6 different examples to get your creativity flowing
Summer is just around the corner. Time to hit the road, soak up the sunshine and eat lots of ice cream. I have created 6 different 2023 summer capsule wardrobes. Whatever the occasion; long beach walks, al fresco dining, or spontaneous BBQs, you will have plenty of options for what to wear.
With the help of only 8 pieces of clothing, you can make lots of cute and on-trend outfits.
6 easy steps to create an epic 2023 summer capsule wardrobe
- Decide on a color palette.
- Decide on two or three “star pieces” (for an 8 pieces capsule wardrobe.)
- Make sure you have enough basic pieces to properly support your star pieces.
- Check so that your accessories match and highlight the clothes you have chosen.
- Shop for the missing pieces.
- Lay everything out and start creating and trying outfits.
Different styles, different wardrobes
There are two different aspects to take into consideration when you create a summer capsule wardrobe. The first one is which style you want to pick.
In my 6 creations, I have chosen 6 distinctively different styles to illustrate this point.
Take a look and decide which style is going to be yours.
When you decide on a style you also pick the accessories to match that specific style, thus you get a cohesive capsule wardrobe where the accessories highlight all the different clothes you have picked.
The second aspect is deciding on a color scheme
I know it can be hard to choose just one style, you are probably feeling both feminine and edgy.
Another smart way to tie your capsule wardrobe together is to use a color palette.
For 8 pieces of clothing, I recommend choosing a maximum of 3 colors.
If you go for 16 pieces of clothes, you could potentially choose 6 colors. But fewer colors will make the capsule wardrobe more functional.
Star pieces
Many people make the mistake of creating a capsule wardrobe that’s too basic.
As a result, their outfits don’t reflect the joy and creativity of summer.
As to not fall into this trap I recommend consciously choosing 2 or 3 star pieces for every 8 pieces of clothing.
With the word “star piece” I mean those clothes that have the ability to make a whole outfit. They are the clothes people always compliment you on or ask “Where did you get that?”
In a star piece, you feel like a star.
Basic pieces
Some people make the mistake of choosing too many star pieces. The result is the dreaded “Nothing works together” situation.
They simply don’t have enough basic pieces to properly support their star pieces.
Make sure you find the right balance and you will have an epic 2023 summer capsule wardrobe. 30 percent star pieces is a good number to aim at. But as you will see in my examples, some warderobs just have one or two star pieces, while other almost exclusively have star pieces.
Accessories
I do not include accessories in the number of clothes for these wardrobes. But do observe how the accessories highlight the clothes, that’s one of the secrets to an amazing capsule wardrobe.
Learn more about creating epic outfits by reading my article What makes a great outfit.
Shop your closet
Ideally, you will be able to create a 2023 summer capsule wardrobe from the clothes you already own.
Well, with the addition of two or three new pieces, since you want to keep it fresh and modern.
I strongly recommend looking in vintage stores to find those missing pieces. Your style will be more original.
Traveling and capsule wardrobes
You might not want to create a capsule wardrobe for the whole summer, but whether you want it or not, every time you travel you automatically create a capsule wardrobe.
I hope this article will help you excel at packing. When you come home from a trip you should have used everything you packed.
If you want to create a spring capsule wardrobe, check out my article How to Build a 2023 spring capsule wardrobe.
1. The Preppy 2023 summer capsule wardrobe
Color palette: White. Red. Blue.
Star pieces: Blue blazer. Red cardigan. Blue tailored shorts.
Basic pieces: Printed cotton dress. Blue t-shirt. Breton top. White skirt. White linen pants.
Accessories: L.L. Bean tote. Converse. Red ray bans.
Preppy style is synonymies with summer. Think tennis lessons, sailing, and dark nights in the countryside.
Explore new trendy restaurants, make a picnic on the beach, and challenge your uncle and nieces to a game of boules. (Don’t let them win.)
Whatever the occasion, this capsule wardrobe has you looking wealthy and carefree.
2. The Feminine 2023 summer capsule wardrobe
Color palette: Cream. Light blue. White.
Star pieces: Printed dress. Silk pants. Printed long skirt. Bustier top.
Basic pieces: White relaxed tweed jacket. Cream ribbed top. White tank top. Cream scallop shorts.
Accessories: Light blue sandals. Light blue flats. Light blue summer bag.
