With 2025 upon us, we’re in shopping mode for the upcoming year. Major trends from the S/S 25 runways are trickling into both retailers and the wardrobes of fashion insiders—including a shift toward opulent maximalism and soft romance and the rise of modern heirloom pieces and more considered purchases that are intended to be high-quality and long-lasting. So how is that translating to what fashion people are adding to their carts?
Interested in getting a preview of the exact pieces Who What Wear fashion editors will be wearing in 2025, I asked our team to share the items they will order this winter and favorites already sitting in their closets. Their picks include everything from investment-worthy outerwear and bags to directional finds that tap into the biggest trends of the season. Editors are also taking this as a moment to reflect on any shifts in their personal style and how that will impact their shopping picks for the year ahead. Here is the Who What Wear winter shopping list, put together by our editors.
While there are many new trends and takeaways from the S/S 25 runways, conversations about bringing back personal style hit home for me. It has pulled me back to references from my mood boards that feel true to how I like to dress. A head-to-toe camel look from a Ralph Lauren 2004 runway look is inspiring me to integrate more pieces from the color family, including a car coat and turtleneck to wear together or separately. A 2005 Balenciaga runway look has me planning to style outerwear with a faux-fur stole. An image of Grace Kelly in her go-to sunglasses from the 1950s is drawing me to classic tortoiseshell wayfarers. A film still of Lauren Hutton in American Gigolo always draws me back to the Bottega Veneta Lauren 1980 bag that was recently reissued. All of these references, and more, will continue to inspire how I'm getting dressed throughout 2025.
"Controversial opinion here: I think winter can be one of the chicest seasons to dress for. This season, in particular, is bringing more ways than we've ever had to craft an ensemble that's as warm as it is luxurious—pieces like capes, leather opera gloves, pillbox hats, and oxblood-hued accessories, just to name a few of them. In case you couldn't tell by now, elegance and a sense of retro glamour are my style North Stars at the moment, and I'm grateful that living in a city like NYC means that there are endless opportunities to dress up. And dress up is exactly what I plan to do this winter, with an emphasis on sophisticated and refined silhouettes."
"I'm going to be leaning hard into power dressing this winter, taking inspiration from Saint Laurent's S/S 25 collection (one of my favorites of the season). It's going to be about key pieces but also styling said finds in new ways. For example, adding a tie (Banana Republic has great options) to a sharp button-front and pairing it with cool dark-wash jeans like these from Madewell. I'm also interested in adding new colors to my winter ensemble like powder pink to keep my silhouettes fresh and forward. Oh, I also love the idea of tying a sweater over a longline coat. Of course, I can't forget about shoes and accessories. The polished Rodeo bag from Balenciaga is a dream finishing touch, and I'm into Vince's lace-up loafers."
"I'm really more of a summer or fall than a winter person, despite the fact that I've never known peace from winter in my life. (I grew up in windy Chicago and immediately moved to bitterly cold New York.) Even so, as I've gotten older, I've come to appreciate winter fashion, taking inspiration from old movies like Love Story and Charade whenever I'm feeling stumped about what to wear. Whatever season it is, I like the word classic to act as my backbone, choosing fun pieces here and there but mostly sticking with timeless buys that'll work year after year. Right now, the accessory on my mind is Alaïa's Le Teckel Clutch, a bag I took a three-hour train ride from London to Paris to see in person just a few weeks ago. It's perhaps one of the most elegant handbags I've ever seen up close. The only other really pricey item I'm eyeing at the moment is Prada's deconstructed skirt that I tried on at the SoHo store and fell in love with. It's super simple and tailored on one side and then completely daring on the other, creating tons of fun styling opportunities. A great coat, some French house slippers, a stellar pair of boots, and an easy polo-neck top that reminds me of Tom Ford–era Gucci round out my current shopping list for winter."
"I recently came across the 'use what I have' movement, and I'm absolutely loving it. It might sound like minimalism, but it's more about styling to me. I love the idea of taking things I already own, giving them a new life, and creating new memories in them. That's why a lot of my buys for 2025 are in the accessory category. It's always fun to watch how a different pair of shoes or cool sunglasses can reinvent something you've owned and been wearing for ages. Whether my purchases are investments or more affordable finds, I want to ask myself each time I'm going to swipe my credit card, How many wears am I really going to get out of this piece? In 2025, you'll see me wearing more but buying less—all thanks to the fact that good styling can make any closet feel endless."
"Rumor has it that the loud luxury fashion aesthetic is making its way into the spotlight, but I'm not going to give in to the trend. This winter, I'm committed to a minimalist capsule wardrobe that focuses on classic yet semi-modern, reliable pieces I can wear repeatedly and never tire of. This means opting for a high-V-neck sweater that is simple yet impactful, tailored trousers I can dress up and down, and a cinched wool coat that is polished and practical. Since accessories are the best way to elevate a look, I have my eye on a few key items: Mango's burgundy leather gloves, Bottega Veneta's new Sardine sunglasses, The Frankie Shop's crinkled pouch bag, and Toteme's mixed-material boots, which I am currently obsessed with—and everything else from the Stockholm-based brand."
