies are easy to layer for extra warmth in the winter.
• Plain, long-sleeve shirts in neutral colours will match everything and work for more than one child.
• Short-sleeve shirts make great undershirts and layer well as the seasons change.
• Pants and leggings with reinforced knees are the keys to having hole-free pants with active kids. They’ll stay nice for longer, and you can always reinforce them with patches at home if you can’t find them at the store.
• Dresses, skirts, or slacks are important to have in case you need them to dress up.
• Wool socks keep toes warm and wick away moisture, keeping your kids’ feet dry as they play in the winter weather.
• One snowsuit, a couple of winter hats, a pair of snow boots, and a few pairs of mittens should be the perfect amount of outerwear to get you through one winter.

A simple wardrobe saves time in the morning because you don’t have to sift through an overwhelming closet full of stuff to find clothes for the day. You can make quick choices with fewer options.

Start by doing an inventory of what your kids already have and can still use this winter. Then shop at retailers, where the clothing is affordable, and they have a lot of options. You can stock up on a lot of essentials here.

The planet and your wallet will be happier with your minimalistic winter essentials, and you can carry these ideas into the next season because many of your wardrobe essentials will still be useful.

This is a collaborative post.