Hey guys! Happy Monday!
My Summer & Fall Wardrobe.
This is of a fun little post, hopefully series, I’m going to do on how to build a seasonal wardrobe. This post is all about what I bought to build my 20 piece summer/fall wardrobe for less than $200. But hopefully, if you all show a lot of interest I’ll do some more posts on tips and tricks so you can do it too.
Why it’s awesome to make a seasonal wardrobe?
- It’s great for travel. I can put these 20 pieces in a bag and have over 50 outfits. That’s a full month of living out of a suitcase with less than 5 minutes spent packing.
- You always have infinite combinations of outfits with absolutely no thought. Quick for getting ready.
- You’ll save money from your clothing budget. (hello a vacation to Hawaii)
- You’ll always feel like a fashionista.
- When you’re not fashion-gifted it’s a built in set of guidelines that will ALWAYS set you up for success.
- If you hate shopping, you get it all done in an afternoon.
- If you have a small closet, I promise everything will fit.
A Saturday of Shopping
My Mom and I spent all morning and afternoon on Saturday shopping. We had 200 dollars to spend.
I figure that seems like a lot of money, but if you can spend $200 dollars now and not have to buy anything until November… you’re really coming out ahead on the clothing budget.
To keep it frugal (mom and I are the queen and princess of the discount store…) we kept our shopping to Forever 21, H&M, Target, Marshalls (commonly called TJ Maxx) and a random Sports Authority.
We made a list of things we knew we needed to make an entire (multi-purpose and functional) wardrobe.
The Basics
- dressy pants
- casual pants
- dressy jacket
- casual jacket
- blouse
- casual blouse top
- basic tee
- basic tee in a pattern
- multi purpose dress (dressy, casual, good for layering)
- ballet flats
- wedges
- scarf
- sweater
- shorts
- belt
- casual top
- razor back tank
Here’s what we came home with.
The important thing is to get pieces that all go together. EVERYTHING has to be able to combo with everything else to get the most out of the pieces.
Here are 20 pieces that’ll be good through Summer and Most of Fall.
I ordered the blouse online… it’s coming. Eeee!
To save some money and to build a wardrobe that I knew I’d wear, I complimented the clothes I already had in my closet. This helped dictate my color choices. I had a few of the basic pieces already in my closet too. Because the things I already wear go really well with different pieces in my summer/fall wardrobe that just makes for more outfit options.
But my 20 piece wardrobe can stand alone. That’s 50+ outfits for all occasions without using anything else in my closet.
Look at this magic…
Here are 2 pieces from the wardrobe… the basic white tee and the denim shorts. Look how many combos can be made with these two pieces as a base. Everything is out of the 20 pieces in my new summer/fall wardrobe.
That’s 9 different outfits for the office, cocktails, casual weekend, and/or vacation.
There are a few accessories I already had that I’ve supplemented a few of these looks with. They’re very basic and I figure most of you already have them in your closets.
Black (not too high) pumps, brown cross body bag, $5 dollar sunglasses, statement necklace, watch, hoops and stud earrings.
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
we dress very similarly, I like to get more basic things and wear them different ways to do them up or down. I didn’t realize how creative i could get for work with clothes i already had! Love all your combos, so beautiful.
I love dressing like this. So preppy and clean. You can get so creative!! If you have a lot of similar pieces, this will be perfect for you. I’m making a page where I’m going to post all the different combo’s I wear with just these 20 things. You should check it out and get some inspiration for you own combos.
Im dying to wear the striped tee over the polka dot dress with the belt. :mrgreen:
You are a fashion genius! Love all the looks you have put together! :)
Thanks! The whole thing was really really fun. I also cleaned out my closet and got rid of a ton of stuff. It’s nice to have a go-to section of the closet that you know is ready to go for whatever event you have to go to.
such a great post!! exactly what I needed to read before my honeymoon!
OMG this is perfect for your honeymoon!!! If you are really going to try and do it and have any questions or anything let me know! I”d love to give you any of my tricks. I made a few pretty key choices on patterns, colors, etc before we even left the house (that was key!).
Such a great idea. I’d just be so overwhelmed with trying to figure out outfits from my closet (I already am since I practically live in my workout clothes). It’d be at least a half days time just to go through my closet, go to the few basics to create outfits all while emotionally detaching myself from them all. (eep!) I should have a clothing budget too ;)
I love your style. Very clean, professional, with a dash of fun. I’m more boho with long skirts (when I actually do dress up) maxi dresses and tanks.
Yeah… I’m not very boho. I try (occasionally). I do have 2 maxi dresses that I LOVE!
Just take it a step at a time. Find a few pieces that you have already that can create a few different outfits. I think this concept would work really really well in a boho closet. :mrgreen:
love it all! and the idea. super love the polka dot shirt dress…I might have to go find that. I’m on a pretty tight budget being a graduate student, I don’t have a ton of income. So when I do have a little extra cash to buy something, I make sure it’s something I’ll get use out of!
I found this one at Forever 21. But it would work with a striped pattern too, just something fun yet classic. That’s how it goes casual and dressy depending on what you wear it with.
I have more income than usual because I’m living at home right now, but shopping this way will definitely increase my savings. Now I just need to not hit the mall when I’m bored. :-D
I think this will make a really great series! I’m pretty much the opposite of a fashionista and prefer to spend my days in jeans and a t-shirt. :) But I can totally see how buying these few pieces that can be re-worn in so many different ways is the best use of money and helps to create a sense of style as well.
Oh, girl! I’m all jeans and a tee every day at work. I work at a printing company, yes I do graphic design but I also run these huge industrial printers
(dirty!). But I do like have fun outfits on the weekends. Hopefully I’ll save some money in the end. If not, it was all super cute so it doesn’t matter.
Loovee this!! I am not a huge fashionista, and get a bit overwhelmed when it comes to putting outfits together. I love everything you have going on in this post!
Hey Brittany. I’ve always wanted to do this sort of thing but I was always way to overwhelmed. It’s so hard to get started. But once you get a few pieces together it becomes pretty easy. Thankfully I took my mom because it was fabulous mother-daughter bonding and she had great ideas. The dress (all her!).
I really like your blog!! Thanks for checking mine out.
Best post ever!!! This is so awesome!!! I am in love with everything you got!!!
Thanks! I really love everything too. I keep trying different combo’s on and everything is so cute! Best $200 I’ve ever spent.
Whoa…rock star…look at you go! I really don’t have a shopping plan/schedule, just try to buy classics, and then freshen things up when I need/want to (or if I gain or lose weight).
Wow, this is awesome! I always struggle with putting together a wardrobe – you should totally make this a series. I LOVE everything you bought. We definitely have similar styles :)
(P.S. Marsalls and T.J. Maxx are actually two completely different stores owned by the same company. Or at least they are in RI.)
Yeah I knew they were owned by the same company but here in Northern cali we only have Marhsalls. I know most people have TJ Maxx.
Yeah, it’s weird… Sometimes there will be street with both Marshalls and T.J. Maxx practically right next to each other. With a HomeGoods around the corner, of course!
We don’t have any of those around. I think the closest HomeGoods is like over an hour away. I LOVE Marshalls though, like with a passion. I’d be in serious trouble if TJ Maxx and HomeGoods were here too… goodbye paycheck!