Twelve Piece Vacation Capsule Wardrobe

a collage graphic containing a 12 piece vacation capsule wardrobe

Since we are currently on a nine day road trip, I made this 12-piece vacation capsule wardrobe that I’m sharing today. I don’t know about you but packing for a vacation stresses me out. I’m a huge planner and will often take the time to plan out each day’s outfit. Since it’s summer and clothes for this season are generally pretty small, I’m not too worried about having enough room this time.

If you are looking to pack light, perhaps you are traveling with only a carry-on or you have little space in your vehicle, a capsule wardrobe can be useful. I like to bring items that can be worn casually for outings during the day or dressed up for dinner or a night out. We are traveling as a family so I made this capsule wardrobe pretty casual. If I were traveling to Vegas with my girlfriends, this capsule wardrobe would look A LOT different.

I always like to pack a pair of worn-in comfortable sneakers for all the walking we usually do. And, although it’s summer, I like to pack a light layer, like my denim jacket, in case the weather gets cool at night.

Pieces I Included In My 12-Piece Vacation Capsule Wardrobe

Striped Tank (TTS)
Swimsuit (I sized up one)
Bubble Tee (TTS)
Walnut Tee (TTS)
Denim Jacket (TTS, fits oversized)
Linen Shorts (TTS)
White Shorts (TTS)
Denim Shorts (TTS)
Straight Leg Jeans (I sized down one)
White Sneakers (I sized down one half size)
Padded Slides (TTS)
Espadrilles (TTS)

Ten Different Outfit Ideas Using My Vacation Capsule Wardrobe

LOOK ONE

ashley wearing a leopard print swimsuit, denim cut-off shorts and padded slides with black frame sunglasses

Swimsuit // Denim Shorts // Padded Slides // Sunglasses

I just recently picked up this wrap-style swimsuit from Aerie, and it’s so flattering. I like that it provides a good amount of coverage but still looks sexy. Since I don’t own a cover-up, I plan on throwing on my denim shorts when we go the beach or pool.

LOOK TWO

ashley wearing a walnut colored tee, denim cut-off shorts, white sneakers, a KC brown baseball hat and a dark gray backpack

Walnut Tee // Denim Shorts // White Sneakers // Baseball Hat // Backpack (old from Everlane, similar)

This is a great look for a day of exploring the city. We are visiting Chicago on our road trip, and I’m sure we will be doing tons of walking downtown. Comfortable shoes are a must for a day like that.

LOOK THREE

ashley wearing a walnut colored tee, tan linen shorts, and tan espadrilles with a camel colored crossbody bag

Walnut Tee // Linen Shorts // Espadrilles // Bag (sold out from Target, similar)

In this look, I’m taking my basic walnut colored tee and dressing it up for a nice dinner out. These linen shorts are almost sold out in this exact color, but this pair is super similar. Heels are not something I would wear all day, but I can handle them for a few hours at night.

LOOK FOUR

ashley wearing a navy and white striped tank, tan linen shorts and nude padded slides with a camel colored crossbody bag

Striped Tank // Linen Shorts // Padded Slides // Bag (sold out from Target, similar)

I love a striped tank in the summer, and this navy and white one feels extra beachy. Here, I’m wearing it with these easy breezy linen shorts; a nice functional outfit for a hot summer day.

LOOK FIVE

ashley wearing a navy and white striped tank, light wash straight leg denim and white sneakers with a camel colored crossbody bag

Striped Tank // Denim // White Sneakers // Bag (sold out from Target, similar)

In this look, I’m pairing this striped tank with my straight leg denim and white sneakers. This look would be great for a day of indoor activities, like visiting a museum where the temperatures are kept fairly chilly indoors.

LOOK SIX

ashley wearing a rust colored bubble tee, light wash straight leg denim and tan colored espadrilles with a camel colored crossbody bag

Bubble Tee // Denim // Espadrilles // Bag (sold out from Target, similar)

I first shared this tee in my Everlane try-on post last week. The material feels really soft and luxe which means it can be worn dressy as in this look with espadrilles or casually with sandals.

LOOK SEVEN

ashley wearing a walnut colored tee, light wash straight leg denim and nude padded slides holding a dark gray backpack

Walnut Tee // Denim // Padded Slides // Backpack (old from Everlane, similar)

This jeans and tee look would be another great on-the-go outfit. These slides are actually pretty comfortable, and I feel like I could walk pretty far in them without my feet bothering me.

LOOK EIGHT

ashley wearing a walnut colored tee, white twill shorts, nude padded slides and a camel colored crossbody bag

Walnut Tee // White Twill Shorts // Padded Slides // Headband // Bag (sold out from Target, similar)

Another casual outfit for daytime activities. This headband adds a little femininity to an otherwise basic outfit. I feel like these sandals are going to be the shoes of the summer for me. They are so good and super affordable.

LOOK NINE

ashley wearing a striped tank, denim jacket, white chino shorts, white sneakers and a camel colored crossbody bag

Striped Tank // Denim Jacket // White Shorts // White Sneakers // Bag (sold out from Target, similar)

I’ve added this denim jacket to this look as an optional layer. You could add it on to any of the outfits in this post if the weather turns chilly or you are spending the day indoors in the air conditioning.

LOOK TEN

ashley wearing a rust colored bubble tee, white chino shorts and nude padded slides with a camel colored crossbody bag

Bubble Tee // White Shorts // Padded Slides // Bag (sold out from Target, similar)

And the last look for this vacation capsule wardrobe combines this rust colored tee with white shorts and my padded slides. These are 3 of my summer favorites.

I hope this post gave you some ideas on how to pack light for a summer vacation. If you’re looking for more capsule wardrobes, check out my Spring Capsule Wardrobe. I’m currently working on my summer capsule wardrobe so look for that post soon!