Easy 16 piece spring capsule wardrobe

I know I said I was going to event dressing this week, but as I’m currently having our bedroom and wardrobe areas renovated I had to pack away the majority of my clothes and am living with only a small selection for the next week so. This has forced me to really think about a capsule wardrobe. Now, I have to admit I like options, so relying on only a limited number of clothing items is not my natural instinct. I am definitely not a minimalist, but this has helped me to really work out what I wear most and how I can make looks using what I have to hand.

So, here’s basically what I’ve narrowed it down to. 16 pieces. There will be alternatives below each outfit, but these are my top items that are currently available. I haven’t included shoes or accessories because frankly that would be ridiculous, and I can access all my shoes, they are stacked in the bathroom, a girl has to have priorities and mine are my shoes.

PLAIN WHITE SHIRT: We have to start here. My favourite is from Boden, as previously discussed.
WHITE T‑SHIRT: I mean, obviously. I like this one from Sézane as you can monogram it.
BLACK T‑SHIRT: For balance, because you have to have the light with the dark.
BLUE STRIPE SHIRT: Very easy to wear, goes with loads of things. This one from WNU is a classic.
PRINTED T‑SHIRT: For when you want more than just plain. H&M does good value ones.
NEUTRAL JUMPER: Cream, taupe, camel, something simple like this from & Other Stories.
NAVY JUMPER/CARDIGAN: My go-to is this knitted jacket style from Sézane. Smart and comfortable.
RED CARDIGAN: I love a ‘pop of red’. I don’t love that phrase, but what else can we call it?
SWEATSHIRT: We had to have a sweatshirt, either printed or plain.
DENIM JACKET: Try a style other than the western for a change up.
KHAKI JACKET: Because khaki is a neutral but also adds colour.
BLACK BLAZER: An absolute must for smartening up any look.
SIMPLE BLACK DRESS: Or white I guess, but black is easier.
JEANS: Any style, but wide legs are my top choice.
SMART NAVY TROUSERS: COS do the best trousers on the high street.
KHAKI TROUSERS OR CHINOS: Something fairly lightweight for warmer days.

Now that we have picked our 16 items, let’s have a look at some outfits we can make.

OUTFIT 1.

I’m saying this could count for ‘business casual’. I keep hearing that phrase, but what does it even mean? Let’s say it means a crisp white shirt, navy trousers and loafers. Jacket for the added ‘casual’ part.

OUTFIT 2.

A dress! I promise I will be wearing and showing more dresses soon, but I need to be sure that it’s worth tanning the lower half of my legs first. I don’t want to be in tights in late April, that’s just not on. Also, some New Balance instead of Adidas for a change. But I’m sorry, not even Rishi can stop me from loving my Sambas.

OUTFIT 3.

Casual but a little bit preppy with your red cardigan and khaki trousers. Wear with some leopard ballet flats if your instep can cope with them.

OUTFIT 4.

I think this – even though it is the most simple of all the outfits – is my favourite. A classic black blazer, white shirt, good jeans and loafers will ALWAYS be stylish. Add a couple of ‘extra’ accessories to make it stand out, but the basics will be timeless.

OUTFIT 5.

Keeping it neutral and sticking with the LMD styling trick (that’s light, medium and dark for the uninitiated). Sandals are a bit previous, I know, but these Gala ones from Air & Grace sold out last summer, so get in early. I can confirm they are VERY comfortable and were my most worn pair of sandals last summer. I have since ordered the white version in anticipation of temperatures over 20 degrees.

OUTFIT 6.

A nice evening out? Just add your blazer to your simple black dress and then accessorise as if your life depends on it. Silver seems to be making a bit of a comeback. I still have a lot of my old silver jewellery. I kind of switched to gold as I got older, but I’ll be polishing up that silver for this summer.

OUTFIT 7.

I bought this Sézane Betty cardigan last year and it’s been a very useful addition to my wardrobe. It instantly smartens up an outfit and comes in lots of different colours. Good for layering too. I took it to LA and it was great for the couple of unseasonably cool days we had there.

OUTFIT 8.

The stripe shirt will go with all your trousers, and it’s also great in high summer worn with your shorts in the city. Kind of feels less ‘I’m at the beach’ than a T‑shirt.

OUTFIT 9.

Magazines always used to call this an ‘off duty’ look, but unless your work involves wearing a uniform, I’d call this ‘weekend casual, might just take the dog for a walk and then go to the pub for a bit’. Granted, that’s not so snappy. Let’s stick with ‘off duty’ then, shall we?

Now, I’m sure you can make at least five more outfits from these items, but we’ll be here all day and I’ve got an allotment to tend to, so I’ll let you have a think about what else you can do with what you have. I will really try to do some dresses and event outfits next week.

K x

WearsMyMoney

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