When we think about the core basics that are essential to a casual, yet stylish Winter look we think about these 8 essentials...and all (except one) are under $200! Great style does not come in the quantity of clothes in your closet but rather your ability to buy great pieces, layer them, mix them and reinvent them depending on the occasion. Here are our Winter must-haves:

First up, this cozy textured scarf by Wildfox. Wear it layer over a tee with a leather jacket and sneakers, or try it with a cashmere sweater, leather leggings and over the knee boots. Neutral enough to wear all of the time, while bold enough to add interest to any basic ensemble (plus it's on sale right now!)

Here we go with the Frame Denim again! But, truly one of our favorite denim lines and these bad boys are on major sale with almost all sizes left! The perfect color, the perfect amount of distressing and the perfect length...if Frame Denim is the brand for you, buy these now and wonder what you ever did without them later (keep in mind they are final sale).

The ONLY essentials we are including that are over $200(and barely)...these Isabel Marant look alikes are a non-negotiable. The perfect heel height to wear all day, they are the solution for the outfits when sneakers feel too casual, but high-heels don't seem right either. Wear them now with distressed jeans (above), a black cashmere sweater and the checked scarf(above) for a sohphistacted yet stylish outfit or try them in the Spring with a floral mini-dress. They will even look great with jean shorts and floaty peasant top in the Summer! Not only are they Winter essentials...they will be essential in Spring and Summer too!

And then there is the elusive "perfect white v-neck". Essential? Absolutely. Easy to find? A lot of trial and error.... We have tested most tees on the market and this is definitely one of our favorites. A deeper V, tissue soft cotton, and a longer length make this the perfect layering tool for all of your Winter knits and jackets.

Love, love, love! A little bit casual, a little bit luxe..this faux fur trimmed cardigan delivers a lot of style for under $100! Wear it with a white tee, distressed denim and booties, or try it with skinny leather leggings and high-tops..it's a must-have.

The perfect plaid shirt has endless possibilities. This one is cut a little more narrow than some of it's competitors, ensuring a more feminine look. We love it with skinny sweats and high-tops just as much as we love it tucked into flared denim with wedges. it is your prefect travel companion, and looks fantastic peeking out of a leather jacket or a fur vest.

And because no Winter Essentials list would be complete in our book without a pair of high-tops, we are sharing these Superega navy blue napa leather sneakers. Slightly more dressy than their canvas cousins, these awesome sneakers play nicely with everyone: skinny jeans and cashmere sweaters, distressed "girlfriend" denim and plaid shirts...they even enjoy stylish sweats and faux fur jackets. To all of you who aren't sure you can "pull off" the whole high-top thing...you can! It's a New Year, and your closet doesn't need more stuff...it needs better, more stylish stuff. It needs essentials that you will wear and pair with each other.

Now that you have your to-do list, get to it!