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The Pieces I’m Collecting for a Timeless Holiday Wardrobe
There’s something about the first few weeks of October that always makes me start thinking ahead to the holidays.
The velvet bows. The twinkle lights. Christmas music playing in the background while we’re home with the kids. Dressing up for holiday dinners, but also those cozy December mornings when we’re still in pajamas far longer than we probably should be.
And this year, I’m finding myself drawn to a holiday wardrobe that feels a little less trendy and a lot more timeless.
Think rich chocolate brown, deep burgundy, creamy ivory, touches of navy, classic tartan and plaid, beautiful knits, velvet, gold jewelry, and pieces that could just as easily have been worn for Christmas twenty years ago as they could today.
Basically, if it feels like it belongs in a classic Christmas movie—or tucked into a beautifully wrapped box under a Ralph Lauren Christmas tree—I’m probably interested.
Here are the pieces I’m starting to collect for the holiday season and the wardrobe I’m hoping to build around them.
The Holiday Color Palette
Before I start shopping for a season, I love having a loose color palette in mind. It makes getting dressed so much easier because suddenly everything works together.
For holiday 2026, mine is:
Creamy ivory
Chocolate brown
Oxblood and burgundy
Classic red
Navy
Evergreen
Camel
A little dusty blush
Gold
I still love the softer neutrals that have become such a big part of my wardrobe, but Christmas is one time of year when I really want to bring in those richer colors.
The result feels warm, nostalgic and elevated without looking overly themed.
1. The Perfect Holiday Sweater
If there is one category I know I’ll wear constantly from November through January, it’s sweaters.
I’m looking for knits that feel special enough to wear to a holiday lunch but comfortable enough for an afternoon at home with the kids.
A beautiful cream cable-knit sweater is at the very top of my list. I also love rich burgundy, chocolate brown and classic navy.
Paired with jeans and loafers, it works for everyday.
With trousers, a belt and gold jewelry, it immediately feels dressed up.
And tucked into a satin or plaid skirt? Perfect for Christmas.
I’ll be watching Abercrombie and Nordstrom especially closely for these pieces because both usually have such good options for elevated basics that I can wear long after the holidays are over.
2. A Great Pair of Dark Denim
I don't want to buy an entirely separate wardrobe just because it's Christmas.
Instead, I'm focusing on pieces I can style differently throughout the season.
A beautiful pair of dark-wash jeans is one of them.
Dark denim instantly feels a little more polished than the lighter washes I tend to reach for during spring and summer, and it looks so good with all of the deeper colors I'm loving right now.
My ideal holiday outfit is honestly pretty simple:
Dark denim, a cream sweater, brown or burgundy shoes, a structured bag and gold jewelry.
Add a red velvet bow and suddenly it feels like Christmas without wearing anything that actually screams Christmas.
3. The Chocolate Brown Moment
Chocolate brown has become one of my favorite neutrals, and I'm carrying it straight into the holidays.
I'm looking at chocolate trousers, sweaters, bags, belts and shoes because they work beautifully with cream, burgundy, blush and even traditional Christmas red.
It gives that classic holiday palette a softer, more elevated feel.
This is also one of the colors I know I'll continue wearing well into January and February, which makes these pieces much easier for me to justify.
4. A Plaid or Tartan Moment
I can't do Christmas without plaid.
But instead of buying lots of novelty Christmas pieces, I'm looking for one or two really beautiful plaid items that can become the statement.
Maybe it's a skirt.
Maybe it's trousers.
Maybe it's a beautiful scarf thrown over a camel coat.
I especially love tartans with navy, forest green, burgundy and cream because they feel traditional without becoming costume-y.
Paired with a simple ivory sweater and loafers, it's exactly the kind of holiday look I'm drawn to this year.
5. The Holiday Dress
There will absolutely be a few occasions when I want to get dressed up.
For those, I'm looking for dresses in velvet, satin and beautiful winter fabrics rather than something covered in sequins that I'll only wear once.
A deep burgundy velvet dress would be my dream holiday find.
I also love chocolate brown satin, classic black with gold accessories and even a soft dusty blush for something unexpected.
