Travel Capsule Wardrobe: Then and Now

In my last article, I demonstrated how I pack for budget airlines, including everything I took with me on a trip last year. Since I originally wrote the article, my wardrobe has changed quite a bit; I’ve narrowed down my entire wardrobe to around 40 items, honed in on a new color palette, and dyed quite a few items of clothing.

The capsule wardrobe I took on a more recent trip looks very different from the original. Both trips were three weeks long, and I was able to do laundry once a week.

Make a plan

I used the Stylebook app to organize them, as always, which helps me to keep track of all my options. First, I choose a mix of tops and bottoms that work well together. I don’t have any specific formula for this, but I’ve gotten a good feel for it over the years.

Ideally, you want more tops than bottoms, as you can rewear bottoms more. Looser tops are also a good bet, because you won’t sweat in them as much.

First, I create a new folder in my Stylebook app and add the tops, bottoms, and dress into the folder, organized by type. Then, I create a folder for outfits, and try various different combinations of tops and bottoms to make sure everything works together.

In particular, I want to make sure I have unique outfits for all or nearly all 21 days of the trip. Later on, I can track what I wore on the calendar so I can figure out what I wore the most and what I still haven’t worn yet.

Next, I add in shoes that work for the weather and match the other items I packed. Small accessories like a silk scarf or jewelry can help change up a look without taking up much space.

Here’s every item of clothing I packed last time, for a total of 16 items:

-1 jacket

-5 tops

-3 bottoms (2 skirts, 1 pair of shorts)

-2 dresses

-1 bra (not pictured)

-1 purse (not pictured)

-1 belt

-2 pairs of shoes (running shoes not pictured)

And every item I packed this time, for a total of 15 items:

-1 jacket

-5 tops

-4 bottoms (2 long, 2 short)

-1 dress

-1 bra

-1 purse

-2 pairs of shoes

I also had to pack a nice dress and pair of shoes for an event, which I’m not including because I didn’t wear either for the rest of the trip. Ideally, both of these items would’ve integrated into my wardrobe, but I’m still working on that.

Also not pictured are my workout clothes: 1 sports bra, one pair of running shorts, a T-shirt, and a cami. I brought the same set of workout clothes on each trip.

Outfits I wore during the trip

Here are a few of the outfits I wore on the trip. As with the clothing items, I created a specific looks folder for my trip.

What changed

It’s clear that my color scheme has become more cohesive since the last trip. Partly, this is due to what I’ve been excited to wear in my wardrobe, which is what I packed. It’s satisfying to see the change, and I had no idea that I would be turning to a minimalist wardrobe when I documented the first packing capsule.

After the last trip, I also realized that carrying a belt around wasn’t worth it for the use I got out of it, so I ditched the belt this trip.

The changes are also reflective of the temperature. The first trip was in full summer heat, and this trip was in the spring, when I needed a mix of warmer and cooler options.

Also, instead of bringing running shoes this time, I brought nice tennis shoes, and borrowed running shoes that didn’t fit me while I was there. The verdict is still out on whether or not this was a good idea — I did fall flat on my face on a run, so you can draw your own conclusions.

What stayed the same

Although I don’t have a set packing list, I ended up packing almost identically between the two trips. For the first, I packed 16 items, and for the second, 15. The breakdown was eerily similar as well. The only difference the second time around was that I switched one dress for another pair of pants. Although I didn’t realize I had a packing strategy, clearly it hasn’t changed, and it’s served me well.

There are also a few similarities that might not jump out right away. Three of the items I packed the first time around are actually present in my second packing list. One is my half and half T-shirt, which I changed up recently. The other two are both the result of recent dye projects: the black silk shirt and the jean shorts, both of which I bleached and then dyed with varying degrees of success. I’m really happy with the final outcome, but it took a while to get there.

What I’m still working on

As I mentioned, I really want to get to a place where my formalwear can integrate into my everyday wardrobe. Especially on a trip, it’s important to have versatile options, so you’re not carrying around a pair of shoes you’re going to wear once (like I was).

I also think I could have gotten more use out of the dress I packed — as it was, I didn’t wear it as much as I could’ve.

Because I had to work on this trip, I ended up spending a lot of time around the apartment, especially on weekdays. For this reason, I didn’t always put a ton of effort into my outfit. I had several outfits planned out at the beginning of the trip that were more elaborate, but I didn’t end up wearing any of them. As a result, I did feel like I was rewearing outfits, and I did get a little bored. If I were to redo the trip, I would’ve put more effort into my looks.

Finally, I could’ve packed lighter this time around. Last time, I had some extra space in the top of my backpack, but this time, between three pairs of shoes and a few extra toiletries, everything was packed in extremely tight. When traveling, I had several items tied around my backpack in plastic bags.

Conclusion

Some changes between the two travel capsule wardrobes stand out immediately, and some are a little more subtle. Overall, they were both successful, and seeing how closely they align item-by-item was great validation. Of course, the more recent capsule is my favorite between the two, but there are still a few improvements I would make before my next trip.