A minimalist year round capsule wardrobe
I’ve been obsessed with simplifying my wardrobe for over five years now and the capsule wardrobe side of my life has become a return feature on this blog.
The mindful style category is so popular I even created an ebook so I could help anyone looking to create their own version. It feels like the rest of the world has only increased its appetite for capsule wardrobes. They’re sustainable, more cost effective and take up a lot less space so I can easily see why. At heart I think we all want to find ourselves and we all want to feel a sense of ease when we get dressed in the morning.
Last time I wrote this post my wardrobe was at 32 pieces. It’s grown a little but not much. Pieces have worn out, have been outgrown or simply no longer feel like me. Now I’m up to 45 pieces and I feel really happy with the amount of clothes I own right now. If anything I think I may have a few too many. I wear everything but some pieces a lot more than others. One thing hasn’t changed since I began my capsule wardrobe adventure – I never get bored of owning less but better. As someone who is notoriously indecisive (I changed my wedding dress three times) that’s some going.
My first minimalist year round capsule wardrobe blog post is still my most read post and although I’ve been sharing my seasonal wardrobe updates ever since, it feels like time for a full overview. Having the privilege of being able to work with brands since starting my blog has undoubtedly had an influence on my wardrobe. This has been a strange stream of my work to navigate but ultimately, as long as I stay true to my values, I find this to be a great way to discover new brands I wish I’d known about before and share them with you too.
So let’s take a virtual spin around my rail. Here it is in full – my entire year round capsule wardrobe as it currently stands. Any item that is part of a previous campaign or has been gifted is clearly labelled. Affiliate links are marked with *. A lot of these items are old and or out of stock now so I’ve linked to similar items in these cases.
Tops
Turtle neck* – this has been with me for years. Really high quality and lots of Steve Jobs vibes. Kind of wish I’d got it in a light grey too.
Long sleeve stripe tee* – I love this top so much and I’m so angry with Cos for discontinuing it. It’s such a versatile piece.
White tee (gifted) – I’ve been through my fair share of white tees and come to the conclusion they’re never worth spending a lot of money on. This is a happy medium, quality material and I love the deep neck.
Short sleeve blouse – this was my first step away from more masculine and classic capsule wardrobe shirts. I’ve no plans to go back. I love a romantic blouse.
Cami* – I winced at the price of this when I bought it in New York but it turned out to be a smart buy. I’ve worn it on repeat every summer since I bought it and I’m seriously considering a lighter version for my summer wardrobe this year.
Long sleeve tee (gifted) – I’ve come to realised I love a long sleeve where possible. I feel so much more comfortable and they suit my unnaturally low body temperature.
Long sleeve blouse – similar to the short sleeve in that it adds a hint of romance but the longer sleeves and higher neck make it the go to throughout most of the year here in the UK
Light sweater (gifted) – I wish this had a v neck (because they make me look taller) but I love it all the same.
High neck sweater – cosy and soft without being too clingy. It’s taken me a long time to discover how I like my knitwear to look and feel but this one ticks all the boxes.
Roll neck sweater (sold out) – the shortness of this sweater is a blessing for me because it makes my legs look longer. I’ll wear it with something thin and plain underneath as it has lots of holes in it.
Long cardigan (sold out) – easy to throw on and perfect for when the weather is a bit warmer and a jumper would be too hot
Bottoms
Skinny jeans – I’ve tried to go without these a few times but I always come back to them. They’ve started to fade now but they’re still the perfect skinny jeans for petites.
Straight jeans – I’ve had a rocky relationship with jeans these last few years. I’ve convinced myself I’m not a jeans person at all only to fund myself struggling without them. I like jeans but I don’t love them. To look good they have to be uncomfortable and I’m still undecided about that.
Linen trousers (gifted) – these make me feel like an Agatha Christie character heading out to Egypt only to get caught up in a murder. They’re really comfortable and cool in the summer. Not too long either.
Wool trousers (sold out) – I always thought a tailored leg was the most flattering style for me until I gave wide leg a go. They’ve got a lovely high waist on them which is ideal for my body shape but I really need to bite the bullet and get the waist tailored too as it’s a bit gappy on both pairs.
Dresses
Jumpsuits (gifted) – I’ve paired these two together as they’re exactly the same only different colours.They’re the comfiest things I own and I wear them year round. They look just as good on their own with a pair of sandals as they do with a top underneath and a pair of Chelsea boots.