These are the pieces I'm keeping an eye out for at Nordstrom because I love being able to shop several different brands and price points in one place.
6. Pieces From The Styled Collection
Accessories are where I think a simple holiday wardrobe becomes really fun.
I'm especially excited to incorporate pieces from The Styled Collection into my holiday outfits this year.
Instead of needing an entirely different outfit for every party or event, I love the idea of starting with a really simple base—jeans and a sweater, a black dress, trousers and a knit—and changing the feeling with accessories.
A beautiful bag, statement earrings, layered gold jewelry or a great pair of shoes can completely transform something already hanging in your closet.
It's also exactly the kind of approach I'm trying to take this holiday season: buying fewer pieces, but choosing things that make everything else feel more special.
7. Loafers, Ballet Flats & Beautiful Boots
My shoe wishlist is surprisingly practical this year.
I'm looking for:
Loafers for everyday outfits.
Ballet flats for dresses and skirts.
Chocolate or cognac boots for colder days.
And potentially one really beautiful pair of holiday heels.
I've learned that if a shoe isn't comfortable enough for me to chase two little ones around in, I'm probably not going to wear it very often.
So even my dressier purchases need to work for real life.
8. A Classic Winter Coat
A great coat makes everything underneath it look better.
I'm especially drawn to camel, chocolate, navy and creamy ivory coats this season.
I'd rather invest in one beautiful coat that I can wear for years than several inexpensive ones that feel tied to a specific trend.
Throw it over leggings and a sweater for school drop-off or over a holiday dress for dinner, and somehow both outfits work.
9. Velvet Bows
This might be the least practical thing on my list, and I don't care.
I want velvet bows everywhere this Christmas.
In my hair.
In Madeline's hair.
On gifts.
On wreaths.
Probably tied onto things that absolutely do not need bows.
A burgundy, navy or classic red velvet bow with a simple sweater and jeans might be one of my favorite ways to make an everyday outfit feel festive.
10. Gold Jewelry
Gold jewelry is another category where I'm trying to collect pieces I can wear year-round rather than specifically “holiday” jewelry.
A beautiful pair of gold earrings, layered necklaces and a few bracelets can take the simplest sweater-and-jeans combination and make it feel finished.
This is another place where I'm excited to mix pieces I already own with a few new finds throughout the season.
My Holiday Outfit Formula
The more I think about holiday style this year, the more I realize I don't actually want dozens of different outfits.
I want a wardrobe where everything works together.
My formula is going to look something like:
Beautiful knit + dark denim or trousers + classic shoe + gold jewelry + one festive detail.
That festive detail might be velvet.
It might be plaid.
It might be a bow.
Or it might simply be a really beautiful red lip.
The point is that the outfit still feels like me.
What I'm Shopping First
If you're also starting to build your holiday wardrobe, I wouldn't buy everything at once.
I'm starting with the pieces I'll wear the most:
A cream sweater.
Dark denim.
Chocolate brown trousers.
A great pair of loafers.
One holiday dress.
A classic coat.
Gold accessories.
And one really fun plaid or velvet piece.
From there, I'll fill in gaps as holiday plans start landing on our calendar.
I'll be sharing the pieces I actually order, try on and keep throughout the season, along with holiday outfit ideas on Instagram and my ShopMy.
And because I'm trying to be more intentional about what comes into my closet, I'll also tell you when something isn't worth it.
A More Timeless Christmas
Maybe it's becoming a mom or maybe it's just the season of life I'm in, but I've been craving traditions lately.
I want Christmas to feel like Christmas.
I want Sinatra playing while we're decorating the tree. I want velvet ribbon tied onto packages. I want plaid pajamas, warm lights, beautiful greenery and the kids running through the house while we're trying to make all of those little moments feel magical.
And I think my wardrobe is reflecting that too.
Less chasing what's trending this December.
More collecting pieces I hope I'll still want to pull out years from now.
That's the holiday wardrobe I'm building this year—and I can't wait to share it with you as it comes together.
I'll continue updating this post with the pieces I'm actually purchasing and wearing throughout the 2026 holiday season.
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