When summer arrives, even the most minimalistic fashionista feels the urge to wear a dress, pick flowers and embrace colors.
Do lean into your femininity by dressing flirty.
Take dance lessons, seduce your date, hold hands, and enjoy the warm sunshine.
3. The classic 2023 summer capsule wardrobe
Color palette: Black. Grey. Denim blue.
Star pieces: Gingham top.
Basic pieces: Black dress. Black leather jacket. Grey cashmere weather. Grey tank top. Denim skirt. Denim shorts. Plain levis jeans.
Accessories: Black ray bans. Black ballerinas. Black sandals. Straw bag.
Keeping things classy and classic is the best recipe for a successful capsule wardrobe. (So not many starpieces in this warderob.)
These clothes work for a weekend in Rome as well as a road trip exploring the countryside.
They are classic for a reason, they just work.
You will always look chic and elegant. These are the kind of clothes that makes your personality shine and getting dressed in the morning becomes a no-brainer.
You are welcome.
4. The sexy 2023 summer capsule wardrobe
Color palette: Light beige. Different shades of pink.
Star pieces: Denim skirt with a high slit. Silky bomber jacket. Bustier top. Pink drapped dress. Sexy drapped top.
Basic pieces: Light pink levis jeans. Ribbed of the shoulder sweater. Pink short skirt.
Accessories: Light beige 90s bag. Light beige new balance sneakers. Light beige Ipanemas. Beach sarrong. Pink sunhat.
Are you feeling the desire to make this summer the hottest one in your life?
I support you in this very worthwhile mission. Book those festival tickets, make sure you sample all the hottest clubs, and meet lots of new people.
When you are hungover, chill and gossip at the beach club.
You are only young once.
(Yes, this waredrob,on the other hand, has a lot of star pieces. Thats how you get sex appeal.)
5. The tomboyish 2023 summer capsule wardrobe
Color palette: Denim. Military green. White.
Star pieces: Denim dungarees. Military green dress.
Basic pieces: Military jacket. White denim shirt. Striped top. Denim shorts. White t-shirt. Military green t-shirt.
Accessories: Denim blue cap. White platform vans. Military tote bag. Ray bans. Military green flat sandals.
Summer is all about connecting with nature and going on adventures. You want your clothes to be durable and cool. Borrowed from the boys is a trend that is here to stay.
Apple picking or skinny dipping, this wardrobe will serve you well.
Sometimes the sexiest clothes are the most unexpected, I think that is why we all love this style.
6. The edgy 2023 summer capsule wardrobe
Color palette: Black. White. Denim blue.
Star pieces: Black top with see trough detail. Black t-shirt with cut out detail. White knitted top.
Basic pieces: Denim jacket. Jeans with interesting detail. Paint splatterd t-shirt. (Feel free to make your own.) White skorts. Black long shirt.
Accessories: Cool earnings. Statment bag. PUV sandals. Golden goose sneakers.
Just because it’s summer you don’t need to abandon your cool girl style.
Whatever your profession, you are a Rockstar.
You like to express yourself through your clothes. Art and music are big sources of inspiration for you.
This wardrobe will make staying up late and being creative easy. When you need to catch up with a friend, just grab your denim jacket.
Paint, compose songs, and write the next On the Road or Farewell to Arms.
A Final Note
I think you get it now. Looking at examples always helps explain complex ideas. These 2023 summer capsule wardrobe are cohesive, fun and easy to wear. It all starts with choosing a color palete and deciding on a style.
If you are a bit older, you should also check out my article Summer capsule wardrobe for women over 40, summer 2023.
Decide what you need
You can also look at these examples to decide what type of clothes you want to include in your capsule warerob, do you need a denim skirt? Or a leather jacket? Or a cardigan?
When you have decide on the exact pieces you can plan which color you need to get them in.
All the clothes I have shown here are on trend for the summer of 2023, a lot of them are also timeless.
Go on a road trip, visit a museum, have a picnic, all while looking effortlessly chic.
Moa Ailert is the founder and editor-in-chief of Her Brilliant Friend.
She has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and plenty of insight into human psychology from traveling and living in different places around the world.
Moa is currently based in Portugal where she has a guesthouse; Villa dos Irmaos.
She has various websites, among others Ericeira Insider, but Her brilliant friend is her true passion project.
