Adapting My Capsule Wardrobe to Hot Weather: 70 Outfit Ideas.
I always show you how to adapt your capsule wardrobe to your new life changes, and today I’d like to show you how I’ve transitioned my own to a more suitable summer capsule wardrobe.
This summer capsule wardrobe was very different for me. As you might know, I’ve moved to Lisbon, Portugal and I am very happy about it.
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However, the hot weather here doesn't match the summer capsule wardrobe I had in Germany where it was suitable for the cold weather. I will probably have to rely on my autumn capsule wardrobe, but there are some months left to adjust before the cold weather sets in. So I will have to adjust my summer capsule wardrobe and all upcoming capsule wardrobes to a new climate and lifestyle in the upcoming seasons.
This blog post will show you how to adapt your capsule wardrobes to different lifestyle changes that you might encounter. My personal capsule wardrobe should serve as an example.
The methods I will show you don't have to be applied just to a transition to hot weather. They can be applied to your own changes and personal wardrobe.
How Can You Tell When It's Time to Update Your Capsule Wardrobe?
The weather here is very different from what I had in Germany. It’s warm, dry, and sunny every day in Lisbon, while in Germany it is rarely warm, mostly cloudy or rainy.
A big-city move like mine can be a good reason to update your capsule wardrobe. Cold weather changes can't be ignored either.
Another problem I often help my clients with is a change of jobs or a promotion.
You might have lost weight and your new capsule wardrobe needs adjusting. Or you gained weight and you need to adjust your capsule wardrobe to a more comfortable level. Entering motherhood is another big reason to start looking at updating your capsule wardrobe a bit. You need to make it more practical and comfortable for the years ahead, right?
No matter, what personal reasons you might have to update your capsule wardrobe there is always a way to start. And that is a wardrobe revision.
Capsule Wardrobe Revision Done Right
I’d like to give you a few practical tips and advice I’ve shared with Farfetch on how to do wardrobe decluttering, organization, and off-season clothing storage. They’ve worked for me, my Wonder Wardrobe students, and my clients for years. I’m sure you’ll find them useful.
I have seasonal capsules, I do wardrobe revisions, and only purchase clothes that go with everything else.
A clear sign that you should declutter your wardrobe is when you keep adding new items regularly, but still, wear less and less, or even go back to wearing the same old clothes you are used to.
What to Keep in Your Capsule Wardrobe
I would advise keeping clothes that make you feel happy, clothes that help self-expression, clothes that fit right, fabrics that do and feel good, clothes that allow mobility, clothes that make you forget you’re wearing them.
Of course, if they are not practical for the weather conditions you are currently experiencing, you should pack them out of sight for now.
What to Let Go of in Your Capsule Wardrobe
The clothes you should pass for now for your current capsule wardrobe are those that don’t fit you and need adjusting every minute, clothes that guilt trip you into exercising, clothes that hide your ‘flaws’, clothes that ‘flatter’ your body type, clothes that are too tight to allow natural movement, clothes you can’t wait to take off as soon as you’re home.
It should come as no surprise that you should also get rid of garments that are broken, stained, too small, too outdated.
Also, you can let go of clothing or shoes that don't suit your lifestyle/ comfort level anymore or garments that you can’t wear anywhere.
I teach Wonder Wardrobe students and show my clients how to do seasonal wardrobe revisions instead of decluttering. This keeps their closets organized, more functional and it lets them update some parts of their wardrobe with seasonal items.
If you do wardrobe revisions every season or at least 2 times per year you will not need to spend any time decluttering. Basically, it prevents clutter altogether.
What to Do With Unwanted Clothes
There are so many options one can consider for unwanted clothes nowadays.
The worst thing to do with old garments is to throw them away. Fashion waste is one of the biggest contributors to the global environmental crisis we’re currently facing. Let’s not add to it.
Thankfully, we have better options. There are tons of online stores where you can sell your old garments and get some money back.
If that’s too much of a hassle for you, donating them is another good option.
I would also suggest taking photos of your cleaned garments, asking your friends or colleagues to do the same, and kick off a sort of digital swap party.
If you’re still left with unwanted items, consider repurposing them with the help of local tailors. An old jacket can become a blazer, a skirt or so on.
The last good option available is to recycle your garments through your local recycling stations or stores.
Essential Items to Pay Special Attention To
I love going on long walks, so a pair of good shoes that go with mostly everything - like a ballerina shoe - is a staple of my wardrobe.
