I’m finally back with my full summer 2019 capsule wardrobe! It’s been a busy month, but I finally got to putting it all together. It’s definitely summer weather here now, so it’s just in time!
To be honest, I’ve been struggling with my capsule wardrobe a little bit lately. I feel like my closet has grown, and I’m finding it hard to keep it to a minimum. I’ve been working with a lot of amazing brands especially recently, which I feel so lucky to be able to do! But at the same time, I feel like I’ve been inundated with ‘stuff’, and even though I love it, it feels too close to old habits. At the end of the day, I am doing this to live more simply and consume less, so moving forward I need to find a better balance.
To that end, there are two events in the slow fashion community coming up over summer which I will be participating in. The first is No Buy July (#nobuyjuly on Instagram) where I buy nothing but necessities for the month of July. The second is Slow Fashion Season (@slowfashionseason on Instagram) which starts today and runs for three months until Sept 21. The idea is to not purchase any new clothing or accessories, but instead turn to slower alternatives like secondhand shopping or making things yourself. So aside from a few collaborations that I have already planned for the next couple of weeks, I’m not going to be bringing in anything new to my home for three months. I’d love if you joined in either or both of these challenges along with me – let me know in the comments if you’re participating!
My Summer 2019 Capsule Wardrobe
My summer capsule this year has changed quite a bit compared to last year. In 2018 I went for a very minimalist vibe, with a neutral colour palette and lots of contrasting black and white. While I still included a lot of the same items, this year I feel like my capsule is a lot softer and more ‘me’. I went for a lot of linen and woven textures, and I added a few summery pops of gold and blush to brighten things up.
This time around I also created a Pinterest mood board specific to my summer capsule. It includes colours, textures, and outfits as well as just general inspiration that speaks to what I’m really going for. I normally have a general style board for all seasons, but I think having a specific source of inspiration for each capsule will help me stay focused and prioritize items moving forward.
Item List by Category (in order from top to bottom, left to right):
Tops
- Basic tees – old Aritzia (similar here)
- Yellow tee – thrifted
- Blush tee – Everlane*
- Black linen tee – Everlane*
- Linen tank – self-made (free pattern here)
- Tie-front blouse – old Aritzia
- Yellow blouse – thrifted (originally by Zara)
- Wrap blouse – Skye*
- White button up – Tradlands*
- Denim button up – thrifted (originally by Gap)
- Striped top – old Everlane (similar here)
- Black linen button-up – Everlane*
Bottoms
- Light denim – AGOLDE (or similar here)
- Black trousers – old Aritzia (similar here)
- Wide leg pants (black) – Everlane*
- Wide leg pants (stone) – Everlane*
- Dress pants – Skye*
- Denim shorts – Frank & Oak* (similar here)
- Linen shorts – old Aritzia
Dresses
- Black dress – old Aritzia (similar here)
- White dress – thrifted (originally by Gap)
- Tee dress – Solika
- Shirt dress – thrifted (originally by Patagonia, similar here)
- Jumpsuit – old Aritzia (similar here)
Jackets
- Black trench – old American Vintage
- Denim jacket – old Zara (similar here)
Accessories
- Swimsuit – Galamaar*
- Scarf – Cleobella* (from Spring Causebox)
- Hat – old Aritzia
- Side bag – O MY BAG*
- Woven circle bag – Samara
- Tote – Everlane*
- Sunglasses – Ray-Ban
- Belt – old Aritzia
Shoes
- Sneakers – Veja
- Sandals – old Joe Fresh
- Birkenstocks
- Mules – Nisolo
- Huaraches – Nisolo*
- Espadrilles – Angarde*
- Heels – old Aldo (similar here)
*Denotes items that were gifted to me by a brand.
Wish List:
Because I’m doing No Buy July and Slow Fashion Season, I won’t be purchasing any new clothing for the next 3 months. But if I were going to add a few new items for summer, here’s what would be on my wish list.
- Square linen jacket – love the hemp utility jacket by Back Beat Rags; this was on my spring wish list as well
- Canvas pants – similar to these ones by Elizabeth Suzann or Everlane; these have been on my list for some time
- Top & skirt set – I fell in love with this pin I found (I think it is from an old Vetta Capsule collection); I think this would be a lovely, versatile set
- Linen pyjamas – I’m totally digging these loose, flowy ones by Deiji Studios for hot summer nights
Instead of buying these, I may try to sew some of them myself! I’m really getting back into sewing and would love if more of my wardrobe was self-made.
