Looking for ideas for your spring capsule wardrobe? This post is full of minimalist outfit inspiration, plus lots of practical tips that will help you declutter and simplify your style—just in time for spring!
A capsule wardrobe is simply a small, well curated collection of clothes that’s easy to mix and match. You look good with less effort, which means that you save time, money and energy. It’s better for the environment and better for you too.
I think that spring is the perfect season to start experimenting with a capsule wardrobe (all the layering makes it easier to mix and match). So if you want to learn more, now is a great time. Keep reading for tips, inspiration, and ideas that will help you get started.
Spring Capsule Wardrobe Inspiration + Ideas
First up, a collection of my favourite spring capsule wardrobes from around the web. These are some great examples of what’s possible, but remember—the best capsule wardrobe is one that reflects your personal style. Use these for inspiration but remember to always be true to yourself.
Classic neutrals + wearable style
Emily Lightly is a fellow blogger who writes about slow fashion, capsule wardrobes, sustainability and more. I’ve been following her on Instagram for a few years now, and I’m a huge fan of her classic style. She favours neutral colours but it’s not boring because of the texture, fabrics, and interesting silhouettes.
Her spring capsule wardrobe is also very wearable—you probably have many of these pieces in your closet already. This is important because I’m not an advocate of buying a new wardrobe every few months! Instead, I encourage you to look at what you already own and explore new ways to put old pieces together.
Emily is Canadian so her capsule wardrobe has lots of cooler weather options!
Spring colours + bohemian basics
I love this spring capsule wardrobe from Pretty in the Pines. Lots of spring colours with a bohemian feel. It’s probably a bit dressy for my current lifestyle (I work at home with two kids) but it’s still casual and would have been right up my alley a decade ago. It’s stylish but there are still lots of versatile pieces, which is why I’ve included it in this post.
Two options: pastels and neutrals
JoEllen is another Instagram friend and I love her style. (In fact, I invited her to share some of her favourite minimalist winter outfits a few years ago.) She wrote a helpful post about creating a spring capsule wardrobe with two examples to inspire you.
The first is a classic ‘spring’ style—lots of pastel, cream and denim. The second is more minimalist and neutral, with less colour and more black (personally, this is more up my alley). Either way, there are a lot of ideas to inspire you, plus helpful tips for your spring capsule.
Another minimalist spring capsule
I adore this spring capsule from Carolyn of My Chic Obsession. It’s very simple, lots of minimalist basics, with some beautiful floral prints to break things up.
There’s also a real focus on outwear, which is an excellent minimalist strategy. If you live somewhere cold enough to need layers, then you really only need a few basic tops. Then you can mix things up with a variety of jackets and cardigans.
Related Post: 20 Minimalist Wardrobe Tips: How to Have a Minimalist Closet
My Spring Capsule Wardrobe
I don’t technically have a spring capsule wardrobe because I live in a subtropical climate. It’s warm enough that I wear the same things all year—I just swap shorts for jeans or add layers on cool days.
Instead, I focus on uniform dressing. I have a few key outfit ‘formulas’ that I love and wear all the time. These are a mix of shorts and skirts, with simple tops and dresses. I like neutral colours like black, brown, white and cranberry red. It’s not very ‘spring-y’, but I know what works for me and I stick to it!
Related Post: Behind the Scenes: A Minimalist Wardrobe Tour (Video)
Spring Capsule Wardrobe Tips
Here are some simple tips that will help you put together a spring capsule wardrobe:
- Don’t start from scratch. Look at what you already own—what’s on high rotation? Use your favourite pieces as the foundation of your capsule wardrobe.
- Consider creating a personal uniform. Pick a few go-to styles that you know you love wearing. Then you can play with fabric and colour.
- Remember, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every day. You can mix things up by changing your shoes, accessories, or playing with different layers. The basics don’t have to be boring!
- Declutter your closet. If you have less to begin with, it will be easier to choose the items for your spring capsule wardrobe.
- Ignore the trends (or at least, be very selective about what you choose to embrace). For the most part, trends do not mix and match. This is one of the major reasons why we have so many clothes we never wear. We have a ton that we ‘love’ but nothing goes together!
Related Post: Introducing Project 333: A Minimalist Fashion Experiment
A spring capsule wardrobe is a great way to experiment with minimalist dressing. Give it a try for a season and see how much fun it can be to dress with less.
Are you planning a capsule wardrobe for spring? What are your top tips (or your greatest challenges)? Let us know in the comments!
I started a new job in May and thought I probably had enough work clothes, but was still browsing online more than I wanted to be. I made one of those capsule wardrobe image collages that I always see online out of my own existing work clothes that I know I really like. It didn’t take that long and really helped me see I have plenty of clothes that will go together in different combinations. I recommend trying this. I’ve made lists on paper before, but seeing images of my actual clothing was very helpful to stop myself from looking for more.
Thanks! 💜
Thanks for the article!
I’m in a no man’s land with my clothes at the moment, it very much reflects how I am in the rest of my life. I don’t own many clothes at all and those I do have are wearing out. I need to get some new for the spring but, I’m losing the end of baby weight from my last child and haven’t settled into a size yet, I’m at home all the time, I don’t have a job at the moment and I’m in my early 40s and am no longer sure of my personal style. I’d love to feel good in my clothes again.
Hi Rosie, your story is so relatable! I’m about to turn 40 too, I still haven’t settled into a size after my last baby, and I work from home. I’ve had a minimalist wardrobe for years, but I’ll admit that it had a major overhaul in this past year. What really helped me a LOT is refining my personal uniform (if you haven’t read this post, you might enjoy it). I found that there are really only a handful of styles that I feel comfortable in right now (and it’s not what I would have worn a few years ago). But that’s OK– sometimes you just have to stick with what works. Good luck and take care!
Great information. Thanks for sharing.
You’re very welcome! Thanks for reading 🙂