Chic Fall Capsule Wardrobe 2023

I don’t know about you, but fall fashion is one of my favorites. After surviving the sweltering, less-than-flattering heat of summer, I’m ready to throw on my favorite cozy cardigan and sip hot coffee in the crisp fall air. 

Everyone is at different stages of their fashion style journey, and my goal is to help you find strength through style, and get dressed with more ease each morning.  This fall capsule wardrobe 2023 should help inspire you, examine your own closet, and show you what a successful capsule can be composed of. 

With any seasonal capsule wardrobe, it is important to consider your own body type, color palette, and personal style goals.  So I never recommend you just buy what is on this list blindly. Instead, I want you to take this information and see where you might have some wardrobe gaps, and how you might create different outfit formulas from your own closet. 

How many pieces should be in my seasonal Fall Capsule Wardrobe? 

This is dependent on your lifestyle and your climate.  Authentic personal style is based largely on… YOU. This shouldn’t be a surprise, but it is something that people forget regularly.  

The fall season requires more layers, so the number of pieces will likely be slightly higher than your summer capsule wardrobe.  And ideally, you do have a few foundational pieces (like jeans, a button-up, or a cardigan) that travel with you from season to season. 

Overall, I would shoot for around 15-20 pieces for your fall seasonal capsule. You can absolutely do less, but I find 20 is a good number for me. 

Athletic pieces, underwear, socks, and pajamas do not “count” towards your full capsule.  

Depending on your personal style goals, you may want to integrate some “trends” into your wardrobe each season. If you have 15 foundational items, aim for only 1-3 trendier items in addition to that.  In order for seasonal capsules to function, they cannot really be composed of all trends.  The goal is not to wear the same outfit every day but rather to find a base number of pieces you can wear all year round, and form a strong fashion foundation.  

It’s not “boring”, it’s strategic.  And with this strategy in place, you know your fashion inventory and can get more creative with your looks.  Instead of wading through 100 pieces of fashion you barely wear just to try to find that one top that you’re not even sure still fits, you know what looks good and how to pair it with other pieces you own. 

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Fall Capsule Wardrobe Checklist

Here is a very basic rundown of pieces that work well for a seasonal fall wardrobe.  Recognize that this is a larger list, so not all of the pieces will apply to you.  This should be used as a simple way to see where you might have some wardrobe gaps to fill in.

I want to stress that overconsumption is the pitfall of great style, and is usually a bandaid to feeling dissatisfied with your style.  Capsule wardrobes do not mean you buy a new set of clothes each season.  It means you strategically add in pieces each season to fit your evolved style goals, and expand your outfit options. 

Shop My Fall Capsule Wardrobe:

Fall Staples

• Longer Coat/ Trench
• Casual Coat 
• Blazer
• Turtleneck 
• Knit Sweater 1
• Knit Sweater 2 (optional to be a more fitted style than sweater 1)
• Boyfriend Shirt or Button-down
• Bodysuit
• Tee or Tank (ideally carried over each season) 
• Knit Dress
• Dress
• Straight-Leg Jeans
• Wide-Leg Trouser
• Skirt
• Lounge Pant (knit pants or leggings, depending on preference) 
• Optional: Trendier item

Shoes

• Heeled Boots (based on height preference)
• Classic Sneaker 
• Flats 
• Loafer
• Pump/Heel
• Optional: Knee High boots

Accessories

• Handbag/Shoulder Bag
• Tote-Style Bag 
• Go-To Jewelry 
• Optional: Statement earring or jewelry piece

Weather-Dependent Pieces

• Cold-Weather Hat
• Scarf
• Gloves
• Tights

I want to give you some base ideas for what items could work in your capsule and how these pieces can be used to create 30+ outfit ideas.  Sign up to get the Fall Capsule Outfit Guide for 2023 below: 

Fall Style Inspiration

Personal Style is all about you, and it’s important to consider what your core fashion beliefs and preferences are.  These are some “polished” basics that a lot of people will like and gravitate towards, but you can have a wildly different capsule wardrobe. Colorful, whimsical, and bold are all options. What’s important is that you keep the thread through your pieces so that they can mix and match easily. 

Each season I like to get a bit inspired and create a Pinterest moodboard.  It’s just a quick group of images that might give me some new outfit combinations or looks I’d like to spin my own version of.  This isn’t about a copy/paste outfit, but rather a general mood or energy you’d like to apply to your fall fashion.

Carrying on from my summer board, I went with 90’s street style and simplicity.  I found a lot of the model street style from this era works well with my own personal style goals and body type.  But, fashion is highly individual, and I encourage you to create your own inspiration. 