Outfit Ideas
Outfit 1
Outfit 2
Outfit 3
Outfit 4
Outfit 5
Outfit 6
Outfit 7
Outfit 8
Outfit 9
Outfit 10
Outfit 11
Outfit 12
I hope you enjoyed this post! Make sure to follow me on Instagram to see all of my daily looks over the next three months. Also, I’m planning on putting together a summer lookbook on my YouTube channel, so if that interests you, you can subscribe to me there! Finally, to follow along with all of my style inspiration, you can follow me over on Pinterest. And don’t forget to let me know if you’re joining in for No Buy July and/or Slow Fashion Season in the comments below.
Thanks for reading!
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I loved this blog post, very insightful! I definitely want to partake in the no buy July! It will be hard because I’ve been looking for a white button down for so long now, but I am finished with anything I had on my wishlist for summer! I love second hand shopping, it’s where I go first when looking for a specific item!
Loved your capsule, gave me some great ideas!
Thank you so much! So glad you’re joining in for No Buy July. I’ve already stopped shopping but I’m looking forward to seeing how the challenge goes over the month!
Will try no buying July
Yay! 🙂
I struggle with a capsule wardrobe because my job(hairstylist) and everyday(super busy mom) don’t match up. I like a simple classic yet functional comfortable for work…while outside if work I like classic and quirky pieces and accessories. I should add…I am new to the capsule wardrobe.
I struggled with my capsule in the beginning too – I wanted to get it ‘just right’ but it’s definitely evolved over time into something more ‘me’. It sounds like you’re on a great path though! I feel like you could have a very solid base of classic, functional pieces for work and everyday, and then a handful of pieces and accessories that are more quirky for outside work. It’s hard balancing between two things with a reduced wardrobe, but I’m sure you’ll find what works for you 🙂
I’m glad you mentioned the fact that you’re struggling with all the new items that have accumulated in your closet; I have been struggling with following/supporting “minimalist” blogs lately as it seems like you all just keep getting “gifted” all these amazing (expensive) items that 1. you end up making many followers feel like they need (which sort of goes against the point of your blogs?) and 2. many ordinary people probably can’t afford.
I appreciate that you have brought this up, but at this point I feel like so many of the clothing capsules aren’t even “capsules” at this point. When I look at everyone’s wardrobes, they change constantly from one season to the next and that’s discouraging because I thought the point was to only purchase what is NEEDED, however I have a hard time seeing anything that is similar.
Although I appreciate that you do thrift and make some of your clothes, I guess I am just saying I would like to see everyone do better at practicing what they are putting out there.
Thanks for your comment! I totally see your point, and you’ve hit the nail on the head with what I’ve been struggling with lately. I feel like on this journey my style has evolved a little since I’ve been so focused on it just as a side effect of creating capsules. So my seasonal changes reflect that. Normally when the seasons change I try to shop my wardrobe and just add a few new-to-me pieces. But lately because I’ve been working with so many brands, I’ve had an influx of more new pieces than normal. That’s why I’m really excited for the two summer challenges so that I can take a step back and try to find a better balance. I love working with amazing brands and sharing them with my followers to help them make better choices – but I also want to live by my values and not ‘sell out’. So there’s definitely a fine line in there somewhere that I need to find… All I can say is I’m not perfect but I’m very conscious of it and am making the effort to do better!
Just wanted to chime in here that I appreciate Allison’s comment and Emily’s reply. I thought they were both perfect examples of how we can state our opinions while being respectful/mindful that there is an actual person with feelings and convictions behind the computer screen.
Thank you! I’m all for having these kinds of open discussions and I agree – being able to do that with you guys in a respectful manner is so great. You’re all awesome 🙂
Love love love this capsule! Do you still have the linen shirt pattern? It isn’t available online anymore!
The link still works for me! Try this: https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/08/29/essential-linen-tank-tutorial/
This color scheme is exactly what I’ve been envisioning! Especially the combo of pink and mustard. Love it.
So glad you like it!