5 Of The Chicest Winter Outfits Under $150
Wearing them is effortless. Finding them was not.
by The Candidly Team
We all know it would be much easier to put together perfect outfits if we had access to unlimited funds.
But honestly, knowing ourselves, even then, we’d still find the task overwhelming. And we’d still very much want some kind of guideline for how the hell to put all those magnificent clothes together to look chic.
Well, this winter, we decided to do two of our favorite things: 1) Find 5 foolproof (and complete) outfit templates and 2) Dupe them for under $150. Total.
And one very fun bonus of these 5 particular outfits is that you can mix and match pretty much all of the pieces in them to create 27 more perfect outfit templates. Truly. Every single thing is that flattering and staple and transitional. Etc. Etc.
In other words, we’re not just creating a list of outfits. We’re creating a capsule wardrobe. Which actually means we did 3 of our favorite things. Wheeee!
Ok, off we go.
1. The FRENCH LADY UNIFORM
Why it works: Every French woman you’ll ever notice on the street looking casually flawless owns a version of this outfit. It’s so, so simple, so classic, and yet, so noticeably elegant every single time. On every single body. With every single shoe. And bag. And hairstyle. Frenzied top-knots included. All it is comprises is the correct oversized blazer, a boatneck striped tee (what the French call a mariniére), and a superb-fitting pair of relaxed jeans. And voila! You’re French. And you look like you spent A LOT on your clothes when in fact it’s just these 3 things:
Spanx The Perfect Oversized Blazer
We actually wrote about how great the fit of this blazer was loooong before it went on sale for a fraction of its original price. Though sizes are selling out fast, so allez, allez allez! (transl: go, go, go)
Price: $49
Madewell Ribbed Long-Sleeve Boatneck Top in Stripe
There are a million versions of this classic tee, but we really love the skimming fit and pretty capped sleeves on this one. Plus, ribbing is always very smoothing and flattering on our curviest bits. There’s a less fitted, more classic version HERE that we’re also quite obsessed with (to the point we write about it weekly) and a cropped version HERE that doesn’t show an ounce of tum and is actually the best proportions of any mariniére we’ve found. Pick any of the 3. They’re all flawless and all under $50.
Price: $45
Comfort Stretch High Rise Relaxed Straight Jeans
We have been taken aback by how good Quince jeans are. Not good-for-the-price good. More like we’d-have-bought-these-jeans-for-3x-the-price good. The fit is exceptionally flattering, gliding over curves in all the correct places, but the stretch is bliss. And they never lose their shape - a shape that also happens to be … perfect. We will say, they’re mostly available for preorder because others have apparently caught on to how good they are, but listen closely, these jeans are worth the wait, and the wait is usually not long at all. So if they have your size, move quickly.
Price: $50
Image from Netflix
2. The “GOING OUT” OUTFIT
Why it works: We felt so passionately about Kristen Bell’s clothes in Nobody Wants This that we ended up writing a whole article about them. But a light bulb really went off with this particular look. Why is this not the exact outfit we wear every time we go out? It’s all black without being boring. It’s flattering and chic but doesn’t call for too much effort. It holds you in and covers your arms but still has a hint of allure. But enough talking it up. Here’s how to make it work.
Abercrombie Long-Sleeve Off-The-Shoulder Mesh Top
Start with this top. Kristen’s exact top was also from Abercrombie (though the exact bodysuit version is no longer avail). But this top is just as good. The ruching on the sides is wildly flattering on your waist and the fold-over fabric on the top makes it so you can wear literally any strapless bra, bandeau or frankly, no bra, because the fabric underneath is stretchy, and you won’t see a thing.
Price: $28
Abercrombie Ultra High Rise Ankle Straight Jean
There’s blah black jeans and then, there’s incredible-fitting black jeans. Abercrombie is making such flattering jeans for all of us non-6ft non-models, which is a real 180 from its origins. Their superb on rounder bellies, hips, and thighs and less than half the price of designer jeans. This particular pair flatters every curve we possess. They’re the jeans we tell every friend to buy.
Price: $90
A New Day™ Black Women's Skinny Belt
The tiny bit of gold detail at the waist is huge in this outfit.
And one little tip is if you buy a slimmer belt, it makes it much more incognito as a dupe and harder to tell it’s not real leather.
