How to Create a Summer Capsule Wardrobe

Essentials, go-to’s, closet fail-safes, whatever you want to call them. They are the pieces that make up the backbone of your seasonal wardrobe. The workhorses, and the pieces that you will rely on day in and day out for your summer outfit rotation. The majority of a capsule wardrobe consists of classic pieces that will work for years rather than buying trendier items that need to be replaced more frequently, therefore creating a more sustainable closet of clothes. You can always add occasional seasonal trendy pieces that feel like you and keep a classic look modern and relevant.

What is a Capsule Wardrobe?

A capsule wardrobe consists of timeless separates in high quality fabrics that will serve you for years and always look effortless. The concept of a capsule wardrobe is to have pieces that fit you perfectly, are modern and stylish and are easily translated into multiple outfits. You should have seasonless pieces that will work well with your spring and summer wardrobe as well. And each person’s ideal capsule wardrobe will vary slightly depending on their style. The items I’ve listed below are what work for most. But if you are someone who wears jeans or pants everyday, than maybe you will have more of those vs skirts or dresses. There’s no magic formula, but the idea is to minimize the overwhelm when you’re getting dressed every day. And maximize ease and efficiency.

How Many Items in a capsule wardrobe?

I would say a summer capsule wardrobe would consist of 30-40 items , including items that you’ll need more than one of(t-shirts for example). What I don’t include in this count are the accessories (shoes, yes), but hats, jewelry, scarves, underwear, exercise clothes, pajamas and evening wear are not. And there is no rule around this number, it has to work for your lifestyle and needs, but I think trying to minimize what you have to choose from , especially if it fits all the criteria in the first paragraph, is a win win situation. I do think any number that is much higher than 40 takes away the benefits of a capsule wardrobe and once again creates indecision and overwhelm each morning.How nice would it be to know that everything you put on fits , is comfortable and makes you look and feel fabulous !

Remember that you have the flexibility to customize the pieces of clothing that you want in your capsule wardrobe. Clothing that fits your life, your style and your body.

Summer Capsule Wardrobe Checklist

A classic white shirt
A transitional blazer ( I love a linen blend)
S/S t-shirts in white, black + a color
Knit tank top (white, black and a color) Perfect for under a jacket or cardigan
A cardigan
A breton knit (classic navy and white stripe)
Lightweight Sweater (2)
Relaxed trouser
Straight-leg jeans - white and blue or black
Shorts - 1 denim pair, 1 tailored pair
LWD (little white dress)
2 summer dresses (maybe a knit tank dress, great for layering and a print)
Midi Skirt
2-3 blouses ( I like having one linen at least)
1-2 dressy blouses
A cardigan
Denim Jacket
Flat sandal (2)
Sandal with a heel (2)
Sneakers

My advice is not to get too hung up on the exact category numbers and focus more on the overall number and your unique needs.

If you begin with the end in mind, it will be much easier to create your capsule wardrobe and to know what the magic number of pieces is for you.

How Do You Start a Summer Capsule Wardrobe?

STEP ONE: Take everything out of your closet and classify it by -

Color (is it the right palette for your skin tone and the rest of your clothing?)
Fit
Your style
If you love it

Whatever doesn’t make the cut, separate it out and either donate it or put it in a section of your closet that makes it a maybe. Try to let go of reasons that you may hang on to an item, even though season after season it never sees the light of day. Some reasons (and I’ve done it myself) may be :

It was expensive
It was a gift from a loved one
It was a great deal

Try to think of your unique style…right now. How is this piece serving you? Does it just create clutter in your closet and most importantly, in your mind?

Step Two: With the pieces that you curate for your capsule wardrobe, take the time to check for wear and tear, if it needs alterations, and it feels current. Check for pills on sweaters as well.

Often we will purchase something trendy that we love and wear for a few years , until all of a sudden you’re not reaching for it anymore. It just doesn’t feel the same, or maybe you’ve replaced it with something similar without even realizing it, and a new piece is your preference.I can remember a cotton leopard short-sleeved shirt with a gathered neckline that I bought from H&M…I wore it to death with white bottoms for a few years. It was dark gray with black spots and I loved it .Because it was inexpensive, I expected it to fall apart before I got tired of it, but it didn’t . I realized at one point that I stopped pulling it out and including it in my outfit rotation, so I knew it was time to take it out of my closet and donate it.

A casual but chic weekend look put together with pieces from your capsule wardrobe. The skirt is neutral and can be paired with an endless number of colors and even dressed up for dinner with a dressier sandal and the gold shimmer wrap in the last mood board. It would also work with a simple t-shirt and sneakers.

This outfit combination is neutral and perfect for a business day, but the same pants and jacket could be paired with a silk camisole or blouse to dress it up for dinner. The sandal here is neutral and can be worn for daytime or could also be worn with the dress below. Accessories, as always, can change up the entire look of this outfit. You could add a sandal in a pop of color and a dressier bag, dress it down with white sneakers, or even pair it with a black loafer and a white button down…classic but modern and chic.

I love this dress, and it would be a great choice for one of the dresses in your capsule wardrobe (or of course something similar). It is an extremely flattering fit and I would wear this with flat sandals for daytime, on the weekends with sneakers and a cardigan or denim jacket, or like I have it styled here. It’s a perfect dress for travel as well. What elevates this for evening is the metallic sandal (which I recommend having in a summer evening capsule wardrobe), the statement earrings which are seasonless, the evening clutch, and the gold shimmer wrap. The wrap would be lovely even with jeans on a cooler evening. It’s just an elegant touch.

I love helping clients create capsule wardrobes! If you have any questions, or would like some help with yours, please reach out to me. You can find me at sara@sarajgriot.com or you can DM me directly on Instagram @sarajgriotstyle.