Simple Fall Capsule Wardrobe for the Casual Mom
I just love the change of seasons. After all, why else would I live in Minnesota where winter is just too long?! Fall has always been my favorite season because of the colors, the warm drinks, and the layered outfits with boots. My fall capsule wardrobe is both simple and casual, perfect for the stay-at-home or work-at-home mom.
If you’ve been following Practigal Blog, you already know how this works. I show you my casual capsule wardrobe for the current season, and you have the option to buy anything you like. As a bonus this time around, I will show you some of the outfits I can put together with my capsule. 🙌
My capsule wardrobe changes only slightly from season to season, with the biggest change going from the warm to cool weather seasons (summer to fall). Go ahead and check out my capsule for each season so you can see the slight shift for the weather:
Winter Capsule
Spring Capsule
Summer Capsule
And of course, if you are wondering how you can put your own capsule together for yourself, make sure you read my post on how to create a capsule wardrobe. Looking for more detailed instructions complete with worksheets and a checklist? Grab your FREE capsule wardrobe e-book by becoming one of my email insiders!
Why Build a Capsule Wardrobe?
Having a capsule wardrobe has been so fun for me. It has allowed me to feel more fashionable, comfortable, and put together. I’ve found my style, and I unapologetically stick to it. I don’t worry about what the current trends are, but I do make sure that I love everything I own.
I update my wardrobe as I need to (as clothing wears out or whenever something doesn’t work in the capsule as I thought it would).
And, I don’t really get bored with my capsule because it’s so versatile! I can create SO MANY OUTFITS with the few pieces I own, and I can dress up or down depending on where I’m going. Easy peasy.
Even more, having a capsule wardrobe saves me tons of space in our closet, so much time getting ready and doing laundry, and saves serious money as well!
My Fall Capsule Wardrobe 2022
I work from home, so a casual capsule works well and goes a long way for me. My capsule is simple in that I don’t include a million different colors and patterns. However, I do include some fun colors and patterns to add interest to my capsule.
It’s also a simple fall capsule in that I started my capsule with what I already had. I didn’t go out and buy a whole new expensive wardrobe that was higher quality. I decided that the wisest thing I could do is declutter the excess from my wardrobe and work with what I have. No use in being unnecessarily wasteful!
All of this basically means that my capsule wardrobe isn’t perfect. 😱
If I was starting over from scratch, it wouldn’t necessarily look like this! I am, however, finding that I have fallen in love with some of my old clothing again. And, where there were obvious holes in my wardrobe, I felt good about buying a new piece of clothing to fill in the gap.
What’s Included (Fall Wardrobe Essentials for 2019)
Included in my fall capsule wardrobe are the following types of clothing:
- Tops
- Bottoms
- Dresses
- Shoes
- Outerwear
I would consider these fall wardrobe essentials, but you may like to add accessories like scarves to your fall wardrobe.
What’s NOT Included in My Autumn Capsule Wardrobe for 2019
There are some things that I’ve chosen not to include in my fall wardrobe. This doesn’t mean that I don’t own these items. It simply means that I haven’t intentionally pared down these items or shopped for these items to coordinate with my capsule.
Other items aren’t included because they aren’t my thing. Skirts…not my thing. “Work” attire…not my thing either. My capsule fits MY lifestyle and personal style, just as your capsule should fit yours. 😉
- Pajamas and loungewear
- Swimsuits
- Undergarments
- Work-out clothes
- Accessories
How I Chose the Size of My Fall Capsule Wardrobe
I didn’t choose the size of my autumn capsule wardrobe, really, the size chose me. 😜
After decluttering what I determined to be excess clothing, and after deciding on a color scheme, this is simply what I was left with in the end.
I did, however, base the number of each type of clothing on how often I do laundry. Since I do my laundry twice every week, I only need as many tops to get me to the next laundry day.
Now, technically I have more clothing in my capsule than I can reasonably wear in 3-4 days. Part of that is having some pieces that I would wear only when I go out with friends or maybe to church.
In the end, my fall capsule wardrobe resulted from 31 items in total.
Shop My Casual Capsule Wardrobe (Updated for Fall 2022!)
You can use my fall capsule wardrobe as inspiration, and you can even buy a piece if you see something that’s perfect for your own! Simply click on a link for the item you are interested in, check out available sizes and color options, and make a purchase if it makes sense for you.
For my capsule, I’ve chosen black as my base color. That means I base the rest of my wardrobe off of what looks good with black. My other neutrals also have to look good with black. I use white, gray, and tan as my complementary neutrals.
You’ll notice that the accent colors in my wardrobe also repeat themselves. That helps me be able to mix-and-match and create the most outfits with the fewest items! That’s key so that you don’t start to look like you own two things.
I’ve chosen blush and olive green as my accent colors. You can choose to accent with whatever colors you love!
