Capsule Wardrobe for Littles: F|W 2020
I became really interested in the concept of a Capsule Wardrobe back in 2014. I had always been an avid shopper, never one to pass up a sale. I had a closet packed full of clothes yet nothing to wear. Long story short, I sold or donated my entire wardrobe with the exception of 37 pieces. Seriously. I remember calling my Mom after I dropped everything off and was sitting in my car. Her response? “You did WHAT?!”. Ha. I had a mild freak moment, but you know what? There hasn’t been a single day I’ve ever regretted that decision or wished for any of those items back. I no longer keep to a strict quantity of items in my closet, but I do keep a very minimal wardrobe. I like to think my entire journey towards SIMPLE started with clothes because that was an area I could easily wrap my mind around and understand the impact. It didn’t take long, however, until it infiltrated all areas of my life.
When I was pregnant with Marin, I tried to be really intentional with the clothes I bought for her as well. I kept things simple and tried to plan in advance. In hindsight, that was actually one of my first mistakes. I did well right at first, but as Summer 2019 was coming to an end, I saw several sales and thought oh! This would be a great time to buy a few pieces for her for next year. Great in theory. In practice? Yeah, not so great. First of all, Marin is a peanut. We’re talking 5th percentile for height and 10th percentile for weight for her age. Those 12 month clothes I bought her to wear this summer? HA! NEVER GOING TO FIT. She’s still swimming in them. Also, it turns out that the few items I bought were cute and all, but they didn’t coordinate with anything else we had. Getting ready started to be a burden, and no one has time for that.
So with all of that in mind, I decided to start doing things a little different this fall/winter. I’m going back to basics and creating a capsule wardrobe for Marin. I’m selecting versatile items that are interchangeable and layer well. Now is sizing still a struggle? Absolutely. There’s no telling when or if she may have a big growth spurt, but I’m doing my best with what I know. If things change, we’ll adapt. This isn’t life or death.
Please also keep in mind that I’m attempting to put this together in August/September for the Fall and Winter seasons. Many brands haven’t even released their new collections yet. Instead of trying to get everything squared away by a certain date, I’m leaving placeholders to fill-in as I find items in the weeks and months to come. For instance, Marin’s going to need a winter coat, so that’s definitely on the list.
Below are the categories and quantities that I thought made sense for our needs. Is there any rhyme or reason to this? Not particularly. It’s just what felt right for us. Feel free to adjust for your own needs.
8 - 10 TOPS | 4 - 5 BOTTOMS | 3 - 4 DRESSES / ROMPERS | 3 - 4 OUTERWEAR / SWEATERS | 1 - 2 SLEEPWEAR | 2 - 3 SHOES | ACCESSORIES
One of the things I truly enjoy about this approach is the ability to asses needs with budget and make informed decisions. It suddenly seems much more reasonable to spend a bit more on a purchase, even for a little one, when you know that the item will see many wears - like a great sweater, coat or shoes. It’s great to be able to support small businesses and invest in pieces of quality. Now does everything need to be expensive? Of course not! But I have honestly found I spend way less time and money on clothes for her when I have a plan, even when a few individual items are more expensive.
A couple tips if you’re planning your own capsule wardrobe, whether for littles ones or even yourself!
Figure out a color palette and stick to it.
Throw all of your ideas in one place. I’ve found a board on Pinterest to be really convenient. Add items to the board and ensure they all coordinate before making a purchase.
If coordinating between multiple brands gets to be too much work, one of the easiest ways to create a capsule is to buy everything from a single brand during a season. They’ve already done most of the work for you. I wouldn’t do it for my own wardrobe since my size doesn’t change from season to season or year to year, but for a little one, it’s a great way to create a capsule quickly and ensure everything is interchangeable.
With all of that said, here are the items I have purchased to-date and/or have a holding spot to purchase in the future. As items are added, I’ll be sure to update this post.
T O P S
Ribbed Bodysuits - These bodysuits are SO NICE! The colors are beautiful and they are a really nice heavy weight for the colder months. They look great on their own or paired under sweaters and rompers.
Embroidered Cotton Blouse - I actually bought this for Marin in the spring but she’s just now fitting into it. It’s a nice heavy weight, so maybe it worked out for the best!
Denim Shirt - Perfect for layering or wearing alone. My denim shirt is my most loved and worn piece of clothing, so I’m anxious to see if the same goes for a little one.
Polka Dot Shirt - A great basic blouse that can easily be dressed up or down.
Gingham Blouse - A nice and neutral pattern that easily transitions from fall to winter. This will look great under a jumper or on its own with a pair of pants. Plus, the gingham and dark color will hide stains well.
Stripe Ribbed T-Shirt - A great basic that goes with anything.
Basic Bodysuits - Closet staples with a bit of texture.
Rib Knit Bodysuit - A warm piece great on its own or layered on cold winter days.