Besides this, I think everyone should have mood-boosting clothes in their closets, especially in these dark times we are all facing.
There are special items that don't go out of style. A good pair of jeans can last you over 5 years. Or one pair of ballerina shoes or comfortable sneakers. These might not be the best for warm weather, but can be perfect for a long walk in the evening.
The way we dress influences our mood. Knowing you can actively do something to improve your mood always helps.
You will know which clothes or colors I’m talking about when you put them on and can’t help but smile or feel elated. Warm weather or cold weather, I make sure my clothes always make me smile when I wear them.
How to Keep Things Tidy and Fresh After Your Wardrobe Decluttering
Once you’ve decluttered your wardrobe it’s time to divide everything by season, so you end up with 4 piles of clothes. It's time to do a packing list.
If you have only one kind of weather all year, you should still try to divide it into smaller parts. It's still a packing list, but more suitable to the capsule wardrobe you have now.
For now, focus only on the current season. Store away the rest of your garments and keep them away from your wardrobe until next season. The best storage solution for your clothes is one that protects them from dust, smells, is breathable, and not too bulky.
I’ve looked a lot into this topic and have created a storage bag that is a mix of Japanese Furoshiki wrapping techniques and Bento box. They’re made out of natural linen, come in multiple colors and sizes so they look great in open wardrobes or closed ones. You can see them in detail here.
Now that you're thinking you should do this, another great question to ask right now is the dreaded style question.
What Is My Personal Style? Will It Survive This Transition/ Adaptation?
How can you find your personal style?
Your style can be as classic or as intricate as you want it to be. Style evolves over the years, just as we wear more and our body changes. It always changes.
When you find your style, you can easily express many things about your character, lifestyle, and occupation. You finally feel confident in your body.
For more than 10 years I’ve helped women from all over the world identify and evolve their styles. This vast experience is at the core of The Style Harmony Class.
For example, you can go for a Classic style, but add some casual elements to it. Or you can feel represented by the simple, straight cuts of a Tomboy style, but the choice of materials can add a note of femininity.
How to Start Adapting Your Capsule Wardrobes
A few months before the Big Move, the first thing I did was take a closer look at my visual guide from last year's capsule wardrobe to see what I had and what I could adjust.
Even if this is not your case, any type of life change might make you consider using the tips in this video to do your own wardrobe transition and adapt it properly.
Seeing is Believing: Lay It All Out
The most obvious thing you can start with is laying out all your current clothes and shoes and doing an assessment. For example, I’ve noticed that most of my bottoms were long pants and I had only 1 pair of shorts. That I thought might be a problem.
Another problem was that I knew that some of my older pieces were no longer wearable. You’ll probably see this with some of your wardrobe pieces as well.
This white dress didn’t fit me anymore and these 2 dresses were stained and I couldn’t revive them. These green and camel t-shirts were also just too old and had some discoloration already.
So all these items had to be replaced, otherwise, I wouldn’t have enough to wear.
When you see this, note how many items you can’t wear anymore and set them aside.
Replace Smartly: Outfits over Clothes
The number of items you are looking to replace is very important as it will influence the number of outfits you can create for your upcoming capsule wardrobe.
Color, style, and fit will come into play here as you want all your new garments to fit with your old ones.
Check Twice, Buy Once
Before buying anything new, I also checked my Spring Capsule Wardrobe to see if I could move some items into my Summer wardrobe.
Of course, I didn’t have shorts there, but I had some light cotton pullovers, this cotton striped shirt, and this yellow blouse. I think I wore it more than anything!
The sweaters are also quite handy as it gets really windy here in the evening.
Here are the outfits for the beach.
I’ve completed them with some slides, with a beach bag and a sun hat.
They’re simply necessary for the beach or the pool. I should mention that you don’t need a separate bag for this purpose. An old tote bag will do just fine.
Remember Off-Season Clothes. They'll Save You Money.
At this point, I suggest going back to your packing list and or go through your off-season wardrobe to see what you can reuse from clothes you forgot you had or even didn’t think you might need for this upcoming capsule wardrobe.
I’m sure you’ll find some treasures that will cut your spending!
What I Bought for My New Summer Capsule Wardrobe.
As you'll see, taking my own advice saved me a lot of money. My summer capsule wardrobe didn't need that many clothes but it ended up creating 70 outfits nonetheless.
