A summer capsule wardrobe for men with style.
Let me lay the situation out for you was clearly as possible:
- It’s summer
- You’re going to be traveling
- You want to pack light
- You want to stay cool
- And you want to look your best
Who doesn’t want those things, right?
Well, that’s where a capsule wardrobe comes in and asserts its dominance. I’ve put together a 10-piece capsule wardrobe specifically designed for summer travel — and just for clarity, let’s say it’s for a vacation and you’re going to a resort.
10 pieces and 19 different outfits. Let’s get into it!
What Is A Capsule Wardrobe?
So what is a capsule wardrobe? Let’s start with a simple definition. A capsule wardrobe is a small, edited collection of clothing items that all work together. This allows you to mix and match everything in the collection to create many different outfits with just a few pieces.
Capsule wardrobes are great because they save you time, energy, and money.
They reduce the number of decisions you have to make since you’re really creating some guardrails in terms of the pieces you’re working with.
And a capsule wardrobe is great for the environment because you are doing more with less.
But today we are talking about a summer travel capsule wardrobe — 10 items total — so let’s get right into it.
What’s “Not” Included…But Still In
Now, before I get to the 10 items that I’m including in this capsule wardrobe, let me talk about the things that I’m not including but are things that you should definitely still pack.
I’m adding this little disclaimer because every single time — Every. Single. Time — I post any kind of travel wardrobe video or a what to pack video, someone will inevitably make a snarky comment like, “what about underwear? What about socks? What about toiletries?”
Well, obviously you’re going to pack those things, dummies.
But we’re talking about a capsule wardrobe here. And when I talk about a capsule wardrobe, I want to focus on the essentials — not that underwear isn’t an essential — but those essential pieces that will help you build your outfits.
So for the sake of argument here, in addition to saying that this is a summer travel capsule wardrobe, let’s also say that it’s for a vacation and you may be going to a resort.
Here are some other things that I would be sure to pack.
Underwear
I mean, obviously. Unless, of course, you’re going to a nudist colony. But even then you’ll need some fresh underwear for your journey to and from. Anyway… My favorite boxer briefs have been the Always in Motion model from lululemon. Though I’ve been trying out some Tommy John stuff recently that is also very comfortable.
No-Show Socks
Let me tell you my biggest menswear best kept secret — the best no-show socks for men are actually women’s peds. Don’t argue with me. And don’t knock it til you try it. If you’ve ever been annoyed that your “men’s” no-show socks actually show, take my advice and thank me later.
Baseball Cap
I always bring a baseball cap with me when traveling, whether on vacation or not. I like to keep it simple and classic even when it comes to my casual style.
Fragrance
Acqua di Parma’s classic Colonia is always on my packing list during the summer. It’s classic, perfect for the season, and works for any situation. Here are some more unique scents if that’s what you’re looking for.
Sunscreen
You should incorporate sunscreen into your daily skincare routine but it’s especially important during the summer if you’re going to be on vacation and in the sun. It’s hard to describe just how amazing this sunscreen is from Supergoop! but it’s like you don’t even have it on it absorbs so well.
Dopp Kit
I like to keep my dopp kit old school in every sense. That’s why a classic leather version is always my choice.
Swim Trunks
It may seem a little strange, but swimwear is one place — not the only, obviously — that I don’t mind paying for quality. I’ve been wearing Vilebrequin for about a decade at this point and I love their design as well as quality. This is a new pickup and I can’t wait to put it to good use.
Camera
My iPhone takes nice photos, but doing what I do, I need a real camera. About a decade ago, I bought a Fujifilm X100S (it’s now in the VI version). It was a very stylish looking camera but I had a heck of a time getting it to take good pictures. I’m sure it was all my fault, but I needed something that was easier for me to use. So I ended up buying the original Leica Q and, man, what a camera. Easy to use, great photos, an amazing feel in the hand, and style for days.
Tech Pouch
I love keeping my luggage neat and organized and cords and adapters make that very hard to do. That’s why I’m a big fan of little pouches and packing cubes to keep stuff together. Nothing better than Think Tank for tech things.
