A capsule wardrobe is essentially a curated collection of items that can be worn together in many ways. Making for a closet with less, while always feeling like you have something to wear. Capsules can be built from many different basics and staples, what you include in yours will depend on your personal style. I like to take inspiration from other capsules and then make adjustments to stay true to myself and what I will truly wear. There is no sense in buying a blazer because someone has a capsule with a blazer if you know you’ll never wear it. My casual fall capsule is overall classic, modest, not super trend heavy, and comfortable. There’s a good chance you have some of these things in your closet already. It also blends well into workwear with a few additions and swaps. The workwear capsule post will follow.
Petite-Friendly Casual Fall Capsule Wardrobe
Affiliate links are included in this post.
Capsule Wardrobe Pieces
My Sizing: I’m 4’10” and around 105lbs. My bust, waist, and hip measurements are 32″, 24″ and 36″. My inseam is 24″- 25″.
Tops
Printed Top: Every capsule wardrobe I’ve done has at least one printed top. I love prints and they really can be versatile. In the outfits below I showed how you can dress the top up and down and even wear it with layers. The exact top I’m wearing is a little bit oversized in XS.
White Chunky Sweater: I think a chunky sweater in any neutral color is great for a capsule wardrobe. I chose white, but you could also opt for black, gray, camel, olive, or burgundy. My exact sweater is a budget option from Target, but I also have this option from Everlane that I love. I’m wearing the Target sweater in XS and it has an oversized fit. The Everlane sweater comes in XXS and that fits me well.
Short Cardigan: A short cardigan looks great on its own, but you can also layer with it, throw it over your shoulders, and wear it backward for a fun back detail. My exact sweater is from J.Crew in XXS and it fits me very well overall. I also have one from Target that has an oversized fit, but I like the way that one looks as well. I wear the Target sweater in XS.
Flannel Top: I didn’t give the flannel top much love in the outfits below, but it is something I’ll wear often in the fall and winter. I tend to wear it layered and open, but sometimes I’ll also wear one buttoned up on its own. My favorite ways to wear one is with a pair of leggings and chelsea boots or sneakers, but I also like it with jeans and sneakers. My top is from Abercrombie and is a little bit oversized in XXS. It’s long enough to wear with leggings, which I like. It’s not quite a shacket, but it is a thick and warm shirt overall.
White Button-Down: I’ve grown really fond of a white button-down. You can wear it casually, but also dress it up for work. It layers well and looks great on its own. My exact top is from Boden and I’m wearing it in Petite 2. I also have one from J.Crew Factory in Petite XXS that fits me the same and really overall feels the same as the Boden top at a lower price point.
Denim Top: The denim top/chambray top has been around for years and is still current. It’s great for layering under and on top and I personally love that it’s a neutral that isn’t just white or black. I like button-down tops in general because they’re versatile and can be layered but also worn on their own. The top in this post is few years old but I linked a similar option that truthfully I like even more than the one I have, but why replace something if you don’t need to. If chambray/denim isn’t your style I would opt for another neutral option like this striped option or a casual solid option.
Layering Tops: I think you should choose layers based on your climate and comfort level. You can wear just basic long sleeve tops (or short sleeve if you run hot). If you’re someone like me that tends to be cold often, I love using slim fit sweaters as a layer option. In this post I used these t-shirts from Ann Taylor in Petite XXS, a Scoopneck T-Shirt in Petite XS (similar option), and a slim-fit camel sweater from J.Crew Factory in XS.
Coats/Layers
Juliette Sweater Blazer: If you spend any of amount of time browsing fashion accounts you’ve seen the trending fall outfits completed by a long coat. The coat can be a wrap style, topcoat, or trench coat. I absolutely love those outfits and have also had absolutely no luck (so far) finding a coat like it that doesn’t completely swallow me. So, my petite-friendly solution to get the look while still flattering my frame is this long sweater blazer from J.Crew. It’s another classic I’m sure you’ve seen around over the years. The weight is just like my shorter J.Crew sweater blazer (thicker than a sweater/cardigan, but not a full blown blazer/coat) and it has a slightly oversized fit on me in XXS.
Topcoat: The coat I chose for this capsule is the Daphne Topcoat from J.Crew. This coat is unlined, but the boiled wool is still fairly warm. I wouldn’t consider this to be a great coat for super cold weather, but for mild areas or for fall temps it’s great. I appreciate the petite-friendly fit in Petite 00. I am currently planning a post with some of my favorite winter coats, so stay tuned for that.
Jeans and Leggings
Leggings: I love leggings, especially when I can start to hide them under long coats and layers in the fall and winter. My favorite casual pair is from Aerie, the short length is great and they’re affordable. I wear them in XS short.
Black Jeans: The jeans I chose for this post are a pair from Ann Taylor in a cropped boot fit. I chose this pair because I like the high-rise, stretchy material and most importantly, the fact that they look great with both boots and flats. Choose a pair of jeans that reflects your style the most, if you need a petite-friendly pair, check out my denim guide. I’m wearing the Ann Taylor pair in Petite 24.
Mid-Wash Jeans: You really don’t need to include two different pairs of jeans, unless you want to. I included a pair of jeans in a mid-wash that I like to wear with flat shoes and sneakers, but the length doesn’t look the best with boots, so I also included a dark pair that’s a little longer for wearing with boots when the weather cools down. I’m wearing the mid-wash pair in Petite 24 and they fit true to size. They have a cropped bootcut fit. I recommend this pair of Target jeans for a budget-friendly straight option that works with flats and boots. I wear that pair in 00 Short (scroll through the sizes on the Target website to find the short options).
Dark-Wash Jeans: My dark wash jeans are Madewell’s Perfect Vintage Straight I’m wearing them in Petite 24 and they fit true to size.
The Outfits
I wanted to put each outfit side by side for easy viewing (it may come across a little small on mobile), but if you scroll down you can see each one with links and full size below as well.
Outfits with Links
There are even more ways you can combine these staples! Work capsule coming up next.
-Brooke