So the new items I added to my summer capsule wardrobe before I moved were: 1 shirt, 1 summer dress, 2 pairs of shorts, and a pair of wide-leg denim pants.
These shorts are more appropriate to wear in the city.
I love to pair them with the new shirt for a more sporty look. And the other pair of shorts is much lighter and it’s best to wear them to the beach or just around the house.
I also decided to add a very casual pair of light jeans. Even though I had a lot of long pants in my capsule wardrobe already, they were all way too fancy. I needed something much more casual for days when I had to pack, move boxes, carry them, and then unpack… All that moving fun stuff.
Don't Forget Those Practical Outfits!
Practicality is something you need to keep in mind no matter what type of capsule wardrobe transition you’re currently considering. Even for a summer capsule wardrobe, practicality is something I keep in mind, right there next to style.
Depending on your personal needs I would say you will need anywhere between 2-5 practical outfits.
How My Summer Capsule Wardrobe Will Change
Once I arrived in Portugal, I added 2 more pieces from one of my favorite shops in Lisbon where they sell clothing and shoes from local and small ethical labels.
So the first piece was this mustard jumpsuit. I think it’s the perfect everyday item.
I love to wear it with my hat and sandals to go explore the sunny city.
I already had a similar jumpsuit but it has much longer pants and long sleeves, so I’ll just keep it for the Autumn season instead.
You will also find wardrobe pieces that might be more suitable for a future capsule wardrobe. Set them aside and make a mental note.
I Couldn't Say No to a New Dress. Especially in Summer!
The second piece I needed to add was this amazing dress. It’s from a local designer Benedita Formosinho.
I love the structure of the dress, the pleated detail, open back, and strong shoulders.
I love to wear it when I have private consultations with my clients.
I feel beautiful in it. It’s a confidence booster.
Do you have any pieces that make you feel the same?
You’ll need some outfits that will elevate your mood or make you feel special. Consider that as well.
My Updated Summer Capsule Wardrobe
My updated summer capsule wardrobe now consists of 10 tops, 7 bottoms, 4 dresses, 1 jumpsuit, 1 blazer, 4 pairs of shoes, 3 bags, and 1 city backpack. When I mix all these items together I get at least 70 outfits.
That’s a good number of outfits for my new lifestyle needs.
So far I am very satisfied with my capsule wardrobe. I am wearing everything and never feel bored with it.
Even my longer pants are useful. I usually wear them in the evening when we go for a walk or for a late dinner.
RELATED ARTICLE: Create Great Looks with Vintage Fashion: 15 Outfit Ideas
Accessorise According to Your New Lifestyle.
I also added a few accessories.
I went to a local flea market which is situated in the old city district called Alfama.
I found this gorgeous bag that I thought would be great as a beach bag or even a city bag when I have to carry a lot of stuff like a camera, microphones, a water bottle, and so on.
In the same market, I also spotted this cute brooch and I couldn’t resist buying it.
I can’t imagine how many accessories you will need. That’s up to your needs and your personal style. Hit your local thrift store or flea markets for some great finds if you need them.
If you’re unsure how to accessorize I would suggest taking the Style Harmony Class. It will show you what your personal style is and how to bring it to life.
My Personal Advice on building a more Sustainable Capsule Wardrobe.
The most sustainable wardrobe is the one you love to wear all the time, the one that keeps you away from impulse shopping and it’s always ready to wear.
That’s why it’s essential to aim for versatility. Your old clothes and your new clothes should mix well into new outfits. This will increase your options and give you a strong start for the next season. That's what saved me a lot of money during this move from Germany to Portugal.
Pay Attention to Versatile Items
Take note of current items that can be worn through different seasons. This will lower your wardrobe investment costs. Some items can even be used the whole year, depending on your local weather.
If you feel you’re overwhelmed with the transition to a more sustainable wardrobe, it means you’re going too fast or missing some information.
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Let Me & Our Community Help You.
You can always check my blog or Youtube page for basic advice. If you want to get it right faster and feel like you’re part of a community that does this regularly and is supportive and helpful, enroll in the Wonder Wardrobe Video Course. I’ll be there with thousands of students ready to help you out.
I will keep this summer capsule wardrobe as it is at least until October and then I’ll slowly start transitioning into the next season.
I am very curious to see how the Autumn looks and feels here and I can’t wait to adjust my summer capsule wardrobe appropriately.
How your summer wardrobe worked for you and how you would like to improve it next year?
Let’s chat!
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