A potential capsule wardrobe

As of late I have been obsessed with watching people on Youtube cleaning out their closets using the KonMari method and doing Project 333 wardrobes. Before that I already spent some time being mesmerized by people who establish capsule wardrobes. I know that I am no where near a minimalist, capsule wardrobe, however, there have been occasions when I had to make do with fewer clothing. Last year, I went on a trip and only allowed myself to take one big back pack with me and that is what inspired this post as well. I thought it would be fun to explore what my potential spring/ summer capsule wardrobe would look like.

In total I selected 10 pieces of clothing (minus accessories and shoes) that I think can make many different outfits as long as you keep putting them together in different ways. This is pretty much a recreation of my travel wardrobe last summer and it is my intention to create something similar for this year’s summer trip. The items selected account for both hot and cooler climates, but all useful during spring/ summer months. I honestly wouldn’t know how to create a capsule wardrobe with thick knits for winter. Below I will be showing you each item and explain why I picked exactly that item over something else and then I will be showing you some outfits as well. The picture above serves as a quick example of one potential outfit.

Black polka dot cropped blouse with tie front (Forever 21)

This blouse is a handy item to own. It can make for slightly dressier outfits when buttoned all the way up, but when the collar is loose, it gives off more of a flirty vibe. You can choose to not tie the front and simply tuck the front into a pair of shorts or pants to make it appear as if you’re wearing a normal button up shirt as well. All in all a versatile piece and because of the color scheme and print it is easy to style up.

Red boxy t-shirt (H&M)

I wanted to make sure I included a pop of color, as the bottoms are all fairly neutral, go with anything type items. With red being my favorite color, the choice for a red shirt was easily made. Because it is boxy you can simply wear it as is, but as the extra room allows you for tying or tucking this shirt in different ways you can shape it which ever way you’d like.

Stripy cropped top with 3 quarter length sleeves (H&M)

It’s nice to also have a longer sleeved shirt in your arsenal. I again went with a black & white pattern as it goes with anything and I find this shirt very easy to style up. In the first picture you can see it could be tucked or maybe tied around the waste with a belt to give a different top to a dress as well as it of course being a top that you can throw on with any pair of pants.

Grey tank top with printed roses (Sutherland)

A festival staple that really had seen the best of days and I chucked after taking this picture was this tank top. A sleeveless shirt is of course also a must have for spring/ summer time. This fabric is also very comfortable and easy to wear. And like the other tops I showed, this goes with nearly everything, especially if you keep the bottoms neutral.

Highwaisted denim shorts (H&M)

For those warmer days a pair of shorts cannot be left out. I opted for a basic denim pair so it would go with the brighter and more fun patterned tops. I chose a darker wash as it shows fewer stains and so could easily be worn more days in a row. When working with only a few items, this is a must as you need pieces you could potentially wear multiple days before washing them.

Highwaisted denim (Topshop Jamie jeans)

But you never know what the weather is like, so a pair of full length jeans is a must have as well. Again I went with a neutral, can got with anything type wash that can be worn multiple days and is pretty much hassle free. For both bottoms, I chose for highwaisted pieces so the tops could be more cropped which was necessary to make the tops even more versatile as you will see below.

Yellow & white striped dress (ZARA)

For dress options I went with a more dressy but fun and patterned dress as well as a more casual option which will be the next item. For my fun & dressy dress I went with a dress that flares out, has a low back, but is more conservative at the front. As you could see in the very first picture of this article it can easily be paired with both black and white tops that I showed above.

Black strappy dress (H&M)

A more casual dress is great for warmer weather as well as something you can just throw on. I went with a black dress as it is more neutral, meaning this could potentially be paired off with any top I showed above. Of course this dress can also be worn on its own, and if you’re very desperate you could always try to wear this as a top over one of the pairs of pants.

Thin grey hoodie (American Eagle Outfitters)

You never know how warm or cold it might be so to add the possibility of adding a layer of clothing without bulking up too much, I decided to put in this hoodie. Its neutral grey color means it can we worn with any top of dress I showed you. It can easily be tied around the waist as it’s not too bulky, which means you can bring this anywhere you go.

Denim jacket (Mango)

Finally, I opted for a piece of actual outerwear. A denim jacket is a staple in my spring/ summer wardrobe and it’s pretty much the only jacket I’ll wear during the season. Not only does the jacket go with any top or dress, but it can also be worn over the hoodie if things get really chilly. Plus, if you’re wearing this with the shorts or jeans, you’d instantly make for a double denim combo which is a trend that has not yet gone out of style.

Some potential outfits:

All tops can be worn with the shorts…

and the same goes for the full length jeans…

the dress can be turned into skirts by adding a shirt on top…

and the dresses can be turned into tops by putting with jeans and shorts.

All in all these 10 items can make at least 40 different outfits. That is if you count each item that can be worn separately, then add the hoodie, then add the jacket and wear them with just the jacket or both the hoodie and the jacket. If you’re traveling around for 3 weeks or so like I did last summer and I will be doing this summer, then 10 items is all you’ll need to last you through the entire trip. Just make sure you take some travel laundry detergent with you and you’re all good to go.

Which 10 items would you pick for your capsule wardrobe?