Price: $14
We’ll be honest with you though. The exact belt Kristen is wearing is very, very special, so we’re willing to break our own rule and link to it HERE, even though it makes the outfit more than $150. We bought it and have worn ours so much we’re pretty sure we have the cost down to 8 cents a wear.
Here is even a photo of one of us wearing the full duped look with the original belt and a favorite pair of black jeans she already owned:
See? We practice what we preach around here.
3. The FlAWLESS SKIRT LOOK THAT’S STUNNING ON CURVES
Why it works: For starters, black and white is the chicest color combination, but we have one rule about it that Demi is following beautifully in the above look which ensures it looks exquisite instead of like you’re a waiter. Any guesses? It’s to always wear the black on top and the white on the bottom. We can’t even fully explain the laws of the universe that make it so, but there it is.
And then, of course, the proportions of this outfit are unbelievable. We know it’s hard to make something look bad on Miss Moore, but a column skirt and whisper thin turtleneck are a dream combination on curves, because they make us look longer.
Pixie Market Nia Column Skirt
This is the kind of “quiet luxury” skirt that looks like it cost far, far more than we paid for it and like we paid extra to have it tailored to fit us perfectly. The shape is elongating and not so tight that it goes in at the bottom which accentuates bellies, hips, and thighs. This does the opposite. The color is also lovely, but we’re maybe most excited about those belt straps. More on that later.
Price: $88
J.Crew Tissue Crepe Turtleneck
Every winter, we write about this turtleneck, and every winter, it’s one of the biggest things people click on on our site. It’s just that whisper-soft staple, turtleneck that makes us look 4x more put together. At this price, it’s worth buying in multiple colors. But the black will make this particular look very polished.
Price: $19.50
Ayliss Braided Belt
Belting the skirt immediately makes it look “styled” and more expensive. The slimness and the detail on this particular belt won’t tip anyone off that we spent less on it than we did on lunch. At In n’ Out.
Price: $11
We know, we know. We skipped the trench. But we firmly believe most long coats (and likely one you already own) will work with this look, but if you must have the classic trench go HERE.
4. The Trench and Trousers
Why it works: How could it not work? On even our frumpiest, most bloated of days, a trouser and trench will make you look sophisticated and mysterious and like a present-day Katharine Hepburn. The addition of any white tee you and a sweater tied at the neck is a low-key kind of brilliance though. (Before you say it, we know we broke our own black/white rule on this look, but we swear it’s different when it’s just a liiiiittle white collar is peeking out). Amazingly, you don’t need to splurge to put this entire look together.
Tronjori Women High Waist Casual Wide Leg Pants
We have written entire articles about how good these pants are. Yes, for under $30. Yes, on Amazon.
Price: $28
Bernardo Modern Trench Coat
We’re sort of stunned by how many things this color goes with. And the price is outright bananas.
Price: $80
Quince Lightweight Cotton Cashmere V-Neck Sweater
We love that you can put this on over a tee and still show that “cool girl” sliver of white at the neckline or you can tie it just like Jennifer’s. By the way, we found a life-changing hack for how to do this HERE. It’s so heavenly soft with that hint of cashmere blended in.
Price: $30
5. This Perfectly Tailored Everyday Look
Why it works: We need to stop being so scared of cropped things. They’re not just for teens and twenty-somethings. They’re actually incredibly good for nipping your waist and making your legs look longer, and with high-waist pants, they don’t show a sliver of skin. When you pair a tailored little blazer with a tucked turtleneck and long bootleg jeans, you make your entire body look longer while complementing every curve you possess. It’s a glorious trick. Try it. We swear.
Levi's Women's 725 High Rise Bootcut Jeans
Levi’s has a library of amazingly priced jeans on Amazon, and the size range is incredible. A bootcut is the best shape to flatter hips and thighs, while the high waist smooths a belly pooch.
Price: $31
J.Crew Tissue Crepe Turtleneck
Is this the very same turtleneck we talked about above. Naturally! Like we said, capsule!
Price: $19.50
BONUS: THE SLEEK BROWN WINTER COAT
Why it works: Because we found the perfect one for under $150. Well under.
Bernardo Heritage Classic Wool Coat
The shape is that timeless, relaxed fit we adore and that’s ideal for layering. The rich cognac color simultaneously matches and elevates everything we wear. And of course, we still can’t believe the price.
Price: $114
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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