A Simple Summer Capsule Wardrobe For Women [2024] -

Are you building your first summer capsule wardrobe? Are you curious to know how to build one and what the point is? Or are you a seasoned capsule wardrobe builder and are interested to know what other’s are adding to their capsule this season? If so, this post is for you!

In this post I’m explaining how I build my capsule wardrobe, what I add each summer season, and what the whole point is. Spoiler alert, I save a ton of money and have less stress with this method of dressing. It’s fantastic. But there’s also a few things to keep in mind if this is your first time minimizing your wardrobe, and building your own summer capsule wardrobe. It’s not cut and dry like you see online, it’s often a difficult process to let go of your things and live with less- so this is your friendly warning. It’s not easy, but it’s so worth it.

If you simply want to see the items I’ve included in my summer capsule wardrobe, scroll to the end of this post to the gallery of images, I’ve linked them if you’re interested in shopping the pieces at no additional cost to you.

Why Build a Summer Capsule Wardrobe?

The reason and benefit to building a summer capsule wardrobe is the same as building a capsule wardrobe for any season. You save time, money, space, you get a better idea of what styles work best for you and which don’t, and ultimately you feel peace of mind and freedom knowing you never have to worry about what to wear. Everything you own works for your lifestyle. So if anything, create your own summer capsule wardrobe so you can enjoy what you have a life your life without spending so much time trying to get ready every morning. For a more detailed reason, I’ve written a post on why I started building my capsule wardrobes years ago.

I used to always pre-plan outfits for work and play to separate them from every day outfits. That way, when I wore these pieces and put outfits together they didn’t feel the same. But with the pandemic and working from home this method hasn’t been utilized, rather I’ve pivoted to casual outfits that can be worn for working from home, walks, in the garden, and for having a friend over-which is a rare occurrence.

My summer 2024 capsule wardrobe is smaller and more refined compared to previous years. I haven’t needed as many pieces since I work from home, and because of that they need to be versatile enough to be worn for nights out as well. With more versatility comes more outfit combinations and alas, more outfits!

If this is your first season putting together a capsule wardrobe and you also need outfits for work I have a work capsule wardrobe guide to help you, including a free downloadable checklist you can save right on your phone or desktop.

Now let’s get into it.

How Do You Build A Summer Capsule Wardrobe?

Whenever I start building my summer capsule wardrobe I always start off by thinking about:

What my lifestyle will be like during the summer season
How many pieces do I want my summer capsule wardrobe to consist of (there is no right number)
What pieces do I already own that I can use and where are the gaps
If buying new items to add what is my budget for this season and what brands fit into my budget
What multi-purpose pieces can I buy to fill in the gaps, versatility is key
Are accessories included or not
What is my preferred colour palette, am I adding in texture bold colours or patterns

So these are questions I consider before starting to build, but they don’t exactly answer how I build it. Here is a bullet point list of how I do it.

Store away winter clothes and any pieces that you won’t be including in your summer capsule wardrobe (if you don’t have room to store them find space in your closet to keep these items, if you don’t have closet space clothing racks from IKEA are really affordable so your summer capsule wardrobe could be put on a free standing rack). This will reduce a lot of clutter and leave you will nothing but summer clothes.
Gather the rest of your clothes (these being everything you want to include in your summer capsule wardrobe) in one place, I like to use a free standing rack or my bed where I lay everything down, and take a look at the styles and cuts of each piece.
Sort these clothes out by style. Denim pants in one pile, tank tops in another and so on. This helps visualize any gaps you may have, download the wardrobe list I created as a guide it outlines each clothing category of a fully functional and working wardrobe.
Write down any gaps, for example you might need a light cardigan, then write down brands and stores that are within your budget where you can buy these pieces from.
Fill in any gaps, this may take a few weeks depending on shipping of clothing etc. but once you have the gaps place them into your wardrobe and you’re done.
At this point you should be able to see your wardrobe as fully functional and wearable for everyday, plus versatile. You might have to adjust depending on new needs that come up (you might decide you want a pair of linen shorts) but that’s part of the process. Adjusting by addition and subtraction along the way is totally fine! Don’t beat yourself up about it. This is a learning process.

What Do You Need in a Summer Capsule Wardrobe?

Everyone’s style is different but here is a breakdown of what would typically be included in a summer capsule wardrobe.

Basics

Tank top
Short sleeve t-shirt
Fitted three quarter length shirt
Camisole
Light sweater
Button down

Layering Pieces

Cardigan
Denim jacket
Leather or suede jacket
Blazer

Bottoms

Denim shorts these are my favourite
Denim pants
Skirt long or short
Linen shorts
Cropped pant or paper bag pant
Kahki pant
Linen pant
Leggings

Other

Dress or dresses
Romper either pants or shorts style
Overalls
Two trendy pieces to keep things spicy and fresh

Some of the pieces I’ve included are meant to be brought into the fall such as a light cardigan and overalls, the real goal is to have as many multi seasonal pieces as possible with summer pieces into the mix such as a linen dress. You really get the most out of your wardrobe by having a 80-20 ratio of multi-seasonal to seasonal pieces.

Having multi-seasonal pieces hold a lot of functional, and monetary value! I mean, think about all the money you’ll save not having to fully restock your wardrobe every season!

What I’ve Included in My Summer Capsule Wardrobe

Starting with core pieces, these are basics that act as the foundation to an outfit. You build the rest of the outfit from these as a base.

Core Pieces and Basics

Camisole
Tank top
Light blazer
Denim shorts
Linen shorts
Leggings
Cotton sweat shorts (trust me)
Kahki pant
Linen pant
Skirt
Denim jeans – your choice of style
Cropped jacket
T-shirt
Light sweater

Statement Pieces, New Pieces and Thrifted

I like to add a few statement pieces to each capsule I create to keep things fresh, and fun. These are usually new pieces that are added each season, otherwise you’ll get bored of everything you have and impulse shop.

This aline skirt from Banana Republic and linen blazer from Everlane are classic styles with a twist that I’ll be wearing all season.
These shorts from Everlane are just the most comfortable and practical shorts for summer, I reach for them constantly.

I also like to have a few thrifted pieces to add character and texture to my wardrobe.

Summer Capsule Wardrobe Footwear

I’m a huge fan of simple, minimalist sandals for summer and never shy away from neutrals. Statement shoes are more difficult to style and I just prefer a simple style.

TKEES is my go-to for simple well made sandals. I’m not kidding when I say these are my favourite sandal brand and have been for a few years. Everything on the site is so minimalist and versatile, so comfortable and honestly the BEST every day summer sandal.

My Summer Capsule Wardrobe 2024 Favourites

Below you’ll find my most worn summer capsule wardrobe pieces in one place. Click on any image or bullet point below to shop!

Update: I normally link every item in my summer capsule wardrobe, but this year decided to only link what you’re able to shop, and instead provide more tips and lists to help you build out the rest of your summer wardrobe!

So that’s it for my summer capsule wardrobe for 2024. This process gets so much easier and more enjoyable the more I create them. See the collage below for a collective image of of everything together, and a better look at the overall colour palette.

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What is your favourite summer piece in your wardrobe right now?

A Simple Summer Capsule Wardrobe For Women [2024]

Why Build a Summer Capsule Wardrobe?

How Do You Build A Summer Capsule Wardrobe?