With spring travel plans right around the corner, it seemed like the perfect time to help you get ready, by sharing the ultimate Spring Capsule Wardrobe for travel.
A capsule wardrobe is a small collection of clothing items that can be combined in different ways, to create tons of different looks. And trust me, it’s a lifesaver when you’re a fashion girl traveling with nothing but a carryon.
The real trouble when it comes to packing for spring travel is how different the temperatures can be throughout the day. It’s not quite warm enough, so you need to pack some layers.
In fact, packing a spring capsule wardrobe is all about the layers.
And a travel capsule wardrobe should be packed with travel in mind – it should include lightweight items, that don’t wrinkle easily, and that are suitable for the activities that you’ll be doing on your trip.
The purpose of creating a travel capsule wardrobe
You might be wondering why you should create a travel capsule in the first place… It really comes down to having a go-to collection of clothes that go well together and pack easily, which is going to make packing super-simple! Travel can get stressful when you’re trying to get everything ready to go. Make it that much easier by having your packing made easy.
If you already know that you can create endless outfits from just a few pieces, you can pack your bag without thinking twice about what to bring – and without overpacking!
This also means you can travel with just a carry on. Save money by not having to pay for a bag and cruise through the airport without having to wait in line to check your bag. And with so many horror stories of bags getting lost these days… it’s better to have your capsule wardrobe as opposed to no-wardrobe.
How many items should be in a spring capsule wardrobe?
There’s no magic number of items that you should have in a capsule wardrobe. It’s really up to you and the trip you’re going on. But a good rule of thumb is to aim for less than 20 pieces. After all, the purpose is using a limited number of items for an endless number of looks!
Since the purpose of a spring travel capsule wardrobe is travel, I recommend sticking to a limit of 15 pieces.
The 5–4–3–2–1 Method
There’s a good guideline that you can use for creating your capsule. It’s called the 5-4-3-2-1 rule. In other words. Your capsule should include:
- 5 tops
- 4 bottoms
- 3 layering pieces (jackets, blazers or coats)
- 2 pairs of shoes
- 1 dress
5+4+3+2+1=15 pieces. Ta-da!
You can use the 5-4-3-2-1 rule as a general guideline, but feel free to switch up the numbers of each type of piece. For example, since I’m creating a spring capsule wardrobe, I’m going to include 2 dresses and 3 bottoms because everytime spring comes around I can’t wait to pull out my dresses.
You can also base this on where you’re going. Maybe you’ll be out for drinks a few times so you’ll want more dresses or it’s very warm where you’re going so you need fewer layering pieces.
How to create a spring travel capsule wardrobe
The biggest thing to consider here is where you’re going. Everyone’s going to pack a little differently depending on where in the world they’re headed. So you’ll need to start by doing a bit of planning.
Are you going to be relaxing or adventuring? Do you need to include an outfit for a night out or will you be spending most of your time in a swimsuit?
Spend a few minutes researching your destination and planning what you might want to do while you’re there. Once you have that in mind, you’ll be ready to start planning your spring capsule wardrobe.
The spring capsule wardrobe that I’m featuring here includes all of my favorite pieces that are out now, so they’re ready to travel in 2023. I’ve included incredibly versatile and packable items, so they’re perfect pieces to add to your carry on for spring.
The capsule here is perfect for sightseeing, exploring and visiting friends or family. It’s a destination neutral capsule, in terms of being perfect for any city travel in spring. If you’re going on a beach vacation this spring, steal this beach vacation capsule wardrobe instead!
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What to include in a spring capsule wardrobe
The goal with this spring capsule wardrobe was to reflect spring! I wanted to offer you a refreshed look that is what you normally associate with this time of year. For any capsule wardrobe, it’s always best to stick with a neutral color palette so that items can be combined in various ways without clashing.
Think about using lots of creams, blacks and jeans are your main pieces and pick accent colors that will go well together.
Tops
Spring weather can vary a lot in the spring. For that reason, it’s important with a spring capsule wardrobe to include short and long sleeved tops. When it comes to creating a capsule wardrobe, I always look for tops that have some element of detail to keep them visually appealing, but they’re still fairly simple tops. You can explore unique textures, necklines or a pattern (as long as it doesn’t clash with your other outfits).
Exploring style with simple details is a way to keep your outfits simple but not boring – which helps overall with mixing and matching.
White Short Sleeve
A white short sleeve is an essential in every wardrobe, but especially spring (when layering is key!)
Black Short Sleeve
And because I loved in white so much – I thought for this capsule, it’s perfect in black as well.
