Fall Workwear Capsule Wardrobe: 40 Outfits from 27 Pieces

Last week I shared my casual fall capsule wardrobe, and this week I’m taking the same approach with workwear. For this capsule, I put together 27 pieces and styled them into 40 different fall work outfits.

Workplace dress codes can vary quite a bit, so I leaned toward the dressier end of business casual with this capsule in hopes that it can be a helpful starting point for a range of workplaces. The pieces and outfits can easily be swapped or adjusted to better fit your personal style and dress code. If your workplace is more casual, you could swap a blazer for a cardigan or wear more flats and loafers. If you don’t wear heels, you could also hem the longer trousers to your preferred length for flats.

My Sizing: I’m 4’10”, and my bust, waist, and hip measurements are 32″, 24″, and 36″. My inseam is 25″ (the measurement from the inside of my leg to my ankle bone). The clothes shown are unaltered and show how they fit me right from the store. I list my sizing beside each item to help you compare when shopping online. When referencing my true size, that is often the smallest option available at a brand or petite xxs/00/24. I wear a size 5 shoe.Throughout the post I’ll share my sizing and petite fit notes to help you compare proportions.

The 27-Piece Fall Workwear Capsule

27 piece fall workwear capsule wardrobe for petites | petite-friendly fall outfits | petite fashion | fall capsule wardrobe

40 Capsule Outfits

Petite-friendly fall workwear capsule wardrobe | petite workwear | fall outfits for work | petite fashion

I built this capsule around classic workwear pieces that can be mixed and matched throughout the fall season. I chose a fall-ready color palette of olive, burgundy, orange, navy, and chocolate brown. The capsule includes a mix of base layers, top layers, and different silhouettes to add variety and suit different style preferences.

8 Tops

The tops include a mix of button-down shirts, cardigans, and slim sweaters that can be worn alone or layered under jackets and blazers.

Orange Sweater XS Quince in Rustica Brown

This cotton cashmere sweater has a slim fit and is true to size through the body. The sleeves are long on me, so I’m wearing them cuffed. I love that you can wear this as a top layer, but it’s also slim enough to tuck in.

Navy Sweater XS Quince

This classic piece looks great on its own, but also layers well. I’m wearing it in XS and would consider it true to size. It’s 100% cashmere and so soft.

Draped Ivory Top XS Quince

This draped top looks great as a base layer with blazers and cardigans. It runs a little bit large on me in XS. It’s not a deal breaker in fit, but worth sizing down if you’re able to.

Brown Long Sleeve XS Quince in Mocha Heather

I chose this top for the perfect color match to my brown wide-leg pants. It’s a soft cotton-cashmere blend and tucks in nicely. It fits me well through the body, but the sleeves are long. The sleeves are also flared, so you can’t cuff them; I just wear them a little bit long.

Wrap Cardigan XXS Aritzia in Nomad Taupe

This wrap cardigan from Aritzia is a piece I also included in my winter capsule earlier this year. It’s soft and thick with plenty of stretch, making it a comfortable option for work. I prefer to wear it layered over a top, but you can also wear it on its own since the neckline isn’t too low. It fits me well in XXS overall, but the sleeves are a little long, so I need to cuff them.

White Button Down Petite 00 J.Crew

A classic white button-down always makes it into my capsule wardrobes. It’s a timeless piece that can be worn on its own or layered under sweaters, cardigans, and blazers. I’m wearing it in Petite 00, and it fits me well overall.

Burgundy Short Sleeve XXS BR Factory

The burgundy short-sleeve top I included is from Banana Republic Factory. It’s a lightweight knit with plenty of stretch. I chose it for the rich burgundy color and mock neckline, which gives it a more elevated look than a basic T-shirt.

Striped Button Down 00 Ann Taylor

I also included a striped button-down for the same layering versatility as the white shirt, but with a little more color and interest. This one doesn’t come in petite sizing, so the fit is slightly oversized on me, but not enough that I would size down. The sleeves are also a little long, so I wear them cuffed.

5 Bottoms

For the bottoms, I chose a mix of styles, colors, and fits to add variety to the capsule and offer options for different style preferences.

Brown Wide Leg Pants Petite 00 BR Factory

10.5″ rise 28″ inseam in petite

Unfortunately, these pants have sold out in the chocolate brown color I chose for the capsule. However, they’re an excellent pair of pants and worth checking out in another color. The fabric is thick and well made with a little stretch, and it doesn’t wrinkle easily. I also love the way they skim my frame rather than fitting too tightly or pulling across my hips like many other wide-leg styles. I’m wearing my true size, Petite 00. For the capsule, you could swap in the Hayden Pants in Chocolate Brown instead. The length of these pants works the best for me with a pair of heels, so they will also work well with boots as we go into winter – they are also thick and warm.

