Summer in the UK is always a wild ride. That's never been proven more true than this year. We had several heatwaves and for the first time temperatures in the UK exceeded 40°C. The relentless heat was often followed by a couple of days of rain coupled with high humidity. It made styling outfits quite difficult.
I find hot weather really pushes me to style my clothes in new ways. As I attempt to stay comfortable in the heat and humidity, I tend to experiment more with my wardrobe. Looking through my outfits, my summer capsule was incredibly versatile. A couple of items didn't get worn as much as the others, and occasionally the weather required an item I hadn't included. But all-in-all, I was happy with this season's capsule wardrobe.
See more summer travel photos.
Having a flexible all-seasons wardrobe is important. The problem with capsule wardrobes is that, if you don't already have clothes you enjoy wearing, they don't work. Following someone else's formula for "must-have capsule wardrobe essentials" can result in a poor mix of clothing that doesn't suit your style or serve your lifestyle. The only way to build a capsule wardrobe that actually works is to slowly create one.
Wardrobe tracking is a useful tool for developing personal style. It highlights what you wear and how often, helping to plan outfits and restyling new ones. There are several methods for tracking outfits from apps to spreadsheets. I prefer to edit my own outfit graphics.
These are the outfits I wore in summer. Hopefully they give you some inspiration for your own capsule wardrobe. I share my sustainable outfits on TikTok @imsophiedavies and @omchofficial.
Outfit Details
- Vintage Shirt (thrifted, 2021)
- Linen Trousers from MUJI (purchased, 2022)
- Snake Chain from OMCH
- Vintage Hat (thrifted, 2019)
- Transit Bag from Everlane (purchased, 2021)
- Trainers from Hylo (gifted, 2022)
This is one of my favourite outfits from my summer capsule. It's simple, easy to wear, and looks cute. I wore this outfit with all the sandals included in my seasonal wardrobe. But also a pair of Hylo trainers, which have become a footwear favourite of mine. Learn more about sustainable trainers and why these trainers are so good.
Outfit Details
- Snake Chain from OMCH
- Sunglasses from Marc Jacobs (gifted, 2016)
- Vintage Hat (thrifted, 2019)
- Transit Bag from Everlane (purchased, 2021)
- Dress from Pretty Lavish (thrifted, 2022)
- Slides from Birkenstock (thrifted, 2020)
I originally included a Linen Fox dress in my summer capsule. But on my trip to Dorset, I realised it was falling apart. I thrifted a replacement in the form of the Pretty Lavish Monique Dress. It's absolutely dreamy. The perfect wear all day all-in-one outfit. The deep v-neck line makes it ideal for layering jewellery.
Outfit Details
- Sleeveless Maxi from Monki (thrifted, 2021)
- Sandals from Dr. Martens (thrifted, 2021)
- Snake Chain from OMCH
- Sunglasses from Marc Jacobs (gifted, 2016)
- Vintage Belt (thrifted, 2022)
- Tote Bag
This sleeveless maxi is what saved me during those nearly 40°C days of heat we had in England. It was the ideal choice for staying cool both indoors and out. While the hem almost hits the floor, it has slits up the side and a super low back. For me, this is the ideal summer dress for staying comfortable in the sun. I kept the styling simple with minimal jewellery, chunky sandals, and sunglasses. If I needed extra protection from the sun, I threw a linen shirt on over the top.
Outfit Details
- Linen Shirt from Everlane (gifted, 2022)
- Barrel Pants from Everlane (gifted, 2022)
- Daisy Necklace from OMCH
- Knot Vest from Saint+Sofia (purchased, 2021)
- Transit Bag from Everlane (purchased, 2021)
- Sandals from Teva (purchased, 2021)
Linen is wonderful for this time of year. I regularly wore a combination of this relaxed linen shirt from Everlane with either loose balloon trousers or fitted barrel pants, depending on the temperature. On super hot days, I wore the shirt open with a vest top underneath and sandals. Summery details were added in with a dainty daisy necklace and simple studs.
Outfit Details
- Crop Shirt from Everlane (gifted, 2022)
- Maxi Skirt from MUJI (purchased, 2018)
- Snake Chain from OMCH
- Daisy Necklace from OMCH
- Medallion Necklace from OMCH
- Circle Bag from Ellyla (gifted, 2020)
- Slides from Birkenstock (thrifted, 2020)
This crop shirt has really come into its own since including it in my summer capsule. I've found numerous ways to style it although it always looks best french tucked into bottoms with the sleeves rolled up and top buttons undone. The open collar makes layering jewellery easy, and paired with slides and bag this becomes a quintessential summer outfit.
Outfit Details
- Bar Studs from OMCH
- Ball Necklace from OMCH
- Medallion Necklace from OMCH
- Transit Bag from Everlane (purchased, 2021)
- Sandals from Dr. Martens (thrifted, 2021)
- Crop Cardigan from Boden (thrifted, 2017)
- Maxi Skirt from MUJI (purchased, 2018)
As summer comes to an end where the weather starts to cool off, having lightweight knitwear is essential. I thrifted this crop cardigan from Boden years ago, and it's still going strong. It's a great option for warming up summer outfits. The cropped fit makes it easy to style with any dresses, skirts, or trousers. It's the jewellery that makes this simple outfit more interesting.
Outfit Details
- Linen Shirt from Everlane (gifted, 2022)
- Vest from Lazy Oaf (thrifted, 2022)
- Linen Trousers from MUJI (purchased, 2022)
- Snake Chain from OMCH
- Daisy Necklace from OMCH
- Transit Bag from Everlane (purchased, 2021)
- Trainers from Hylo (gifted, 2022)
This is a real end-of-season outfit. As summer comes to a close, the knitwear starts to creep back in. Oversized vests have become a favourite of mine, helping to warm up an outfit without much commitment. They make dressing between the seasons so much easier. Switching up the layers underneath and footwear, this is an outfit combination I'll be wearing through 'til winter.
