I can’t believe it’s time for a summer capsule wardrobe! It feels like just yesterday that I published my mini spring capsule wardrobe. The weather has been all over the place this past week so it’s very strange to be thinking about putting away my sweatshirts yet but the heat and humidity will be here soon enough.
Summer is not my favorite season but these cute pieces make it almost bearable. 🔥 The key to staying cool in the heat is to wear loose, flowy clothes made with natural fibers (cotton, silk, linen, etc.), or a mix of natural and synthetic materials (polyester, rayon).
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How Many Pieces In A Summer Capsule Wardrobe
When building a capsule wardrobe, start with 15-20 basic pieces. You may find that these are all the pieces you need but if not, it’s easier to add more items once you have your basics. Below is a good starting place for a casual summer capsule wardrobe.
- Neutral solid colored tops – white, gray, navy, black, etc.
- Patterned top with neutral colors – such as strips, polka dots, animal print or another simple, repeating pattern
- Colorful patterned/printed top – it’s easiest to mix and match if the top has at least 1 neutral color in it
- Neutral colored tank top
- Denim jacket – or other lightweight jacket
- Lightweight cardigan, wrap, or kimono – something you can wrap around yourself if you get cold in air conditioning
- White jean shorts or another neutral color you prefer
- Jean shorts
- Olive green shorts – if you don’t like shorts, then opt for skirts or lightweight pants
- A dress – something flowy and a bit on the casual side but could be dressed up with jewelry and heels
- Neutral colored sandal that is easy to slip on
- Sneakers that are comfortable but stylish – white sneakers are very classic and they’re having a moment right now
- Neutral colored sandals that you can walk in
- Pair of wedges or heels that can dress up your outfit
Shopping Links To Build A Summer Capsule Wardrobe
I like to include some shopping links for capsule wardrobes. I know not everyone is as adept at online shopping as others, so below are a few links to get you started. You can also buy pieces secondhand at thrift/charity shops or online secondhand stores like ThredUp. If you need help with buying secondhand clothes, check out my tips here.
Tops
- Neutral t-shirts – Nordstrom Everyday T-shirt || Old Navy luxe t-shirt || Hanes – Amazon || Daily Ritual – Amazon
- Patterned t-shirt – Old Navy luxe t-shirt || Caslon tank top – Nordstrom || Amazon long sleeve t-shirt
- Tank tops – Caslon – Nordstrom || Madwell Cotton tank – Nordstrom || Old Navy luxe tank
- Cardigan/Wrap/Kimono – Grace Karin – Amazon || UPF Cardigan – Amazon || Lightweight cardigan – Nordstrom || Old Navy || Another one from Old Navy || Patterned kimono – Amazon (very pretty colors)
- Denim jacket – Kut From the Kloth – Nordstrom || Old Navy || Wrangler – Amazon
- Utility jackets/other jackets – Caslon utility jacket – Nordstrom || Utility jacket – Amazon || Cargo jacket – Amazon || Old Navy – linen blend so it would be lightweight
- Dresses – Loveappella v-neck maxi dress – Nordstrom || Loveappella round v-neck maxi dress – Nordstrom || Billabong floral sundress – Nordstrom || Crewneck belted dress – Amazon || Floral v-neck dress – Amazon || Short-sleeve maxi dress – Amazon || Floral dress – Old Navy || Puff-sleeve dress – Old Navy || T-shirt dress – Old Navy
You might also be interested in Sun Protective Clothing For Women
Bottoms
- Denim shorts – Nordstrom boyfriend short 4″ || Kut From the Kloth 4″ – Nordstrom || Wit & Wisdom 13″ – Nordstrom || Old Navy 3″
- Olive shorts (& other colors) – NYD 8 1/2″ – Nordstrom || Caslon 2 1/2″ – Nordstrom || Wit & Wisdom 9″ – Nordstrom || Caslon 5 1/2″ – Nordstrom || Old Navy 7″ || Old Navy 3 1/2″
- White jean shorts – Daily Ritual 4″ – Amazon || Wit & Wisdom 9″ – Nordstrom || Kut From the Kloth 4″ – Nordstrom || Old Navy 7″ || Old Navy 9″
- Skirts (opt for lightweight, flowy skirts to keep cool) – Caslon linen blend skirt – Nordstrom || Zella skort – Nordstrom (skorts are back!) || Madewell wrap skirt – Nordstrom || Old Navy swing skirt || Old Navy midi skirt || Merokeety midi skirt – Amazon || Floerns midi skirt – Amazon
- Lightweight pants (if you don’t want to wear shorts) – Kut From the Kloth linen-blend pants – Nordstrom || Caslon linen-blend pants – Nordstrom || Caslon linen-blend joggers – Nordstrom || Linen-blend pants – Old Navy || Utility ankle pant – Old Navy || Wide-leg pants – Old Navy || Paper bag waist crop pant – Amazon || Linen-blend cropped pants – Amazon || Linen-blend relaxed fit pants – Amazon
You might also be interested in How To Style A Midi Skirt
Shoes
- White sneakers – Nautica – Amazon || Dr. Scholl’s – Amazon || Adidas – Nordstrom || Old Navy
- Neutral sandals – Sam Edelman – Nordstrom || Seychelles – Nordstrom || Sam Edelman embellished slide – Nordstrom || Sam Edelman – Amazon || Lucky Brand – Amazon || Splendid – Amazon || Old Navy
- Comfort sandals – CC Corso sandals – Nordstrom || Born slide sandals – Nordstrom || Born flip flop – Nordstrom || Vionic slingback sandals – Nordstrom || Rockport sling sandal – Amazon || Dr. Scholl’s – Amazon
- Wedges/heels – Naturalizer heeled sandals – Nordstrom || Steven Madden heeled sandals – Nordstrom || Lucky Brand heeled sandal – Amazon || Wedges – Old Navy
Now you have everything you need to make your own summer capsule wardrobe. Minimizing your wardrobe can make getting dressed so much easier
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