Spring/Summer Capsule Wardrobe

[FrenchFries2024]

As title really. Am trying to downsize my wardrobe to more quality pieces and fewer of them. What are your summer essentials please? I don’t think I will be able to get it to 20 items but maybe 40?? Then will try and do the same for autumn/winter. Will have to do it gradually as don’t have £££ to spare on clothing. The trouble is weather so changeable in UK right now all the seasons seem to be bleeding into one. TIA.

I think I’d go for something like this:

2 pairs of jeans - 1 dark and slimmer fit, 1 lighter and looser
2 pairs of loose or wide leg trousers, 1 patterned, 1 plain
2 dresses, whatever style suits you
1 skirt or shorts
1 loose shirt, maybe peasant style or oversized
6-8 vests and t-shirts
Denim jacket
Smarter jacket
Casual jacket or hoodie
Raincoat 🤦🏻

Pick a colour palette so that everything goes together without being too matchy - I wear mostly black, white, navy, khaki and pink. Obviously you’ll need footwear and bags too - maybe 1 sandals, 1 flipflops, 1 trainers plus a small crossbody of some sort and a bigger tote or backpack.

I find M&S good for basics, Matalan can have some surprisingly nice bits of you avoid all the polyester and Tu at Sainsburys is great. Happy shopping!

But my Summer wardrobe probably wouldn’t include the same items, in the same proportions, as yours, @FrenchFries2024.

You might be

An apprentice stonemason in your 20s.
Or a mother of small children and part time TA in your 30s.
Or an Oxford academic in your 40s.
Or a full time carer to an elderly relative in your 50s.
Or a rural tour guide in your 60s.
Or a lottery winner preparing for a new life of luxury boating around the North Sea in your 70s.
(I suspect if you were in your 80s or older you wouldn’t be asking here?)

They’d each have very different requirements - and budgets. I’ve had the experience of recommending £60 joggers to an OP who asked for ‘quality pieces’, only to face a barrage of abuse because she wanted to spend only half that. And sometimes people come to S&B with £1000 to spend on a single item - and are directed to Next. So it would help if you could be specific about what ‘quality’ means to you.

@Gruelle i am a mother of secondary age children with a full time professional job in my 40s. Need to be smart for work. But my work wardrobe is pretty sorted. This was more aimed at leisure clothes which I don’t tend to prioritise. Would want to spend £25 - £100 on each piece. That is quality at an affordable price to me! 😊😊Like chic and simple. Thank you.

Maybe look at invest in style on Instagram & Melissa Murrell. Lots of capsule wardrobe ideas at different price points. I agree though only you will know what you feel happy wearing and what suits your lifestyle. But a decent pair of linen/lightweight trousers & maybe a pair of shorts would be a good bet. Plus a couple of white vest tops & a linen/cotton shirt.

Also Emma Hill on YouTube is well worth watching for capsule wardrobe ideas & summer updates.