A Busy Mama's Favorite Fall and Winter Essentials

Confession time: I am a compulsive Amazon Prime member. My husband and I both! With the sweet deals and free two-day shipping, how can you not be? I can use the excuse that I live out in the country and 45 minutes from “town” – with the exception of our 500 population one-stop town 12 miles down the road – but I was this obsessed even when I lived right in the city.

For one, I just LOVE receiving packages. It’s like getting gifts! When I order more than one thing at a time I love when one arrives and I get to guess which one I’ve received. It’s so exciting. And of course, it’s much easier and quicker than going from store to store, especially when you need all different kinds of things and there aren’t many options in the area. And now that I have a little one, it’s that much more convenient. Read: life-saving.

If I didn’t get in enough trouble before with the easy one-click purchases, I might now. I just discovered the beautiful hidden treasure of clothes shopping via Amazon. Seriously?! How did I go this long without realizing I can find the cutest things to wear on my favorite shopping site. That plus my undying love for Target and I think I’m in trouble this fall and winter season. OR is it that I’ve found the golden ticket of affordable fashion and it’s not that I’m in trouble but in fact saved from spending loads of money on cold weather essentials ;) Yeah, that’s what I’ll tell my husband…

Fall is definitely my favorite season, especially for fashion, and I love winter as well. All my life I always loved the cold weather and desired to experience a "true" fall and winter season. Growing up in southern California and Florida, I really only had one season: HOT. Summer year 'round, pretty much. For some people, that's great. But I always longed for the four seasons. Changing and falling leaves, snow, blooming flowers, greenery for days... God must've really known my heart because I'm now married and putting down roots in just about the northern-most part of the country- northwest Minnesoooota. And every season is just breathtaking, and so exciting! 

While most people around here have lived here their whole lives and can think of many things to complain about no matter the time of year, I'm that person that truly enjoys every part of each season. This will be my third winter up north in the tundra and I'm only just now getting geared up with the right wardrobe. My first fall/winter I didn't have much for cold weather clothes and didn't really know how to shop for the coming seasons, so I just winged it. And froze most of the time. Last year I was about 8 months pregnant when the cold weather hit. At that point I wasn't buying much for clothes, other than a few basic essentials, like a thin coat that barely fit around my growing belly. Once my son came I was losing weight pretty rapidly and didn't want to spend much money on clothes that wouldn't fit me for long. THIS YEAR, I am pretty excited to indulge in all that is seasonal shopping. The first snowfall has hit and I am ready for the long snow-filled months ahead! (I am determined to do ALL the snow activities this year, now that I am not pregnant or recovering from birth to a 10 lb baby...)

SO, because I apparently think three seasons makes me a veteran, I put together a list and thought I would share some of my favorite fall and winter essentials with you all ;) 

Ever since I discovered my love for Amazon clothes shopping I’ve been forming a pretty sweet list as I build up my wardrobe. So here you have it- my Busy Mama’s Favorite Fall and Winter Essentials list! Because online shopping and the occasional (okay, weekly) beloved Target run are perfect for us busy mamas. I even included links for you guys to make it that much easier.

Enjoy! And happy shopping!

I believe the key to a good fall/winter wardrobe is: sweaters. Lots of cute, warm sweaters! From there, you can do anything- add a fun scarf, wear some cute tights or distressed jeans, maybe even a skirt, and dress it up with different boots. I also LOVE a fun, universal jacket! It's good to have options with shoes and jackets especially, so you can dress up for date night or just going out - and maybe sacrifice a little of the warmth factor if need be - or dress down for some fun in the snow, in which case you want to be as warm as possible.

1. Grey Sweater Tights

2. Oversized Crewneck Camel Sweater

3. Lace Up Rain Boots

4. Dark Stretchy Distressed Jeans

5. Black and White Plaid Blanket Scarf

6. Faux Leather Brown Hooded Moto Jacket

7. Vegan Suede Over the Knee Boots

8. Loose Knit Grey Pullover

9. Floral Mini Skirt

Sweaters, sweaters and more sweaters! You can never have too many. It's essentially the basis of your entire wardrobe for the next few months or so. It's good to have a few scarves and accessories to choose from, like my favorite hat of all time shown above, right from Darling Daughter Co. I promise I'm not being biased and trying to throw my own items in there- it really is my favorite!

1. Red Striped Pullover

2. Chunky Knit Khaki Cardigan

3. Oversized Off Shoulder Coffee Sweater

4. Black Panama Hat

5. Open Back Knit Burgundy Sweater

6. Navy Infinity Scarf

7. Open Front Faux Fur Hooded Light Grey Sweater

8. Red Plaid Blanket Scarf (Color Choice 'B')

9. Black Cropped Hoodie

It's good to change it up a bit with t-shirts and open sweaters and maxi dresses or skirts, too. This DDCO maxi dress is my all-time favorite thing in my closet right now; it is SO cute. AND it has buttons all the way down so it can be worn as a fun cardigan too! If you're blessed enough to live up north where it gets dang cold and windy, you NEED at least one good beanie and pair of gloves. It pays to get quality and comfort in this area. Same goes for a nice warm coat. Like I mentioned before, this is my third winter and I'm really just getting geared up. I FINALLY "splurged" and get a warm puffer coat with a fur hood and I am in LOVE. I've always wanted one and I'm so glad I found one that's both affordable AND freakin' cute! I was so surprised to find one, how flattering it is, and two, how warm it is. I will be playing with ALL the snow :)

1. Mustard Maxi Dress

2. White T-shirt Dress

3. Camel Maxi Skirt

4. Chunky Cable Knit Beanie

5. Khaki Ankle Bootie

6. Black Knitted Gloves

7. Black Fringe Kimono

8. Light Semi-Distressed Jeans

9. Black Puffer Jacket w/ Fur Hood

I could honestly make dozens of these lists, I love fall and winter fashion so much, but I tried to stick with the main essentials. I hope you found some goodies!

What are some of your favorite fall and winter essentials?