Wide Leg Jeans Petite 24 J.Crew Factory

10.5″ rise 28″ inseam in petite

The Classic Wide-Leg Jeans from J.Crew Factory are a newer style for me, but they’ve quickly become a favorite. They didn’t make the top-five jeans list I shared last month simply because I hadn’t tried them yet, but I liked the fit so much that I included them in my recent capsule wardrobe.

Burgundy Pants Petite 00 BR Factory

10″ rise 28.5″ inseam in petite

The Hayden Pants from Banana Republic Factory are lightweight and drapey with a comfortable stretch waistband. They have a flat waistband in the front with stretch in the back for a polished look that’s still comfortable. The fabric is lightweight, so they’re a great option for early fall but may not be warm enough once the weather turns cold.

Navy Slim Pants Petite 00 (curvy fit) Ann Taylor

9″ rise 25″ inseam in petite (curvy has a 9.5″ rise)

These classic ankle straight pants are a great option if you prefer a slim, classic fit. They work well with ballet flats, heels, and sneakers, but they wouldn’t be my first choice if you’re looking for a pair that will transition to boots in the winter. They’re made from 94% cotton and 6% spandex, giving them a mostly natural-fiber composition with a little stretch. Since they’re primarily cotton, they do loosen up quite a bit with wear, so keep that in mind when choosing your size.

They come in both standard and curvy fits. The standard fit is too tight across my hips and thighs while being too loose at the waist, but the curvy fit is much better proportioned for my shape.

Olive Pants Petite 0 J.Crew

9.5″ rise 25.5″ inseam in petite (sized up)

The Kaya Pants from J.Crew have a slim, cropped flare fit that works well with a variety of shoes, including boots, especially when the hem falls close to the top of the foot. They have a mid-rise and a little stretch for comfort. I find them to run small through the hips and thighs, so I sized up one size and could almost have gone up two sizes for a little more room.

2 Blazers + 1 Jacket

For the top layers, I included two blazers and one jacket. I didn’t include the trench coat in my outfit count since it’s meant to be worn as outerwear rather than as part of the indoor outfit. As the weather cools down, you could also add a wool topcoat for extra warmth. I’ll have some petite-friendly options to share soon!

Tan Blazer Petite 00 J.Crew

The blazers I included in the capsule are the same blazer, just different colors. The Marguex Blazer from J.Crew is a modern longline style with a drawn in waist. It’s an absolute perfect petite fit with well proportioned sleeves and shoulders. It’s well made with stretch as well so it’s easy to move in. I’m wearing both blazers in my true size, petite 00.

Navy Blazer Petite 00 J.Crew

All of the same fit notes from the tan blazer apply here, since the blazers are the same. But I’ll add that the navy option has gold buttons instead.

Trench Coat Petite 00 J.Crew

I chose the Icon Trench Coat from J.Crew for the capsule. It has a modern, oversized fit through the body but is still well proportioned through the sleeves and shoulders, which helps balance the roomier silhouette. I’m wearing it in Petite 00 and find it to be true to size. I wouldn’t recommend sizing down, since the sleeves already have a closer fit and sizing down could make them too snug.

Shoes & Accessories

I included five different pairs of shoes in the capsule, but you could easily get by with fewer. For example, I chose slingback heels in both dark brown and tan, but you could pick your favorite neutral and stick with just one pair since either color works well with the capsule.

I also included two different pairs of flats to give you options based on your style and comfort preferences. If comfort is your priority, I would choose the loafers. Last, I included a pair of boots. I didn’t end up styling them in many of the outfits, but I wanted to include an example of the type of boot I would choose for workwear. This style will pair nicely with both wide-leg pants and wide-leg jeans as the weather cools.

Building Your Own Fall Workwear Capsule

You don’t need to start from scratch to build a workwear capsule. Take a look at what you already wear most often and start building around the colors. A few pairs of pants, versatile tops, a skirt or two, dresses, and a couple of layers can create more combinations than you might expect.

The 27 pieces in this capsule gave me 40 fall workwear outfits, but there are still more combinations that could be made from them. My hope is that you can use these outfits as inspiration, swap in similar pieces from your own closet, and make the capsule work for the way you actually dress for work.

Just like with the casual capsule, I’ll be breaking this capsule up into a series so you can see each outfit with links up close.