How to Build a Petite Summer Capsule Wardrobe

It’s no secret that, as a society, we have too many clothes. As a result, we also have an immense amount of clothing waste. In a BBC article, Abigail Beall, “around 85% of all textiles thrown away in the US...are either dumped into landfill or burned.” Beall adds that 92 million tons of textile waste is created each year, which is a huge problem for our landfills.

There are ways to help combat this, though: the simplest is creating a capsule wardrobe, which instantly leads to a smaller number of clothes and accessories in your closet—and, thus, a smaller number of items going to waste. Here’s how to create your dream petite summer capsule wardrobe.

What Is a Capsule Wardrobe?

A capsule wardrobe is a simple thing in fashion that stylish people have sworn by for generations.

In an interview with designer Misha Nonoo for InStyle, “a capsule wardrobe is a concise, curated selection of timeless clothing. It can vary from person to person based on our differing lifestyles, but the best pieces are the kind that can be worn at work, during cocktail hour, and dressed down on the weekend. Streamlining your wardrobe streamlines your life. With a capsule wardrobe, you never feel as though you have 'nothing to wear.' It’s assuring to know you only own pieces that can be paired easily and always look chic. It’s also great for the environment, as well as your wallet, to buy better and wear longer."

Start With a Color Palette

When creating a capsule wardrobe, it’s important to decide on a color palette. This way, your clothes will complement each other, no matter what you decide to wear. For summer, you could create a capsule wardrobe in muted colors like creams and blushes to match the season’s warm weather and warm vibe. Or, you could choose clothes in white, dark blues, and light blues (reminiscent of the colors of the Greek islands). The color palette is up to you! You can also start with the clothes that are already in your closet. Do you have a favorite women’s petite maxi dress in a pretty pastel color? Let that lead your color palette decision.

Purchase Some Go-To Dresses

Dresses are the easiest part of a capsule wardrobe. They are a simple piece you can slip on and move forward with your day. For your summer capsule wardrobe, get yourself some petite dresses to wear throughout the season, whether you’re attending a happy hour or having your girlfriends over for book club. When choosing these dresses, make sure you follow your designated color palette and be sure to buy dresses in different styles that can fit different occasions and go with different light sweaters or accessories in your closet.

Start with a swingy, casual crewneck dress, a button-front shirtdress, and a stylish maxi dress. Then, get yourself a petite special occasion dress. With these four dresses, you’ll have items you can reach for no matter the occasion.

Next, Get Some Versatile Bottoms

Whether it’s petite skirts, capris, jeans, or shorts, get yourself a wide array of petite bottoms to wear as part of your capsule wardrobe. When shopping for bottoms for your capsule wardrobe, be sure to follow your color palette and get an array of styles that can be worn with nearly any of the tops in your closet.

Up Next: Cute Tops

What is summer if not a time to show off floral petite tank tops and flowy tunics? And as long as the tops in your summer wardrobe follow the color scheme of your capsule closet, you’ll be all set to wear them with your newly acquired bottoms throughout the summer months.

A key part of creating a capsule wardrobe is “investing in essentials that can be style[d] multiple ways, rather than hopping on the latest 'It' trend,” the InStyle article stresses. So, when selecting your petite tops for summer, get yourself pieces that can easily be dressed up and dressed down and creatively go with many items in your capsule wardrobe. Try a white button-down top, which can then be worn with some pastel capris or a midi skirt. Or, get yourself that floral tunic that you can tuck into jeans for a night out or wear with a pair of Bermuda shorts for an errand-ready look.