My Vacation Capsule Wardrobe

Below are all of the items (minus rings, undies, pajamas, 2 pr flip flops) that I'll be taking on our trip next week to the California coast.  We will be gone 10 days and 9 nights.


5 bottoms: skinny blue jeans, white ankle pants, black skinny jeans, khaki jeans, khaki knee length shorts

7 tops:  3 long sleeved tees, one 3/4 length sleeved tee, 1 short sleeved tee , 2 sleeveless tops

(Below is the 3/4 length sleeved black tee w/ the 4th scarf)

*Edit:  At time of packing, I eliminated the golden striped long sleeved tee from my travel wardrobe.

*Edit: At time of packing, I eliminated the tan sweatshirt from my travel wardrobe.

5 shoes:  white sneakers, black sandals, cognac brown wedge sandals, dark gray flip flops, brown flip flops (forgot to photograph the flip flops)

accessories:  4 scarves, 2 necklaces, 2 earrings, 1 black bracelet set, 1 brown bracelet set, 1 brown belt and 1 purse

 

3 layering pieces:  black cardigan, tan zip up jacket, black hooded windbreaker/rain jacket

I will be wearing to travel:  blue skinny jeans, dark blue long sleeved tee, necklace, (maybe blue/green/brown striped scarf?), tan jacket, sneakers.

Everything else will fit in my carry on suitcase.
All the tops mix and match with all the pants.  The accessories will provide even more outfit variations.

This collection of pieces enabled me to maximize outfit options for the varied weather conditions and day to evening dressing. 
As I'd mentioned before...we will be in temperatures ranging from a low of maybe 52-58 degrees to daytime highs of around 64-70 degrees on part of our trip and the other part (inland and then more south) will have temperature ranges from low 70's up to 80-90 degrees.

Here are just some of the outfit combination possibilities:

*Edit:  At time of packing, I decided to eliminate the striped tee above and the tan sweatshirt below.  But all the other remaining tops will work with these bottoms and scarves.

Since all the tops match all the bottoms there are conceivably 35 possible outfits right there! (7 tops x 5  bottoms = 35 outfits) Even more outfit variations could be achieved if you mix and matched the shoes, jackets, and accessories with each top/bottom combination.
I was totally amazed at this!!!  
It's astounding what you can do with only 7 tops, 5 bottoms (that's only 12 actual clothing items!), and 4 scarves.
What an eye opener as to how many choices I could have with so few pieces.


I was really able to grasp the concept, and benefits, of a  capsule wardrobe after choosing these vacation pieces.
If I wanted to I could pretty much live in these items year round.  I would only have to add in a few more staple pieces, accessories, and a few more appropriate to season items and I'd have everything I need!
I am imagining I could make due very nicely with around 30 basic clothing pieces (tops/bottoms)...and certainly under 50.  If I had a 60 piece (tops/bottoms/cardigans) wardrobe that would mean I could get rid of about 3/4 of my total wardrobe and still have plenty.  
#future goals   :)


As far as my vacation wardrobe goes...I am realizing I could probably get by with even less clothes if I wanted to...but I think all of these things will fit in my bag and I'm uncertain about the weather, if I'll get too cold, and so on...so I think I'll just go ahead and take everything I've planned to be on the safe side and to give myself more options.(*At time of packing, I did eliminate 2 of the tops bringing my total # of tops to 7 instead of 9.)

What are your thoughts on minimizing and capsule wardrobes?

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