Base Color: black
Complimentary Neutrals: white, gray, tan
Accent Colors: blush pink & olive green
Tanks and Tees
Since my fall capsule wardrobe is pretty casual, I have mostly tanks and tees. Most are in the neutral colors I chose, but I added a few colors and prints to make it more interesting.
- Black tank top (These are nice and long, which I love!)
- Giraffe tank top
- Olive green t-shirt (several colors available!)
- White t-shirt
- Black lace t-shirt
- Blush pink t-shirt
- Gray t-shirt
- Black t-shirt
- Black/white striped tunic t-shirt- similar
- Blush long-sleeved t-shirt (These are SO soft and come in a bunch of colors!)
- Gray long-sleeved t-shirt
- Black/white striped long-sleeved t-shirt
Tops and Outerwear
Instead of blouses, I tend to select tops that are good for layering like button-ups and cardigans. This is an easy way to take a summer capsule into cooler weather. Again, I try to stick with mostly neutral colors so they easily mix and match with my tanks and tees.
- Chambray shirt (This is my all-time favorite shirt because I love how it looks and it’s so versatile. I literally wear this year-round!)
- Olive green and black plaid shirt
- Gray zip-up hoodie
- Black cardigan (available in other colors!)
- Gray cardigan
- Olive anorak jacket (comes in several colors!)
Dresses
I don’t wear dresses often, so I’ve chosen a couple of dresses that I find to be versatile enough for any occasion. I can look a little more casual with flats or boots. Or, adding a pair of heels takes these dresses up a notch.
- Black dress (comes in several colors!)
- Floral dress (available in multiple colors!)
Bottoms
The bottoms I’ve included are simple and versatile. They are all neutral so they go with anything, although some better than others. A variety of styles helps me change up my outfits so that I don’t feel like I’m always wearing the same thing. You could add a skirt or two as well!
- Black pants (didn’t fade like all my other black pants did!)
- Gray pants
- Black leggings
- Dark blue jeans
- Light blue jeans
Footwear
Again, my footwear choices are all neutral for optimized versatility. If shoes are your thing, you could definitely include some fun colors. I try to have a variety of styles that allow me to create more unique outfits with a smaller wardrobe.
- Black sneakers
- Black ballet flats (comes in many colors/patterns!)
- Black high heals (several colors!)
- Tall black boots (available in a few different neutral colors!)
- Short tan boots (also in black)
- Tall black rain boots
Creating Outfits With My Fall Capsule Wardrobe
Besides having a decluttered closet and less laundry, my favorite thing about having a capsule wardrobe is the ease in which I can create tons of outfits. I’m not a fashionista, to say the least, so having a capsule really helps me look more put together.
Here are just some of my favorite outfits out of my fall capsule:
Make sure to check out more outfits from my fall capsule!
Remember, more than anything, you need to create a capsule wardrobe that works for you. Don’t forget to take your personality, style, lifestyle, and climate into account. Otherwise, you will end up with a capsule that bores you, or one that looks great but isn’t actually functional for your life.
I hope you found this post helpful if you are thinking about creating your first capsule wardrobe, or are just beginning to switch your existing capsule over to fall!
What is your favorite thing about having a capsule wardrobe? Let me know in the comments!
Theresa Bedford is a syndicated freelance home and travel writer with regular contributions to the Associated Press wire and MSN. She helps everyday people love the life they have through simplicity, organization, and prioritization.
Such a great post! I love how you broke everything down to details!
Thanks, Marie! I’m so glad that you found this post helpful. And thank you for taking the time to comment! Let me know if you need any more help with creating a capsule. 😊
very educational and helpful; just became an insider. thanks!
Joy at The Joyous Living
Awesome! So glad to have you as an email insider, Joy. There will be more capsule posts to come! 😊
I’ve already updated my wardrobe with boots, but I need to invest in new sweaters and dresses this year!
I love that you are intentional about what you buy based on current needs!
I love the capsule wardrobe idea! I’m in the middle of a serious weight loss, so I’m going to need to buy new clothes soon!
I started dressing from a capsule wardrobe last year in the spring, and I will never go back! Definitely keep a capsule wardrobe in mind when it’s time for you to go shopping. 😊
Love how detailed you were with this post! A capsule wardrobe can make getting dressed so easy and stress free.
Thank you for checking out my post and for your kind words. 😊 If you’ve never had a capsule wardrobe, I definitely recommend it!
such a great post, I really need to try this out rather than reaching for the same outfits
Thanks, Toni! A capsule definitely helps with that. If you decide to try it, you could create a capsule with what you already own and try wearing from it for a week to two weeks. 😉
I love the idea of having a capsule wardrobe! 🙂 All of your outfits are so pretty and I’m definitely going to look more into doing a capsule wardrobe!
Me too, Ashley! And thank you…so glad you liked the capsule.
This is an actual life saver! Thank you so much for this post, I’m going to copy and enjoy wearing these awesome outfits. Just moved to a tiny home, and this is exactly what I need. Thank you & great job!!!
You are so welcome!