How to Create Your Summer Capsule Wardrobe | August

I’m very excited to be kicking off a new monthly series here on the blog as well as on IGTV! Each month I’m going to show you how you can create your own capsule wardrobe with clothes you already have in your closet that will help you keep up with that month’s trends without breaking the bank. Yes, please! For those of you who are like “what’s a capsule wardrobe”, I got you. The capsule wardrobe concept was inspired by the minimalism trend and is essentially like a mini wardrobe. You curate your closet with just a few pieces (typically between 10-20) that can be mixed and matched with each other to create a ton of looks you love. You get rid of the clutter, have only the pieces you really care about in front of you and don’t have to waste a ton of time in the morning figuring out what to wear as you sift through your overflowing closet. Now the purpose of this post is not to inspire you to actually throw out any clothes and completely commit to the capsule wardrobe (unless you really want to). I have two closets and a rack and I can still be easily convinced that I need more clothes. But I do love the idea of having that season’s top items at my fingertips. Obviously, during the summer you don’t exactly reach for your favorite winter coat and blanket scarf. By creating a capsule wardrobe with the clothes you already have each month you can still receive the benefits of being a clothing minimalist (more time to sleep in, knowing you already have great outfits ready to go, etc.) without actually having to get rid of your precious babies clothes. I love being able to pick out an outfit quickly and by creating a little capsule wardrobe every month I always have my favorite pieces for that time of year up front and center. Of course, you can feel free to purchase whatever you’d like to keep up with the latest trends but don’t feel like just because a new season rolls around you have to. The goal here is to have a small selection of items that you love for that month that allow you to create a variety of looks quickly. Obviously, you can also reach for additional items in your closet but trust me, you will love how easy this is! I filmed a cute video on IGTV where I went through all the pieces I chose for my August capsule wardrobe and the reasoning behind choosing them that you can check out here! If Youtube is more your style then click on the link below: 

How to Create a Summer Capsule Wardrobe

Keep scrolling to learn how you can create a summer capsule wardrobe!

THE ITEMS

One dress

I think every wardrobe, capsule or not, needs a good summer dress! You can go printed or solid here, whatever is your style but I would choose something that reflects the summer season. I personally pulled this adorable green wrap dress with a sunflower pattern and ruffle detailing. I love it because it can easily be dressed up or down (swap heels for sneakers) and has a nice color story that can be paired with a lot of the other items in my capsule wardrobe. Pick out a dress you love for summer that feels airy and light! Since you’ll be wearing this during the day and in the evening most likely, I wouldn’t choose something too form fitting or uncomfortable. A pretty maxi dress would also be a great option.

Three tops

Because it’s summer you’re probably going to want to opt for three tank or short sleeve style tops. I think no matter the style there are always 3 types of tops you want in your capsule wardrobe:

1. A solid

You want to be able to mix and match all of these items, which means you need some solids in there otherwise it will be pattern overload. A cute solid top like this gorgeous red wrap blouse I got from Express a few years ago will work with every other piece I’m adding to my wardrobe and also is a great pop of color.

2. A pattern

Duh! What’s a wardrobe without some fun? Patterns add contrast and a playful touch to any look. I chose this adorable wrap (why do I own so many wrap things??) crop top I got from H&M with green and navy stripes. I wear a lot of high waisted things so I love a good crop top. The blues and greens go well with the rest of my collection and are colorful without being too busy.

3. A neutral

Even a color loving gal like myself can appreciate the value of a good neutral. We need them to anchor our looks and give contrast to our brighter and bolder pieces. BUT, just because you need a neutral doesn’t mean you need a boring white tee (I actually love white t-shirts very much I regret saying that). I chose this fun white and black tank with lace and embroidered detailing. It gives some great boho beachy vibes and will go with everything.