Here’s what mine looks like:

The goal of this inspiration is not to copy these exact outfits but to see the threads between the looks and the overall thought process behind the looks that I’m admiring currently. I think these outfits have a carefree glamour about them and a lot of the looks have a relaxed silhouette with elements of structure (usually in layering pieces). So that’s my overarching inspiration. It helps to have this thought process flushed out, because each morning it can create a guide for my outfit-building process.

Fall Capsule Staples

Now let’s review some of my fall capsule staples, and some of the pieces that have carried over from summer. 

Tank Tops

I feel like fashion can be divided on whether you find the t-shirt or the tank top to be one of your core staples.  And for me, I love a great tank top.  I find layering so easy with these chic and very affordable tanks from Target.

They have been in my rotation since Spring, and are an easy grab for me on casual days. Plus I find them very handy to layer underneath sweaters.

Button-Down/ Boyfriend Shirt

Depending on your body type, you may want to adjust what style of button-down you choose, or if you find them useful in your everyday style.

I prefer the slightly oversized shirt, and I like french-tucking it for gentle waist visibility. 

Don’t forget to examine the material and what fabrics look great on your shape.  Paying attention to fabric weight and knowing what you gravitate towards (check your closet), is a great way to avoid purchase regrets. 

Sweaters 

I am a die-hard knit sweater fanatic, and I need at least 2 great sweaters in my rotation every season.  (Actually, it’s more like 3-4 because I love them so much).

Examine how often you wear sweaters, and whether you prefer them to be layering pieces (like a cardigan) or how you like them to fit (relaxed vs. fitted).

Because I gravitate towards more relaxed sweaters, these are my two fall sweater staples. 

This gray sweater is chic beyond belief and I love it both styled on its own or layered over a shirt or turtleneck. 

I’m also a big fan of turtlenecks and this affordable sweater fit the bill.  It’s polished and easy to style with any of the bottom pieces in my staple.  I also think it will transition nicely into my winter wardrobe. 

Turtleneck

So you may be wondering why I have another turtleneck, but as I mentioned fabric weights are important.  This jersey turtleneck is a staple in my wardrobe every season, and I love how many boxes it checks for my personal style.

Sweatshirt

This sweatshirt has been a part of my rotation for over a year (first introduced in the Winter Capsule wardrobe last year). I think it’s a great sweatshirt that is unique and allows me to still feel chic wearing it out for errands or during a lazy sunday.

Sweatshirts are a great style basic. Examine whether or not you prefer plain sweatshirts, or graphic sweatshirts for one that really speaks to your individual style. Also, consider how you like the fit and any elements you like or dislike on them ( hoods, front pockets, sleeve shapes etc…)

Coats

For my climate and style flexibility, I like to have one longer and one shorter coat option for fall.  This allows me to adjust depending on the overall look I am going for, and how chilly the weather is.

When choosing a capsule wardrobe coat it’s essential to really focus on your longer-term fashion goals.  Trendier coats are an expensive investment and this is where you might want to be more strategic and invest in a coat with more style longevity (and one that speaks to your own personal style goals).

Plus, a great coat can really make or break your style, so take the time to find your A+ coat.

{ Understanding A+ wardrobe pieces and how to shop strategically}

Knit Dress 

Remember my love of knits?  Well, it certainly carries over to the dress world. I find knit dresses comfortable for my lifestyle (WFH, mom duties) and still chic enough to compete on the NYC streets and not feel meh. 

This knit dress is a great option, comes in a ton of different colors, and is an easy outfit for fall. 

Pair it with a great scarf and some knee-high boots and you have a winning look.

Dress

Your lifestyle will highly impact your clothing inventory. For my needs, I like to have a slightly more polished dress that I can use in cooler seasons. 

I liked this Reformation dress.  But others may find they get more use out of a date-night dress like this. Examine what your lifestyle needs are and when/where a second dress option for fall would be most beneficial. 

Jeans 

My go-to jeans have been the Levis 501 and the Cowboy Jeans from UO.  These two styles have served me very well for years, and continue to be comfortable, chic, and versatile in my closet. 

If you try the Levi’s 501s and they don’t quite fit through the hips, try a different color. While they aren’t “curvy” jeans, the different colors are made from different materials and they have slightly different fits. The “Indigo” wash is softer (shown above), than the same Levis 501 in “Deep Breath”.

I absolutely love the UO Cowboy Jean. I have it both in the blue denim and off-white and they are a staple jean for me.

Wide-Leg Trouser

These super affordable trousers were also in my previous capsule wardrobe of mine, and I really can’t recommend them enough.  I have them in both tan and black, and they have held up well.

I’ve worn them on flights, during WFH, and even out to dinner.  They are comfortable, well-shaped, and easy to style.  A total win in my opinion. 

