When it starts getting warm out and I have to pull everything out of my closet, pile it on my bed, and start sorting what stays and what goes. Half the time I realize I haven’t worn and frankly don’t care for most of it anymore. It always seems the same few basics and pieces are doing or able to 90% of the work. Sometimes it’s not worth fighting it and just instead building things around what works. What follows is my current list and what is making up my summer go-to capsule wardrobe.

Why a summer capsule wardrobe actually makes summer easier

A capsule wardrobe isn’t a minimalism flex. It’s a shortcut. Summer already is asking a lot of everyone - heat, travel, and a packing list that has to work for a beach day and a dinner reservation in the same week. The fewer decisions your closet forces on you, the more energy you have for literally anything else. The trick isn’t owning less for the sake of owning less. It’s being ruthless about which pieces earn their spot. Everything below has to pull double or triple duty, looking like it belongs to an actual adult, and survive a suitcase without needing a steamer waiting on the other end.

Black Slip Dresses

A black slip dress is the closest thing I own to a cheat code and a pretty sexy cheat code at that. Slide it on with sandals and gold hoops for dinner or throw a denim jacket over it for something that is more daytime. It doesn’t wrinkle in a suitcase, it photographs well in every lighting situation I’ve thrown at it, and it never once has made me feel like I’ve tried too hard.

Boatneck Tops

This neckline does something almost nothing else in my closet does: I look put together with zero effort. Boatnecks sit wide and structured across the collarbone which means they work over a swimsuit, under a blazer, or completely alone with jeans. I keep at least two in rotation all summer, one in black and one in white, because I genuinely never regretted either.

Raffia Tote

Every other bag in my closet seems to take a backseat once June comes around. A raffia tote is oversized enough to function as a beach bag and structured enough to not look like one when you’re not at the beach. It literally makes everything else in an outfit look more expensive than it is. It’s a non-negotiable line item, not an accessory.

Knee-Length Skirts

I always go back and forth between thinking knee-length skirts are stuffy, but right now I’m loving them. Paired with a simple tank and flat sandals, a good knee-length skirt looks better than shorts without trying harder. It’s also the piece that makes the rest of my capsule stretch further, since it works with nearly every top I already own.

White cotton dresses

If the slip dress is for after dark, the white cotton dress is for everything that happens before it. There’s something about crisp white cotton in July that feels right whether it’s brunch or a farmer’s market. It’s the piece I get complimented on the most, and also the one I spend the least amount of time deciding to wear.

Slim Sneakers

The one piece here that isn’t technically a “summer” item, and also the one I’d fight hardest to keep. A slim, low-profile sneaker is what makes a dress or skirt feel like I’m not trying to look fancy on a Tuesday. It’s the reset button for an outfit that’s starting to feel a little too polished, and it’s one of the pieces I reach for more than I expected.

LACE-TRIM SHORTS

These are the one slightly indulgent piece on this list, and I’m not sorry. While I might feel a little..revealed while wearing them, lace trim shorts dress up what would otherwise be a basic and boring summer outfit like a tee and sandals without adding a single extra step. They’re the difference between looking like you got dressed and looking like you didn’t think about it at all, ironically, the whole point of a capsule wardrobe.

Minimal Flip Flops

These are not the foam kind from the drugstore rack you might buy in an emergency situation. I’m talking a clean leather flip flop that is chic but still functional. I probably wear these more than any other shoe I own between June and September, sometimes even longer. It goes from pool to errands and casual dinner without me even having to think twice. Exactly what a summer shoe should do.

White Boho Blouse

This is the one piece that keeps the capsule wardrobe from feeling too clean-lined and severe. A boho blouse with a little movement to it softens everything else on this list. There’s some volume and the pretty embroidery is great tucked into denim or worn loose with a skirt. It’s doing a lot of quiet work.