Having two staple t-shirts that you can dress up in your capsule are really going to help you feel like you always have something to wear. The thing with a capsule wardrobe is that things can be simple! You’ll always be able to dress up the perfect t-shirt.
Slightly Brown Tank Top
For this spring capsule, I wanted to bring you a couple of colors – and brown is very ‘in’ this season.
Blossom Pearly Top
This top is beautiful for spring. It’s long sleeve, but lightweight making it ideal for this season.
Long Sleeve Top
Lastly, a dressier long sleeve top. This top pairs well with jeans for your day of adventures and then a skirt for dinner out.
Bottoms
For bottoms, I wanted to provide a few different options that can really change your looks. I went with a pair of classic jeans – because every capsule wardrobe needs that pair of jeans that you love.
Then, since it’s spring and the days are getting warmer, I decided to include white linen pants. These are my favorite pants to travel with because they are so comfortable, they don’t really get wrinkled and they do feel so perfectly spring! They’re even slightly off-white which helps them match everything else you’re taking.
Lastly I wanted to add a skirt that was versatile, would go with everything, and that didn’t wrinkle easily. That’s why I chose a simple, pleated black skirt.
White Linen Pants
I love white linen pants and firmly believe that every woman should own a pair.
Jeans
I love these jeans paired with everything else chosen for this capsule!
Classic Skirt
For spring, I’m usually dying to pull out all of my skirts and dresses, but when traveling you need to pack light! Make sure to bring a skirt that goes with everything.
Dresses
I chose to go with dresses in black and white. Both can be worn day and night, paired with sneakers or heels, but the white dress is definitely a winner for a nice meal out while you’re on your vacation. It’s a gorgeous dress that is so flattering on as well.
Simple Black Dress
This dress is so flattering! It’s definitely a must-have for spring travel.
(Especially if you’re coming to New York to see the cherry blossoms!) I’ve decided to include two dresses in this capsule though because Spring is finally the season where you can start wearing dresses again!
White Dress
This dress is very different from the last, but still beautiful! It’s one of my favorite dresses to travel with.
Jackets
Your jackets have to be able to go with everything! That’s why I went with 3 staple jackets that everyone should have in their everyday wardrobe. A black blazer you can style up or down, a leather jacket I’ve been loving and of course, a classic jean jacket.
Denim Jacket
Denim jackets have never gone out of style! If you’ve been looking for a reason to get one, look no further!
Classic Blazer
I haven’t created a single capsule wardrobe that doesn’t include a classic blazer. It’s my top wardrobe staple.
Leather Jacket
Spring is a great time of year to layer with your favorite leather jacket!
Shoes
Simple white sneakers are definitely a must for a spring travel capsule wardrobe because they’re perfect for walking and exploring everywhere. You can wear them with any of the jeans, skirts or dresses in this travel capsule. And when you need to dress up, a simple pair of neutral heels!
Classic Sneakers
When traveling, you always want to make sure you have one comfortable pair of shoes for shopping and exploring downtown with.
Heels
This pair of heels is so comfortable, you’ll forget that you’re wearing them.
Accessories
Arguably the most important part of any capsule wardrobe is the accessories! Accessories are one way that you’ll really be able to make your outfits stand out, and you’ll feel dressier than you normally would without accessories. I’ve specifically chosen accessories for this spring capsule wardrobe that can go with each piece, and that will accent and dress your outfits up.
Gold Earrings
I love a heavy gold hoop, they’re a beautiful way to dress up any outfit.
Gold Necklace
A beautifully simple gold necklace that you can wear everyday.
Silver Earrings
If you’re more of a silver girly, these earrings are a must-have!
Silver Necklace
Another beautiful necklace (for my silver jewelry girlies!)
Black Bag
Purses are my love language. This quilted black bag is the perfect accessory to every outfit in this spring travel capsule.
Neutral Tote Bag
The Classic Tote bag. It also doubles as your carryon for the flight and actually holds everything you need!
White Bag
Lastly, the ideal purse to take if you’re planning on going out for drinks, date night or brunch in the city!
What to wear on the plane
I always recommend you wear your bulkiest items on the plane, and make sure you dress in layers. In this specific spring travel capsule wardrobe, I would wear jeans with one of the t-shirts on the plane, with my white sneakers and leather jacket. That’s going to leave plenty of room in your suitcase for packing everything else nicely.
Where are you traveling this spring? If it’s a beach destination or a resort vacation, I’ve created specific capsules just for you! Dive into the rest of my capsule wardrobes here.
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