B O T T O M S
Ribbed Leggings - These leggings are incredibly soft and affordable. I also like the adjustable waist since Marin is on the small side.
Olive Leggings - Love the color of these!
Grey Leggings - A great and affordable basic that goes with anything.
Pointelle Leggings - We had these when Marin was little and the color was so versatile that I decided to buy them in a size up.
Denim - Saw these and instantly fell in love. The color is perfect, they are 100% cotton, and the suspenders are a sweet touch.
D R E S S E S | J U M S U I T S | R O M P E R S
Full disclosure: This is the category that pushed me to start a capsule for Marin. I found I was collecting random one-off “cute” outfits with no plan and nothing to go with them. It’s SO easy to do, and I totally understand the pull. Instead of tossing what I had, I decided to make it my jumping off point and color palette for the Fall/Winter capsule. If I were to do it all from scratch, I probably wouldn’t have bought a few of these, opting for a more versatile option, but you live and you learn. I want to make what we have work, so that’s the plan.
Romper - My favorite piece of her entire capsule, hands down. I saw this and bought it instantly. My only wish is that it also came in my size. HA! Rompers are one of my very favorite because they are so easy. On warm days, she can just wear this. As it gets chilly, you can throw on a pair of tights and a sweater and she’s good to go.
Heart Print Jumpsuit - I originally bought this Pocket Dress, but it ended up being much too large for Marin to wear anytime soon. I’m going to save it for spring/summer, and instead, opted for this fleece-lined jumpsuit. It’s warm and super easy to throw over a onesie.
Jumper - I bought this jumper on a whim during an H&M weekend sale. It was just so dang cute, I couldn’t NOT buy it. (Aka - that’s not a good strategy. Ha!) As soon as it arrived, I snipped the tags and went to hang it in Marin’s closet and realized wow, this doesn’t really go with anything we have. Oof. And hence why we’re now creating a capsule wardobe! I decided I’m bound and determined to make it work, so it’s still in the capsule, and we’re chalking this up to LESSON LEARNED.
Mixed Print Dress - This was a 2019 end of season sale purchase that I’m hopeful she’ll fit into this fall! Ha. Once it fits, I think it’s going to be perfect.
O U T E R W E A R | S W E A T E R S
Bobble Sweater - I originally bought this Cotton Cardigan, but Marin was just swimming in it. She couldn’t even keep the thing on, so I opted for a crewneck sweater that will fit well now instead. It’s super cute and really warm! We’ll save the cardigan for spring/summer.
Nano Puff Jacket - Tyler and I have had a great experience wearing Patagonia over the last several years, so I decided it was worth the investment to get a jacket for Marin as well. I ordered a little big and intend for it to fit for a few years - I’ll just roll the sleeves for a bit.
Knit Pullover - 100% cotton and a great neutral color means this sweater will be great all year round.
Bunting - I debated on this purchase forever. I’m still not sure if we’re also going to need a winter coat or not, but regardless, we are outdoors all year round (most often walking with Marin in her stroller or in our Ergobaby carrier), so I decided a full body bunting made sense for the time being. The feet and hands of this roll back, so in the event she also needs to be able to run around, she can do so in this. We’ll see how it goes!
Bobble Cardigan - Extremely affordable and the perfect amount of texture for fall and winter. I was originally planning to invest in a really nice sweater from a small shop, but everything was sold out! Maybe next year.
S L E E P W E A R
Zip Pajamas - I bought these for Marin last winter. They were enormous, so she just started wearing them this summer.
Wool Sleep Sack - We used a transition sleep sack for many months until Marin finally outgrew the size small. I tried another brand but after several attempts, it kept falling apart. This one, on the other hand, is still like new after many washes and worth every penny.
Two-Piece Pajamas - Super cute and great for lounge days as well.
S H O E S
Leather Shoes - Bought these during a sale this summer. They are a great basic and go with anything.
Nubuck Boots - I bought these boots at the same time and just couldn’t resist some cute boots with tights and dresses for the fall.
HOLD - Sneakers / Snow Boots / TBD
A C C E S S O R I E S
Lace Trim Socks - Cute socks with a touch of lace.
Wool Leggings - A nice and warm footless option and a great extra layer on those super cold days.
Knit Bonnet - A warmer hat to be worn on the chilly days of fall.
Socks - I bought a set of these socks in a different color last year, and they were our favorite.
Winter Hat - We had a winter hat from Zara last year and absolutely loved it, so I went with another one this year.
Wool Tights - Warm and cozy for those cold winter months.
Mittens - Cute, warm, and Marin actually doesn’t mind wearing them.
B R A N D S
I often get asked for clothing brand recommendations for little ones. These are some of my favorites right now in alphabetical order.
Ebay - You can find any of the brands shown below at resale shops. Don’t be afraid to shop second hand!
This post is not sponsored or in partnership with any of the aforementioned brands but the article contains affiliate links. When you shop via the links above I may make commission on a sale at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.