Three bottoms

You can essentially pick whatever you’d like for the three bottoms in your capsule wardrobe, my only big piece of advice is to always include some denim. I think denim should be a non-negotiable staple in everyone’s wardrobe so if you want to reach for a denim mini skirt, some cutoffs or a great pair of jeans then do it girl! Here what I chose and why:

1. A distressed pair of jeans

Duh. I live in San Francisco where it’s typically cold af and pretty foggy most of the time during the summer. So I opted for one of my favorite pairs of vintage skinny jeans from Express. They’re distressed and light wash so they’re perfect for casual summer wear. Obviously, if you’re not in SF and actually experience real seasons then a pair of shorts might be more your style since I hear stepping outside of San Francisco means stepping into hell at the moment. 126 degrees?! What?! #thatsgoingtobeanoforme These jeans can be paired with any of the tops I chose and when styled correctly could be taken from concert in the park to happy hour with ease.

2. A comfy wrap skirt

Again with the wrapping, I know. I just love something that extenuates the waist and hugs the curves, what can I say? I pulled a gray midi wrap skirt that shows just the right amount of leg for a flirty option. It’s another great solid to add to my wardrobe and has a laid-back summertime feel. I’ll pair this with the crop top and sandals for a cute date night look.

3. A party pant

Okay, that’s not actually what these are called but aren’t they fun?! You could choose to reach for another skirt or pair of shorts but I love these lightweight striped pants for this time of year. Again, I live in San Francisco where summer isn’t really a thing but even in warmer weather, these trousers breathe like a dream. These will look sooo cute with the red wrap top but also are great for work! Plus they’re just such show stoppers. People know you mean BUSINESS in these pants!

Two jackets

For some of you, outerwear won’t even be an option because you’re literally melting buuuut, if it is then I would go light. I, of course, grabbed my basic denim jacket. It’s lightweight, has a great medium light wash and isn’t too fitted or oversized. Denim jackets just feel like summer, ya know? I grabbed another denim option but before you tell me to calm the eff down with all the denim already, it’s a totally different color and style. I love this green denim jacket with floral embroidery I picked up at Top Shop last year. It’s slightly oversized which adds great proportions to any outfit and it’s both edgy and feminine all at once. You know I am an embroidery freak so this jacket gets a lot of love. Plus the color of the flowers totally ties in with the other colors I have in my capsule wardrobe.

Three pairs of shoes

When choosing shoes you want to keep a few things in mind. 1. Picking shoes you can wear to work (aka not flip-flops) 2. shoes that are comfortable in any situation (aka not 7-inch stilettos) and 3. shoe options for casual and not so casual occasions. I chose a pair of flirty brown wedge sandals (a summer must have) that are great for a night out but are also cute for a summer picnic during the day. I can wear them with my jeans to dress them up or go all out with the floral dress. I also chose a pair of patterned blue flats from the Who What Wear collection at Target that I love! I wear these slip-on flats constantly because they’re comfortable and easy and they also add a pretty pop of blue to an outfit. I’ll pair these with my striped pants, rolled up and the red wrap top for some contrast. Finally, I chose a pair of sneakers because I believe they are another non-negotiable staple in everyone’s wardrobe. I picked my white and rose gold Adidas. I loooove white sneakers for summer and the rose gold adds a pretty feminine touch. I would totally pair these with my jeans, the white floral tank top and my green jacket for a cool “off duty” look.

Three accessories

You can obviously choose to incorporate any jewelry or other accessories you’d like but I wanted to choose three main pieces that I could mix with my capsule wardrobe effortlessly. I love a wide-brimmed hat for the warmer months and this black one from Forever 21 has received a lot of love over the years. This could essentially go with almost any look I create from my wardrobe and is the perfect solution to the fourth-day dirty hair dilemma! I also grabbed two handbags I can pair with my outfits. The first is a boho brown fringe cross body that’s the perfect daytime bag. It has a cute braided detail and surprisingly holds a lot for a little bag. The second purse is my beloved Henri Bendel Mini Rivington Tote in this gorgeous deep red color. I love this bag because it’s so versatile! The front pocket can actually be removed and used as a clutch! Thinking about how you can repurpose and reuse your items when building your capsule wardrobe will help give you even more options to mix and match. What do you want in your summer capsule wardrobe? Tell me in the comments! Xo, She