Everything You Need for the Ultimate Fall Capsule Wardrobe

There are lots of benefits to a fall capsule wardrobe—more closet space, less time spent crafting outfits in the morning, a higher percentage of your shopping budget to put toward each piece. But even if you consider yourself more of a maximalist, building a core base of separates that can easily mix and match with one another can make it easier in the long run to start incorporating bolder patterns, brighter colors or otherwise trendier items. So, to start us all off on the chicest foot possible this season, we’ve put together a list of the 12 items you need in order to build the ultimate fall capsule wardrobe.

A capsule wardrobe is a pared down list of clothing, shoes and accessories that can be easily mixed and matched with one another to create simple, chic ensembles with less effort. Most have a neutral color palette featuring shades of beige, white, black, navy and gray, but that doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself to just those hues. If you’d rather mix and match warm tones like yellows, oranges and reds, we say go for it. So long as there are no outstanding pieces that require an additional accessory or clothing item that can’t be worn with everything else, you’ve got yourself a capsule wardrobe.

Think about the pieces you wear most often and that work best for the greatest number of scenarios. For instance, jeans can work for pretty much any daily occasion, from working in an office to dinner dates to weekend errand running. Then again, maybe you’re more of a skirt person. Pick out the items from your closet that you already wear on the regular, then start to ID where there might be any gaps. Do you often wish you had a different pair of sneakers to mix in with your wardrobe? Or maybe a different fall jacket? Combine that with your day-to-day needs and voilà!

Start with bottoms. You only need three or so, and here it’s a bit more important to stick with neutral tones and clean washes so you can better mix with and show off your collection of tops. Speaking of, your second step should be tops. Be sure to consider how they will layer with one another (i.e., how sweaters will look over T-shirts or blouses and how jackets will layer over knits). This group will likely be the largest section of your capsule wardrobe, giving you the most options to switch things up from day to day. Next consider shoes. It’s best to choose practical footwear like flats or ankle boots over stilettos, but you do you, reader. As for bags, we think most folks can make do with just two—one larger tote for work or errands, and one day bag that fits just the essentials with a bit of extra space just in case. Last but not least, think about adding a few dresses. The great thing about dresses is that they’re pretty much standalone pieces anyway, so feel free to add in handful, making sure they’ll pair well with your shoes and jackets.

Caslon Miller Water-Resistant Chelsea Boots

Ah, the Chelsea boot. This casual bootie will never go out of style and, as an added bonus, is incredibly comfortable. Try to look for a weather-resistant pair, like these Caslon boots, so you don’t have to worry about wearing them out in rain, sleet or even snow.

Shop more styles: Dr. Martens 2976 Chelsea Boots ($170); Everlane Italian Leather Chelsea Boots ($195); Blundstone 510 Original Chelsea Boots ($210)