Linen dress (gifted) – strictly for spring and summer this is another piece I like to wear alone or with a top underneath. It’s not fitted and I find it to be really practical as well as comfy in hot weather.
Long sleeved lbd (sold out) – I’d perhaps class this as an occasion dress but I have also found myself wearing it to the pub for tea and when I go out with a friend.
Thin strap dress (sold out) – a summer and especially holiday go to for me that always makes me feel like I’ve stepped out of the 90s. It’s a truly timeless piece.
Sleeved dresses – another piece I have in two colours. I love both equally and if I had to wear one item all summer long it would be either of these. You choose, I don’t care.
Pinafore – this is one of my favourite pieces in my wardrobe. It’s so easy to throw over anything and always makes me feel like a potter.
Long sleeved dress – this is for when I want to dress up a little but I find it to be really versatile too. I’m as likely to wear it to an important meeting as I am on a date night to the cinema.
Slip dress – this is like the dress version of my cami. I love wearing this in the summer and throwing a cardigan over the top when it’s chilly.
Jackets & Coats
Blazer – This is another piece I don’t wear often and I definitely wouldn’t spend this much on this item now, but I do like knowing it’s there and it’s reliable for weddings or when I need to power dress
Waterproof parka (sold out) – I could get dropped off in the arctic and still be warm in this. I did just that last year when we visited Lapland.
Waterproof jacket (gifted) – I love the fisherman style cut of this coat and it’s great to have on hand when the weather is warmer but there are grey clouds in the sky
Long wool coat (sold out) – I maybe jumped the gun with this one and I’m unsure if it’s the most flattering coat for my size and shape but I do love wearing it and it keeps me really warm.
Accessories
Straw hat (gifted) – teamed with the linen trousers and I really am that Agatha Christie character
Mittens – practical and my preferred style on glove because I find they keep my hands warmer
Beret (sold out) – a recent addition this winter that I love love love and wear with everything winter appropriate.
Pom pom hat (sold out) – a more casual winter hat than my beret. I like to take this skiing with me and pop it on when I want to hide my hair in the winter.
Backpack – I have no idea how I went 31 years without a lovely backpack. My shoulders are so grateful I came to my senses.
Cross body bag – I don’t wear this very often but I like knowing it’s there when I need it and it never lets me down when I want to take little with me and feel dressy
Shoes
Clogs – these were a purchase last year and only ever intended to be worn for fancy occassions (of which I don’t go to very often) I maybe wish I’d bought them in a nude colour with a closed toe so they were more versatile. Still, I’m looking forward to experimenting with them again this summer. The low heel makes them uber comfy.
Trainers – I love how plain these trainers are and that they’re vegan yet you’d never know. They’re sturdy although they need cleaning quite a lot I find them to be a really classic versatile style.
Slider sandals – I’ve come to realise that wearing a skin toned shoe really does make me look taller. These are rarely off my feet in the summer. They’re so sturdy and versatile.
Welly boots (gifted) – a more practical version of the Chelsea boots for when it rains.
Brogues – My favourite winter shoe and I wish I’d gotten on the brogue bandwagon earlier. These are a quick and sure way to smarten up an outfit without feeling uncomfortable.
Espadrille slips (sold out) – I’ve been disappointed with how short the lifespan is for espadrilles but my love for them is yet to die. I wear these on repeat throughout the summer.
Pointed flats (sold out) – shoes with points help us short girls (I’m 5’2) look taller. Fact. I’m still wearing these in as they were really tough on my heels when I first wore them but I think they go great with jeans, trousers and even the jumpsuits.
Chelsea boots (sold out) – I bought these because I thought they were a capsule wardrobe must have. I’m not sure we’ll see another winter together because I haven’t worn them much since bringing my brogues into the mix but we’ll see.
And there you have it. That’s everything excluding hobby clothes and loungewear, which I’ve made separate videos on if you’d like a spin through those. Hope that helped you visualise how a year round capsule wardrobe works and be sure to have a go and composing some different outfits using the graphic above. There are so many options even with a select few pieces. Any questions, as always just let me know in the comments and I’ll do my best to help.
My capsule wardrobe has taken me years of trial and error to get to a point where I not only feel happy with the amount of pieces I have but also feel like it reflects my personal style and suits my life. I’ve learnt so much along the way and there’s a lot I wish I’d known when I was first starting out. More than I could ever fit into a blog post.
