Travel Capsule Wardrobe: Mix and Match

travel wardrobe

Capsule wardrobes seem to be ‘in’ at the moment

At least in the blogosphere. I mean, which self-respecting blogger hasn’t dabbled in that concept lately? But this is not one of those posts telling you how to create the perfect capsule wardrobe. I’m not one of those women who plan their outfits in advance and curate a minimalist capsule wardrobe with a certain number of items. I’m not that organised.  So, there will be no charts or flatlays explaining how to mix and match everything. No, this is more of a capsule wardrobe in practice, done on the fly.

In a way I could say that all my clothes put together form a huge capsule wardrobe. But I don’t believe in limiting my choices to a certain number of items. To be honest, I don’t know how many items of clothing I own, and I couldn’t care less. And I’m sure there are all sorts of odd bits and bobs hiding at the back of my wardrobe(s), and a thorough spring cleaning / culling is long overdue.

However, I seem to be wearing a somewhat limited set of seasonal clothes over and over again, let’s call them the current favourites, or ‘the flavour of the month’, for lack of a better term. They’re simply clothes that I feel comfortable in and that seem to serve my purposes at the moment. And yes, they do mix and match quite nicely, so I suppose we could see this as a sort of a lazy girl’s version of the capsule wardrobe.

These are some of the outfits I was wearing in Germany

It was 7 days in late June. We were travelling by train: first the Eurostar from London to Brussels and then by another train to Dusseldorf. This meant comfortable, loose clothing. The weather was a bit moody: anything from sunshine to rain, so I packed a little bit of this and that to cover all situations and weather conditions. And yes, I packed a medium-size suitcase.

So, when deciding which clothes to pack, my guiding principle was that everything had to be comfortable (for the long train journeys) and suitable for both hot and sunny and a bit cooler weather.

It goes without saying that everything had to mix and match perfectly, to give me enough choice to put together an outfit depending on the weather and my mood on the day in question. That’s the theory: in practice it translates into a combination of either a long skirt or trousers + a t-shirt + cardigan. And of course, any of the t-shirts / cardigans could be worn with either the maxi skirt or the patterned trousers. I also packed a tote bag, 3 pairs of shoes and 2 pairs of sunglasses, all of which could be used to accessorise whatever combination of clothes I was wearing.

maxi skirt

styling a maxi skirt

summer travel wardrobe

capsule wardrobe

summer travel wardrobe

Do you like capsule wardrobes?

Tiina

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16 Comments

  1. Suzanne Carillo
    21 July 2016 / 2:13 am

    I, like you, hate to have limited choices, however, of course when travelling the size of the suitcase does limit me somewhat. I'm lucky my husband is Super Elite status, which means when I travel with him I can take as much as I like without paying anything extra. I love your maxi skirt paired with the tees and have often worn a version of this while travelling as well since it is so comfortable. You look great in red.bisousSuzanne

    • Tiina L
      25 July 2016 / 9:46 am

      I actually have quite a small wardrobe, but I like to be prepared for anything. This means that my clothes have to multitask, and travel well. And I always pack way too much. Or more than I actually need. That is, when I take a suitcase. Travelling between Finland and the U.K. is different, of course. I simply got tired of dragging a suitcase across London (on the tube, up and down stairs etc) trying to get from the airport to the station in time to catch the train, so I usually travel with as little luggage as possible, or with no luggage (which is easy when you have a wardrobe full of clothes waiting for you in your destination). It's quite unusual for me to actually take a suitcase with me (as I did when going to Germany), and I find it really annoying. A small troley might be easier to handle when you travel by train, but it's simply too small when you have to pack for a week…

  2. Nancy's Fashion Style
    21 July 2016 / 10:10 am

    I am not even familiar with the term! I just buy what I like and wear what I want to wear. Sometimes I bought something and think: well, I havn t got anything to wear it with. And then I buy something to wear with it! It s not science.

    • Tiina L
      25 July 2016 / 9:50 am

      Yes, I've done the same thing, bought one thing that requires me to buy lots of other things to go with it… But mostly My clothes mix and match well. Years of constant travelling between two homes have taught me that I actually don't need a huge wardrobe, and having less simplifies my life. But I'm not methodological about it.

  3. Shybiker
    21 July 2016 / 12:54 pm

    Like Nancy, I wasn't familiar with the term either. Which is why hanging out with the cool kids (you!) is educational. Cute clothes.

    • Tiina L
      25 July 2016 / 9:51 am

      Thanks!Well, this is sort of a lazy version of capsule wardrobe…

  4. Nicole Mölders
    22 July 2016 / 4:10 am

    Thanks for linking up to Top of the World Style. I love your wearing umbrellas in summer. You should get one of these lace umbrellas. I once bought one for a dance performance. I have to make a photo of it. You will love it.

    • Tiina L
      25 July 2016 / 9:57 am

      I have 3 sun umbrellas. This is the 'travel sun umbrella' (folding), the one I use most often. However, it's not my favourite. I have a bigger sun umbrella, which I find much more useful, but unfortunately it is too big to fit into a suitcase. A lace umbrella sounds nice. But how paractical is it? I use a sun umbrella as sun protection (these are specially made and they' have a protective SPF coating).

  5. Natalia Lialina
    22 July 2016 / 6:53 am

    You look great when you travel, Tiina! I especially love the first outfit – great print mixing, and the pink cardigan is so wonderful on top of it. I need to learn from you. I will have to pack a mini-wardrobe for our upcoming vacation soon… As for capsule wardrobes, I thought recently that it sort of comes together naturally – a few of linen items mix well together, a few retro dresses mix with a few cardigans, etc. That's my version of it, I guess. 🙂

    • Tiina L
      25 July 2016 / 10:03 am

      Thanks, Natalia.I find packing a bit frustrating at times, sometimes challenging, too (if I have to accommodate changing weather conditions). But because I travel constantly (between two homes) I've learned to simplify things. And I've realised that I don't need a lot, and can manage with a limited selection of clothes for quite a long time.i agree, a capsule wardrobe sort of comes together naturally, if you make sure whatever you buy mixes well with items already in your wardrobe.

  6. Dawn Lucy - Fashion Should Be Fun
    23 July 2016 / 12:53 am

    Great looks … love that black and white skirt. Perfect for travel! I went with a black, white, and pop of red theme for my little trip to LA. Love the pink cardi outfit the very best, but they're all great. Thanks so much for linking up with Fun Fashion Friday!OXOXDawn Lucyhttp://fashionshouldbefun.blogspot.com

    • Tiina L
      25 July 2016 / 10:05 am

      Thanks, the skirt is actually navy and white, and it's just the perfect travel outfit (I've worn it on several flights and also on train trips this summer).

  7. Anonymous
    23 July 2016 / 5:23 am

    I absolutely love the maxi skirt. xo ~ Megan The Fashionista Momma

    • Tiina L
      25 July 2016 / 10:05 am

      Thanks, Megan.

  8. Melissa Convertino
    24 July 2016 / 10:17 pm

    Great options! Loving the maxi skirt with graphic tee.Thank you for linking up with Weekend Wear,xoMelissa

    • Tiina L
      25 July 2016 / 10:06 am

      Thanks, Melissa.

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