Still got a summer holiday to look forward to? If you’re wondering what to pack for a summer holiday, creating a holiday capsule wardrobe can make getting ready so much easier.
Whether you’re jetting off for some late-summer sunshine, heading away for a European city break or making the most of a few days by the coast, there’s one part of the holiday that can feel slightly less relaxing… packing!
It’s very easy to start with the best intentions and somehow end up with a suitcase full of clothes, while still feeling like you have nothing to wear.
A little planning can make all the difference. By choosing a smaller selection of pieces that work well together, you can create plenty of summer holiday outfits without taking your entire wardrobe with you.
Less overpacking, less decision-making and more room in the suitcase for a little holiday shopping!
How to build a holiday capsule wardrobe
A capsule wardrobe is all about choosing versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched to create multiple outfits.
For your holiday capsule wardrobe, think about pieces that can take you from the beach or sightseeing during the day to drinks and dinner in the evening with just a few simple changes.
You don’t need a completely different outfit for every day and night. Instead, look for clothes that work hard for their place in your suitcase.
A good starting point for a summer holiday could be:
- 3–4 tops
- 2–3 bottoms
- 2 dresses
- 1 lightweight layer
- 1–2 swimsuits
- 1 beach cover-up
- 3 pairs of shoes
- A small selection of accessories
Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all packing list. Your perfect holiday wardrobe will depend on where you’re going, what you’ll be doing and, most importantly, what you actually enjoy wearing.
Choose a colour palette that suits you
If you already know the colours that suit you best, your holiday wardrobe is the perfect place to put that knowledge into practice.
Choose a handful of shades from your personal colour palette that you love wearing and that work well together. This could include neutrals, brighter colours and prints — there’s absolutely no rule that a capsule wardrobe has to be beige!
Sticking loosely to a colour palette makes it much easier to mix and match your clothes, helping you create more holiday outfits from fewer pieces.
Before something goes into your suitcase, ask yourself: does this work with at least two or three other pieces I’m taking?
And if you’re not sure which colours suit you best, a Colour Analysis with me in West Sussex can help you discover the shades that make you look and feel your best. Knowing your colours can make shopping, getting dressed and even holiday packing that little bit easier.
Choose versatile pieces you can wear more than once
One of my favourite holiday packing tips is to choose harder-working pieces rather than simply trying to take fewer clothes.
Think about how you could wear the same item in different ways.
A skirt could be worn with a vest top and flat sandals during the day, then dressed up with a blouse, jewellery and smarter sandals for dinner.
A relaxed linen shirt is another brilliant holiday piece. Wear it open over swimwear at the beach, pair it with shorts for exploring or throw it on as an extra layer in the evening.
Even your swimwear can become part of an outfit. A simple swimsuit can double up as a bodysuit paired with wide-leg trousers or a skirt.
The more ways you can style each piece, the more outfits you can create from a surprisingly small suitcase.
Think about what you’ll actually be doing on holiday
Before you start packing, take a moment to think about your plans.
Are you going to spend most of your time around the pool? Exploring little towns? Going for nice dinners? Taking boat trips? Walking and sightseeing?
There’s no point packing five pairs of heels if most evenings are going to involve wandering along cobbled streets to a little local restaurant!
Instead of packing lots of clothes just in case, loosely plan your outfits around what you’ll actually be doing.
It can also help you spot any gaps before you go — rather than discovering on day two that the shoes you packed don’t work with half of your outfits.
Be realistic about holiday shoes
Shoes can take up a huge amount of valuable suitcase space, so this is one area where being a little ruthless can really help.
For many summer holidays, three pairs can be plenty:
Trainers for travelling, walking and exploring
Flat sandals for the beach, pool and relaxed days
Smarter sandals for dinners and evenings out
And a simple packing trick: travel in your bulkiest pair to leave a little more room in your suitcase.
Use accessories to create different summer holiday outfits
If you’re worried a capsule wardrobe will feel repetitive, accessories are your best friend.
Jewellery, sunglasses, hats and bags take up very little suitcase space but can completely change the feel of an outfit.
The same simple dress could feel relaxed with flat sandals, a sun hat and beach bag during the day, then completely different with smarter sandals, jewellery and a smaller bag for dinner.
Accessories are also a great opportunity to bring more of your personality into your holiday wardrobe, whether that’s through colour, print, texture or statement jewellery.
Try your holiday outfits on before you pack
This is one of my favourite tips when deciding what to pack for a summer holiday.
Rather than throwing individual pieces onto the bed and hoping they’ll somehow work together when you arrive, try on complete outfits before they go into your suitcase.
Check that you feel comfortable, that everything fits how you want it to and that you have the right shoes, underwear and accessories for each look.
You could even take quick photos of your outfits on your phone. Then, when you’re away, you have your own little holiday lookbook to refer back to.
It makes getting dressed so much easier and can help you avoid packing those pieces that you love individually but don’t actually work with anything else in your suitcase.
What to pack for a summer holiday: a simple capsule wardrobe
If you’re not sure where to start, here’s an example of a simple late-summer holiday capsule:
Tops: a vest top, a blouse, a relaxed T-shirt and a linen shirt
Bottoms: denim shorts, lightweight wide-leg trousers and a skirt
Dresses: one easy daytime dress and one dressier option
Layers: a denim jacket/overshirt or lightweight cardigan
Shoes: trainers, flat sandals and smarter sandals
Accessories: sunglasses, a sun hat, beach bag, smaller bag and a few pieces of jewellery
Add in your swimwear and beach cover-up, and you’ve got the foundations of a holiday wardrobe that can take you from mornings by the pool to afternoons exploring and dinners out.
The important part isn’t having these exact pieces. It’s choosing items that work together and suit your holiday.
Your holiday capsule wardrobe should still feel like you
Creating a capsule wardrobe doesn’t mean stripping all the personality out of your suitcase or suddenly wearing clothes that don’t feel like you.
If you love bright colours, pack bright colours. If you’re happiest in bold prints, include your prints. If you practically live in dresses when you’re somewhere sunny, build your holiday capsule wardrobe around dresses instead.
The aim is to create a smaller, more considered selection of clothes that you actually want to wear, that work well together and that make getting dressed feel easy.
Because ultimately, holiday style should be the fun part. You want to open your suitcase, know you have outfits you feel good in and get on with enjoying your holiday.
Need some help with your wardrobe?
If you find yourself buying lots of clothes but struggling to put outfits together, or you’re simply not sure which colours and styles suit you, I can help.
Through my Personal Styling services in West Sussex, we can discover the colours that make you shine, identify the pieces that work for your shape, style and lifestyle, and make your wardrobe feel much easier to navigate.
Whether you’re preparing for a holiday, updating your wardrobe for a new season or simply want to rediscover your personal style, the goal is the same: a wardrobe that feels like you and makes getting dressed something to enjoy.