I find the fabric is heavy enough that you can transition them to fall easily. For winter, I will probably layer tights underneath. 

Skirt 

Again this option will be highly dependent on your body shape and lifestyle needs.  I find for my needs a midi denim skirt to be the most flexible. 

But if you are more petite, this level of fabric may overwhelm you.  In my Self-Guided Personal Style Workbook, I find it’s essential to take daily outfit photos for style data. This can really help guide you in your ACTUAL IRL style choices and help you narrow and hone your style line preferences. 

Examine What You Can Carry Over Seasonally

Creating seasonal capsule wardrobes has foundational pieces that carry over each season. Sometimes the pieces work all year round, like jeans. And sometimes you can get only 2 or 3 seasons out of the piece. Before you determine any wardrobe gaps you might need to fill, examine which pieces from summer or spring might be able to transition into fall.

For me, I found a lot of pieces were continuing to carry over. Sneakers from my spring capsule will continue on into fall. As well as the silk maxi skirt I included in my summer capsule. And this bodysuit has been a year-round staple for me.

And my midi denim skirt and jeans will continue to be staples.

Fall Capsule Shoes

I don’t know about you, but I’m a shoe lover.  I find them essential to switch up and swap out, so my shoe needs may be a bit more expansive than you prefer. 

These are the styles of shoes I find more versatile for fall: 

Go-To Jewelry: Fall Capsule

I am very hard on my jewelry. It’s not an afterthought for me in terms of aesthetics, but it is not something I am gentle with.  And, unfortunately, I’ve lost some of my nicer pieces of jewelry over the years.

So while some of you may invest wisely and strategically in your go-to jewelry, I lean more into the most “bang for buck” approach.

I bought this set of affordable earrings in Spring and have worn them very regularly over the months, so, they are carrying me into fall as well.

(They also come in gold)

And I find affordable jewelry a great place to add in a trend or two, because they don’t clog up your closet balance, and you’re not sacrificing fit for price. 

The above earrings are fun and a bit of a trendy statement ( a nod to the Bottega earrings for sure). 

Be strategic with what you’re adding to your closet.  A small trend here or there is a great way to play with your style. Are these earrings the epitome of MY personal style, and speak to my authentic style expression? No.  Are they a fun piece to integrate into my fall looks once in a while? Yes. 

Bags

Where some people invest in jewelry, I invest in bags.  Examine the style of bag your lifestyle needs and find the appropriate option that will be versatile with your wardrobe color palette.

I like to have a larger tote bag and a handbag/crossbody bag in my rotation. Here are two great options for fall if you’re looking for something similar:

And because I travel frequently, I need a great airport tote. 

Wardrobe Color Palette

There are many different ways to decide your color palette, but one of my favorite ways is to determine your seasonal color analysis.  You can learn more about that here.

Understanding basic color theory will help you create a wardrobe full of YOUR best colors and your best neutrals. It will also allow more versatility between each piece and your mix/match options will expand.

Capsule wardrobes do not need to consist of black, tan, and white to be successful. 

I’ve built a capsule wardrobe, but it’s just not working!?

Here are some common pitfalls people fall into when creating or honing their capsule wardrobe. 

1. Blindly following advice: I know this is confusing coming from someone who just wrote 2,000 words of advice on a  fall capsule wardrobe.  But overly simplistic or prescriptive style advice only works for so long.  And if you don’t know your personal style or your lifestyle needs, you may end up with an unbalanced closet.  Examine your daily outfit photos and see what you actually wear, look at what you’re not wearing, and adjust your inventory. 
2. Wardrobe gaps.  Not having the pieces you need, or not enjoying the pieces you own. You may need a pair of boots in your wardrobe, but if the ones you own are too tall for you to use regularly, you still have a wardrobe gap.  Re-examining your wardrobe inventory and examining why pieces don’t get used is an extremely helpful practice. 
3. Personal Style.  It’s really easy to scroll your favorite shop online and fall in love with how a piece is styled or looks on the model. But you need to remember the importance of YOU in your style. If you’re struggling with your capsule, evaluate your most-worn pieces and how they communicate your style expression, and repeat the same for the least-worn pieces. 
4. Lifestyle/Climate. Double-check your style is working for your lifestyle. It’s great to use this fall capsule as inspiration, but before you fill any wardrobe gaps double check they work for your needs.  Fashion and style are form and function, and you can’t get by with a great outfit that doesn’t work for your daily life and weather needs. 

I hope this has helped debunk some capsule wardrobe myths, and set you up to have the most fabulously chic fall wardrobe. 

Now go sip pumpkin spice lattes and have a picture-perfect fall. 

Don’t forget to sign up for the free Fall Capsule Wardrobe Outfit Guide: