It’s the best time of the year! September and October are my favorite months to get dressed (and my favorite for everything else, too - I LOVE FALL). I say this as the temperature today is in the 90s with extreme humidity, but I’m sure crisp weather will be arriving soon. As is tradition around these parts, I’m sharing my September capsule wardrobe with an outfit for every day of the month (find my last year’s fall capsule here; this is definitely the most popular content I share here on Stitch & Salt so you don’t want to miss it!)
One of the many reasons I love getting dressed this season is the freedom to mix your summer clothes with your fall clothes - sweaters with flip flops! shorts with loafers! jackets with skirts! It easy to create interesting outfits because you’ve got so much to work with.
I’m breaking down each piece in the capsule below. Scroll to the end of this post to see thirty outfit ideas. I use these outfit ideas daily to create my actual looks that I share on Instagram and Substack which in regards to the latter, I plan to be much more consistent with now that the kids are back in school.
Fall Capsule Wardrobe: September 2026
Tops
Navy Cotton Rollneck Sweater // To me, the rollneck sweater embodies fall on the coast. I don’t live there but I can pretend! This one has an oversized fit. I recommend staying true to size for that classic relaxed look. Here is a more affordable option - I recommend sizing up in this one.
Taupe Cropped Cardigan // This cardigan is top contender for most versatile piece in this capsule. You can wear it buttoned, unbuttoned, only few buttons done, tied around the waist or over the shoulders, or even tossed off and thrown in your bag in the afternoon heat. It is one of my favorite purchases from last year and comes in many colors to suit your fancy. Here is a more affordable option.
Black Long Sleeve Tee // I’m a tee girl to the core so you’ll find a few in this capsule wardrobe. At it’s best, I envision this black long sleeve tee worn with my white poplin shorts and black ballet flats for cool girl vibes, but I also plan to pair it with every other bottom in this capsule as well as tied around my waist as a third piece.
Navy Ringer Tee // Sticker shock warning. This tee was gifted from Gerard Darel, a French brand I recently started working with (I was also gifted this gorgeous woven leather bag that you’ll see in the outfit photos below). I could not resist this tee with it’s ringer style in a chic navy and the cutest embroidered detail on the front. Sorry, not sorry. Don’t worry, I found easier on the wallet options here and here.
Gray Tee // I haven’t included a gray tee in my capsule wardrobes for awhile, and I’m questioning my life choices. In creating outfits for this post, it was immediately apparent that it is such a capsule winner as I was able to style it so many ways. I size up in this tee.
White Tee // Every six months or so, I order a fresh white tee. It brings me so much joy to wear a crisp, stain-free top for the new season. This is the same tee as the gray one above. I go up a size.
Cream Sweatshirt // This is my casual and comfortable top for momming on the weekends. I went up a size for a cozy fit.
Striped Button Down Shirt // I went through my second closet in the basement (I have too many clothes, I think) looking for some pieces to include in this capsule and stumbled upon this navy and white striped button down from Madewell a couple years back. It has such a good fit - relaxed but not too long and cut so the neckline stays open giving it more of an effortless look. Unfortunately, this exact colorway is long gone, but there a few similar options available.
White Button Down Shirt // This top from Sézane has quickly become my favorite white button down shirt. Don’t worry - you don’t need this if you already own one, but I do like the wider more billowy silhouette of this one.
Outerwear
Windbreaker Jacket // This was on my spring wishlist last year, and I’m lucky to have received it as part of my most recent collaboration with Quince. I like this jacket best with the waist cords cinched in and the bottom sort of tucked under. Fits true to size.
Tan Trench Coat // This trench coat is from the Sézane Fall Collection, and she’s a beauty. The fit is a little oversized, but I want it that way.
Brown Leather Bomber Jacket // This might be my favorite item that I own from Quince. The quality is really nice, especially for the price. I always get lots of compliments when I wear it.
