Whenever the leaves turn and the heat is backing off, I can’t help but feel so excited for the season ahead. The beginning of autumn is full of new starts and it feels so fresh. Of course, fashion wise, it is perfection for those of us who love to play with increasing amounts of layering. Let me show you the capsule wardrobe I have selected for the autumn 2023 season!

Framework (aka, how do I know what items to add)

Of course, intention is the name of the game when it comes to capsule wardrobes, so I always have to make a few decisions before picking my items. I went with a very neutral colour scheme, a lot of gray, with black and white for contrast and monochromatic outfits. I also added my dark beige trench coat and brown accessories for a bit more warmth and interest to my outfits, as well as some muted green, for a more autumnal vibe.

Every season has its own kind of fashion reset for me, and as I am (slowly) accepting that we’re no longer in the “pull on a dress and go” weather, I have been needing a little time to think through my go-to outfit uniforms I will base my capsule wardrobe around. This helps me a lot to not feel like I need every possible outfit combination possible.

  1. Tailored trousers + shirt or jumper.
  2. Mini skirt + shirt or jumper + layering piece if necessary.
  3. Maxi dress (+ optional layering piece if necessary. Either a jumper or any of the outerwear pieces – or both!)

Base pieces

For autumn, my go-to outfits are typically made up of some combination of tailored trousers or jeans, light tops, button up shirts or some knit top. I try to get a variety of thicknesses when it comes to my knit tops, instead of focusing on a lot of different colours. As long as the colour scheme is worked out, everything will work together, making this task a whole lot easier.

I make sure I have a couple of t-shirts and long sleeve top options in both black and white. A white button down shirt and another with a crochet detail for something a little different.

Fun pieces

“Fun pieces” might be a bit relative in a capsule wardrobe, but they are the pieces that I might wear once a week, rather than the bread and butter of my wardrobe. They are by no means out-there, but I like to have a couple of tops or blouses that are a bit more dressy, to have more variety in my outfits. I also included my pleated mini skirt that I just love so much. I don’t wear it nearly as much as my tailored trousers, but I still think it’s important to include some pieces that make you excited to get dressed! And it blends seamlessly into the rest of my capsule wardrobe, so it’s a no-brainer.

I finally added a silk shirt to my wardrobe and it adds so much class to my basic outfits, I love it!

I also put in my satin maxi skirt that I had in my summer capsule wardrobe, I just love wearing it so much, so I will squeeze out as much wear of it as I can, before it gets far too cool and I will sadly have to pack it away. It goes beautifully both with a silk shirt or a knit jumper, it’s so magical!

Outerwear

These typically are always in my autumn capsule wardrobe in some form or another: a blazer (an over sized one is easier to pull over all kinds of tops), a trench coat and a leather jacket. It tends to get me through most days for the season and are absolutely timeless classics. This years’ picks have all stayed in my wardrobe for over a year, the oldest actually 4-5 years!

Dresses

I can’t quite let go of the dresses from summer, but I love doing a maxi dress + a layering piece for fall. I get a lot of use of my lighter dresses & shirt dresses this way, just adding a knit cardigan or jumper over and then I move on to thicker sweater knits and a pair of boots as the temperatures drop. Dresses are just hard to beat when it comes to feeling chic

I don’t include a “going out” dress for my autumn capsule wardrobe because I just know that now that we’re moving into the holiday season, I am not satisfied with just one black party dress to last me through all those events that I love dressing for.

Bags & Shoes

Handbag – I am actually on the hunt for a new tote bag this season. I love my black Valentino tote (and I have for 4 years now!), but I am missing a brown or tan one for my autumn outfits. So that is one for the shopping list this season! Let me know if you have a favourite you think I should look into.

Shoes – I am not too inventive on the shoe front: I have my loafers, sneakers and boots. It’s what I live in for this season, so why re-invent the wheel?

Capsule wardrobe accessories

I love picking out a few season-specific accessories that really help finish off my outfits in my capsule wardrobe and this season is no different.

Tights – In addition to giving some warmth for transitional weather, I love using printed tights to give my outfits some extra interest as well.
At least one scarf – Again, another place to add some print and/or colour.
Headband – There is something about hair accessories that just elevate outfits so much. I know headbands are not for everyone, maybe you’re more of a hair clip or hat girl, but my headband collection gets so much use during fall!