I was reading through my Fall capsule wardrobe post from 2023 and, not surprisingly, still enjoy wearing nearly everything on that list! For this year’s Fall capsule, I made just a few updates to reflect things I’ve been leaning into lately:
- Deeper fall colors. Instead of last year’s mostly beige tones, I added some richer hues that mix & match very well together, like chocolate brown, burgundy, and a dark olive-brown blazer.
- Suede textures. Suede is having a big moment and is a great way to add some dimension to outfits. I incorporated touches via the sneakers, flats & booties instead of regular leather shoes.
- Slip dress instead of skirt. The skirt still works well here, but the dress version brings a little extra versatility for a nice dinner or holiday event.
- Looser silhouettes. The outer layers in this year’s capsule have a more oversized, relaxed fit. For those who aren’t a fan of this, I still listed more slim-fit, petite-friendly options below.
You can also see this capsule in a video here, and Part 2 will demonstrate a variety of outfit ideas using the pieces! Here’s a preview of different capsule outfit combos with the gray jeans.
1. Outer Layers
- Cardigan Jacket
- Pictured above: Quince Merino wool duster cardigan in XS. This is an oversized, relaxed fit on me, with a soft and warm medium weight. For a shorter, lighter weight and more petite-friendly cardigan, I also have the Quince Cashmere Cardigan from many years ago (shown in video).
- J.Crew sweater blazer – for a cotton texture instead of fluffy knit, this is an excellent cardigan that has lasted the test of time in terms of style and durability. It was my initial pick for this year, but I wanted a medium to darker gray color and slightly longer length.
- Trench Coat
- Shown in video: Oak + Fort trench for an oversized style in a weighty drape fabric. While I wear mine a ton, I wouldn’t exactly call this petite-friendly. The length is past midi on me and the sleeves are a little long, but the wrist cinch strap helps. Use code JEANTRENCH for 20% off.
- For options available in petite sizing:
- Banana Republic Factory Timeless Trench: I haven’t tried this myself, but based on many user reviews this seems like an excellent, budget-friendly option in water-resistant fabric.
- J.Crew Icon Trench is a shorter, more slim fit version that hits above the knees. This is water repellant with a removable hood.
- Short Black Jacket
- Mine is an old Zara jacket, but Mango is similar and pictured in the collage. In prior years I’ve been all about the tweed lady jackets (like this Theory find!), and while those are still very much up my alley, I’ve been liking the simple look of a cleaner cut jacket.
- Similar: Aritzia little crop jacket is well-made in crepe and fits small throughout, but is a little long in the sleeves for me.
- Blazer
- Shown in video: Old Navy petite blazer. Relaxed fit on me and the sleeves are a little wide. I like this as a “boyfriend” style jacket. The “Reishi” color is a nice dark olive with brown tones, and easier for me to style than a regular olive green.
- Similar in petites:
2. Tops & sweaters
- Crewneck Sweater
- Shown in video: Everlane honeycomb xxs, old. This is my most-worn Everlane sweater ever, so much that I have a crewneck and a turtleneck version (that they brought back this year!). The weight is warm without being too thick to layer, and the honeycomb style adds texture and interest that’s valuable in a simplified capsule wardrobe.
- For a similar taupe colored sweater, the Everlane plush cotton cocoon sweater is on sale and fully stocked!
- Accent Sweater
- Neutral Layering Tees
3. Bottoms
- Trousers
- Shown in video: Aritzia Effortless pants. These are beautiful quality and look more elevated than my other trousers. The “Shorter” length is ideal for my 5′ height with a mid heel.
- Lower priced options in short inseams:
- Abercrombie trousers – I usually wear 24 short in Harper and Sloane
- Amazon $40 trousers – I have “khaki thin” and “black thin” in XS Short, but they will be too cold for wintertime unless you layer.
- Leggings / Slim Black Ankle Pants
- Shown in video: Zella 7/8 leggings. If you work in an office setting, then I’d opt for slim pants instead of leggings.
- Ann Taylor Audrey pants – a work-appropriate, sleek leggings alternative. These run small though and even 0P is fitted on me, so I would go 1, possibly even 2 sizes up. I fold the length under a little.
- Blue Jeans
- For one style that I wear often with both flats and low heels, my personal pick might be the Levi’s Ribcage “in the middle” wash size 24 x 27 length. These are slightly less wide than Madewell with an ultra higher rise. A few other favorites depending on what cut you wear the most:
- Gray Jeans
- Shown in video: Madewell 90s crop jean sz 24, hems cut. A few other options in a good darker charcoal gray wash, depending on what cut you like:
- Black Skort
Shoes
- Sneakers
- Shown in video: Adidas Spezials (more in stock colors at Adidas, and some may be able to do kids sizing). These are cushioned, comfortable, and run TTS to a half size big so I’d size down if between sizes. I have womens 5 and hunted this amazing neutral suede color down on Stockx – worth it!
- White leather Sambas are fully restocked. I wear a mens 4 / womens 5
- Flats
- Kitten Heels
- Ankle Boots
- Tall Boots
- Shown in video: Schutz Maryana sculpt boots – these run small and narrow with a high heel. They look amazing on, but for a capsule wardrobe it would be MUCH more ideal to have a lower block heel or even flat boot for practicality.
- Unfortunately I haven’t found many petite-friendly options, but just ordered a pair from this slim calf boot store to try!
- Shown in video: Schutz Maryana sculpt boots – these run small and narrow with a high heel. They look amazing on, but for a capsule wardrobe it would be MUCH more ideal to have a lower block heel or even flat boot for practicality.
Accessories
- Large Tote
- Shown in video: Madewell Essential Bucket tote. Truly one of my most favorite closet addition this year! I did cut the tail end of the strap shorter just using a pair of sharp scissors, and it doesn’t look very obvious.
- Convertible smaller bag
- Shown in video: Polene Beri paired with my own strap from another handbag. I like small bags that can go from casual looks with a strap, to dressier looks when carried on the hand.
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