Bottoms
Quick note here before I go through my bottoms - you’ll see a few new pairs of jeans in the lineup (three to be exact). I already own lots of jeans, but, in picking out a few pairs for this capsule, I found almost all of them to fit too tight in the waist perhaps from weight redistribution related to life in my 40s (FUN!) or some weight gain after my Crohn’s flare last year. They were just so uncomfortable! Instead of wallowing in self pity (it’s not that serious!) I just bought some new pairs in a size up. Midlife crisis averted. Under normal circumstances, I would not have spent this kind of $$$ on new jeans with so many pairs in my closet. Thanks for your attention on this matter.
White Poplin Shorts // Being that we are in an early September heat wave, you’ll be seeing these shorts a lot in the beginning of this month. They are a holdover from August. I’ll be pairing them with my tees right now but I’m much more looking forward to pairing them with my sweaters with the time is right.
Brown Poplin Pants // Another pair I’m keeping from my August Capsule. These are such a winner from J.Crew. I got my true size in the petite.
Indigo Straight Leg Jeans // The fit on these jeans is quite literally, perfect. They fit like a glove without being tight and have a not too slim straight leg and a cropped ankle length that falls right at the top of my foot. I went up to the 26 in these. Here is a more affordable option.
Light Wash Boyfriend Jeans // These feel like a vintage style with a slouchy fit and light wash. Citizen’s of Humanity makes the softest jeans! I know they’re pricey, but they are definitely worth it if you can swing it. More affordable option here.
Beige Cotton Canvas Pants // These are new, too! Oy, don’t judge me too much. I’ve been coveting this canvas pant from Le Bon Shoppe for quite some time. I love the barrel shape that gives a visually interesting silhouette and a new way to play with proportions in my looks.
Wide Leg Jeans // These jeans were definitely a splurge at just under $300, but I know I’ll get tons of wear out of them. These are a full length on me; I actually need to take them to the tailor today to have them taken up an inch or two for that perfect just skims the ground length. I first ordered the 26 but found them to be too large and ordered a size down. More affordable option here.
Shoes
Cow Print Flats // Shoes are the category of my wardrobe where I like to have some fun, and this cow print ballet flat from Frēda Salvador is just the ticket for that. Something like this pairs so easily with my minimal wardrobe. These fit true to size for me.
Boat Shoes // If you go to the office, definitely swap these for a loafer, but this boat shoe style works well for my casual life. My pair is last year Madewell, but here and here are similar options.
Brown Suede Mules // I bought these last month but didn’t get to wear them much. I think September and October are where this shoes will really earn their keep. Call me lazy, but don’t you just love a shoe that you can slip on? These fit true to size.
Black Ballet Flats // A black shoe adds that edgy element I’m always looking for when I’m building my outfits. This pair is really affordable and great quality for the price.
Black Flip Flops // There was an incident involving one of my kids in early August, and my black flip flops were the unsuspecting victim (RIP). I ordered a new pair from Tkees, a brand I’ve loved in the past. Simple and chic.
Accessories
I’ve been the very lucky recipient of some new bags recently, some more affordable than others. You’ll see this caramel suede bag from a new-to-me French brand, Claris Virot (I seriously cannot get over this beauty), this structured black bag from Freja, a brand out of New York that makes relatively affordable designer bags, and this woven leather one from another French brand, Gerard Deral. Obviously, if you’re looking to copy my outfits (and I hope you do!) just sub in whatever similar bag you have, but if you’re looking for that missing piece, know that I own and recommend these ones as timeless, high quality options.
You’ll also see a few pairs of sunglasses, including these oval ones, these brown square ones, and these Ray-Ban dupes - all affordable.
I’m also currently on the hunt for a new scarf to add to my fall capsules - I’ll keep you posted!
September Capsule Wardrobe Outfit Ideas
Shop The Capsule
This blog post contains affiliate links. When you shop my links, I make a small commission at no cost to you. This is how I earn an income to support my family. Thank you!
