March 2026
Packing for a winter weekend, buying the right boots, and what I’m building next for my wardrobe data.
Welcome back. I snuck away to Montreal for a weekend last month and only packed a carry-on suitcase. It was a chillier climate than Connecticut and snow boots were required. Thankfully, Becky Malinsky graced us all with a much-needed snow boot newsletter and these Kamik boots were delivered two days before my trip.
Packing for cold weather presents quite a challenge—you need the right gear to stay warm so you can’t skimp on layering pieces or coats—but you don’t want to check a trunk for 3 days. Packing less means almost everything has to pull double duty. I ended up bringing:
one t-shirt (wore on the plane)
three turtlenecks
three sweaters (wore one on the plane)
three pairs of pants (wore one on the plane)
a skirt
two coats (wore one on the plane)
three pairs of shoes (wore one pair on the plane)
two swimsuits for spa time
one handbag
two scarves, a hat and gloves
And I had the same revelation I had in September—I like my outfits more on vacation.
One reason is that what I’m wearing must be purpose-oriented—keeping me warm while I’m exploring a new place. Since the weather was snowy I built everything around the black snow boots, and only packed pants that worked with those boots. Because the foundation of my outfit was already pre-decided, it made getting dressed so much easier.
Picking an outfit was simply asking, “How warm do I need to be?” and then layering turtlenecks, sweaters and scarves as needed. And since I packed very little, I focused on bringing my favorite items and most-worn knitwear. There were no “just in case” pieces.
The only real outfit decision I had to make was what to wear for a dressy dinner on Saturday night. I opted for a cashmere sweater (the same sweater I wore on the plane) with a skirt, low heels, and earrings. The skirt and shoes were the only items I only worn once on the trip.
In non-vacation life I have plenty of clothes—and I wear most of my closet—but having a lot of options means I may just be grabbing for the thing that’s at the top of the pile (or top of my mind) more than I realize. Having the restraint of a packed suitcase forced more styling from what I already love and wear, and this is exactly what I want to recreate at home.
This month I’m giving myself a monthly capsule wardrobe comprised of most-worn items from seasons past sprinkled with some least-worn items. Clothing is limited but accessories are unlimited so I can really focus on how I want to feel wearing these clothes again and again. Here’s a look at some of the items I’ve pulled aside for March. I’ve separated them out on a clothing rack so I can start with the capsule each morning when it’s time to get dressed.
This is also a sneak peek at the new wardrobe tool I’m in the process of building—more to come next month!
And with that, let’s take a look back at February.
The Addition
One of the largest gaps in my wardrobe is boots. The only rain boots I had until recently were my tall Hunter boots gathering dust in the garage. When it snows or rains, I relied (and ruined) sneakers or bumbled around in my tall rubber boots for small walking distances. These boots arrived just in time for a rain-filled week, and they were instantly comfortable and did not require any break-in period.
The Edit
No DIY this month but I’ve compiled a short list of some items I’m considering selling if they do not get any wear before July.
The Favorite
I bought this jacket secondhand years ago with the original purpose of only being worn for outdoor walks. I throw this jacket on almost daily to go to the gym or walk my dog but I’ve also started wearing it with non-activewear outfits this year. It’s very lightweight and has a lot of pockets so I don’t have to take a bag (did you hear that handbags are so over?). As I mentioned before, suburbs living that relies on car travel doesn’t mesh so well with long coats so cropped coats are my go-to. I’ve worn this jacket hundreds of times over the years and have worn it as part of my non-sportswear outfit 7 times just last month, including when I brought it on my Montreal trip.
See you next month!
Lauryn
Further Reading:
Love the idea of curating a capsule wardrobe for a set period! Constraints do help with creativity