Capsule Wardrobe Guide: My Summer Essentials

With summer coming up, I thought it’d be fun to share my summer essentials. This doesn’t include accessories, but it will include shoes. Before we get into the list however, I want to point out that capsule wardrobes in general can definitely be tailored to your lifestyle and personal style preferences. If you’re more into bold, colorful choices, you can always opt for that in a pair of flats or sandals, or even in your tops or bottoms. 

Since I mentioned shoe styles first, I’d say a good pair of comfortable sandals is a must. I have 5 pairs that range from semi-fancy to casual. My most casual pair of sandals is a brown pair that I bought last year, and while I don’t remember where I got them from (I want to say DSW), they’ve definitely become my most worn shoe in the summer months. 

I feel like shorts are a universal staple as they are comfortable, plus they come in a lot of different colors and styles. If you don’t care for tight, skimpy shorts that are ripped, you could go for a bermuda short that typically hits you right above the knee. I personally like to go for ones that are of the everyday fit; not too short, but not too long either. 

I think the easiest outfit to throw on in the summer is a dress, and thankfully, this one category of clothing comes in lots of different patterns, styles and colors. You can really let your personal style shine when it comes to dresses, so whether you're into floral patterns, stripes, multicolored designs or something more neutral or simple, there’s something out there for everybody.  

Going back to shoes, I think another great staple in this category is a pair of flats that you can just slide on. I myself have a pair of nude, Sam Edelman mules that I got from TJ Maxx and I really love how versatile they are with the rest of my wardrobe. Now if you’re not into flats, that’s totally fine, but I personally like them as I don’t really care for high heels. 

You really can’t go wrong with a basic t-shirt in my opinion. I used to have a ton of graphic tees or ones with big logos on them, but for everyday options that can be dressed up or down, I’d say my go-to’s are my white t-shirt from Divinius, my pink linen shirt from ThredUp and a grey top I bought from TJ Maxx that I wear often (and throughout the other seasons). 

So while I don’t really wear skirts as much as I used to, I’d say an essential bottom for me is a pair of white jeans. I used to wear them to work a lot before they changed some of the dress code rules, so nowadays, I don’t have many chances to wear them. I do think they’d be nice though for a date night look, lunch out with a friend or even to a late night concert. There are a lot of ways you can dress up a pair of white jeans, and if you have some nice blouses with a light floral pattern, those would definitely work well with that kind of bottom.