Watch Case
While I can get over deliberately limiting myself in certain areas — you’ll find out more about that below — I always bring more than one watch with me when I travel. Especially for a vacation, I need something sporty for the daytime and something a little dressier at night. The Wolf three-watch roll has been my go-to for quite some time.
Travel Catchall
How many times have been in a hotel room and freaked out because you couldn’t find your wallet or room key or watch or ring? Oh, it’s just me? Well, I figured out long ago that the best way to avoid that particular panicked feeling was to use a travel catchall. I use one at home for the same reason so why not when traveling?
You get the idea and I think I’ve proved my point here — I’m still packing all these things even though I’m not including them in the capsule wardrobe proper. Speaking of which…
The 10 Capsule Wardrobe Items
Let’s get into those 10 capsule wardrobe pieces. Since I’ve been dancing around it up until now, let’s really dive right in.
Slate Blue Glen Plaid Sport Coat
Up first is a slate blue Glen plaid sport coat. It’s 100-percent linen and half-lined, meaning it’s super light and breathable. The pattern is subtle but sporty and the patch pockets keep it casual.
Mid-Brown Houndstooth Sport Coat
Item number two is a cream and brown houndstooth sport coat in a beautiful wool, silk, and linen fabric. Extremely versatile — wouldn’t be in this capsule wardrobe if it wasn’t — and has been my favorite travel jacket this season.
Stone Linen Safari Jacket
Item number three is a stone linen safari jacket. I consider this to be a more casual alternative to a sport coat. I love the pockets, especially for travel. A great way to cover up from the sun or keep a little warmer on a breezy seaside evening.
White Dress Shirt
Item number four is just a simple white cotton button-up. Goes with everything. Easy to dress up. Easy to dress down. What else is there to say?
Funky Printed Shirt
Item number five is a printed short sleeve shirt. I always love a bold printed shirt in the summer. And a vacation is the perfect opportunity to trot it out.
Black T-Shirt
Item number six, just a classic black t-shirt. Obviously, very casual, but can easily be worn with a sport coat for a perfect dressy casual vacation combination.
Cream Linen Pants
Item number seven is a pair of cream linen pants. These are go-to for me during the summer. Light, breathable, versatile — perfect for the season.
Black Linen Pants
Next, item number eight, we’ve got a pair of black linen pants. Huge contrast from the cream linen and I like these especially for dressing up in the evening.
Sunglasses
Item number nine, sunglasses. These are the American Optical Original Pilots. Classic. Military heritage with the bayonet temple arm. And I’m including this in the capsule wardrobe and deliberately limiting myself because I generally tend to bring way more sunglasses then I need whenever I travel.
Suede Penny Loafers
And finally, item number 10, a pair of Grant Stone bourbon suede penny loafers. One pair of shoes for an entire capsule wardrobe, you ask? Yes, one pair of versatile shoes to rule them all!
Summer Capsule Wardrobe: 19 Different Outfits
Now that we’ve established our 10 capsule wardrobe items, let’s see how many ways they can be paired together. And I have to tell you that, yes, I know that 19 is a very odd number and I really did try to squeeze 20 outfits out here. But, as you’ll read, there’s a good reason for that.
Look 1
Look number one. Combining the white shirt with the cream trousers and the houndstooth sport coat. It’s tonal, minimal, little bit of visual interest via the houndstooth pattern.
Look 2
Look number two. Just going to switch up the jacket to the slate blue Glen plaid sport coat, which now becomes the focal point, still with a nice subtle pattern for some interest, super classic, absolute no-brainer.
Look 3
The Bottom Line
The thing I love most about a travel capsule wardrobe like this is that you do have so many different options. I don’t know about you, but I find it really hard to plan specific outfits for a trip — and when I try to think outfit by outfit like that, well, it feels like a big commitment. I feel locked in to those particular outfits and, you know, what if I get to my destination and suddenly I’m not as inspired by the looks I put together before the trip?
But as you can see, with 10 pieces, I’ve got 19 different combinations, so no matter how I’m feeling — or what I’m doing — there’s going to be a way for me to combine those pieces in a way that makes me feel good.
Thanks, as always, for reading.
