What I Packed for ~6 Weeks Away: Capsule Wardrobe Experiment

If you’ve been following along on my Instagram (@amandadev4), you’ll have seen that Chris and I have decided to spend several weeks away from home. We decided to spend Mid-November to Mid-December in San Diego, CA (specifically Pacific Beach). Knowing we would be working remotely, as well as exploring the beach and city meant packing would be interesting. I would need to have work clothes in case I had to jet off to client meetings, lounge clothes for hanging out & remote working, and fun outfits for exploring the city & all the food and drinks San Diego has to offer. Chris and I also realized we would need to pack at least one monitor each for our remote work, which cut down our packing space further. Did I mention we are flying straight from San Diego to Phoenix for a wedding, then to Sedona for a few days before heading home?

All that being said, I knew I would need a flexible wardrobe that could get me through A LOT of different situations, including work meetings, wedding events, a half marathon, and many days of hiking. I was super stressed that I wouldn’t be able to pack everything I need – then the thought occurred to me that this would be the perfect opportunity to put a capsule wardrobe to the test! I’ve always said I wanted to be more minimalist with my wardrobe, but this is the first time I will be putting this to the test without access to the rest of my closet 🙂

In all reality, I still probably overpacked. I’m sure there will be an item or two here that gets very little wear/use while I’m away, but this is still a MUCH more organized and cohesive way to travel, considering the circumstances. Here is what made the final packing list:

I ultimately settled on 7 pairs of shoes, 7 bottoms, 10 tops, and 6 pieces of outerwear. This obviously doesn’t include items like PJ’s, underwear, socks, etc, but this will make up the entirety of “outfits” I am wearing. I’ve also not included any of my workout gear or my training shoes, because I won’t be wearing them “out” – just to yoga/the gym/on runs. I probably still overpacked, but this is the most cohesive suitcase I’ve ver packed.

Outerwear:

Camel Coat – A winter staple. Not sure how much I will end up wearing this in San Diego, but I’ll definitely need it at night in the desert of Phoenix/Sedona in December. Also will come in handy if I have to fly anywhere colder for work.

Denim Jacket – This seriously goes with everything. I’ve found myself reaching for this jacket more and more recently.

Black Blazer – A staple piece for my work wardrobe, but also excellent for more casual outings, or date nights where I want to look a little dressier.

Green Anorak Jacket – I almost didn’t bring this, but after being here almost a week, I’m so glad I did. This jacket is great for layering and adding a pop of neutral color to black/tan outfits.

Black Moto Jacket – Mine is actually suede from a few years ago. I’ve never worn it much, but something tells me I’ll get a lot of use out of it on this trip.

Grey Cropped Hoodie – Another great layering piece. Depending on the weather, I can wear this on it’s own as a light layer, or wear with another piece. This will definitely get a lot of use for lounging, beach time, and working from home.

Tops

Short-Sleeve Sweater– My secret for a layered look without overheating (especially when the days really warm up in the afternoon). The perfect neutral color.

White T-Shirt – An obvious closet staple. This always gets TONS of wear, no matter what kind of outfit I’m wearing.

Black T-Shirt – Another obvious closet staple.

Blue Button-Down Shirt – I’m honestly not sure how much I will wear this. I kind of panicked and threw this in my suitcase at the last minute as an additional workwear option.

White Linen Button-Down Shirt – Another staple wardrobe piece, perfect for casual wear and layering as well as for work.

Tan Sweater – A lighter sweater layer. I’m not sure how much I will wear this one, since it’s similar to the short sleeve sweater.

Grey V-Neck Sweater – I’m repeating myself here – but this is a staple piece that can work with any of the outerwear options.

Black V-Neck Sweater – One of the few black tops I brought – a necessity for workwear and will go with everything.

Cream Bodysuit – Perfect for layering, especially when my white t-shirt is dirty.

Camel Bodysuit– Another one of my most-worn closet pieces, the same as the cream bodysuit.

Bottoms:

Black Joggers – I’m already obsessed with these. They are SO comfy. But they look way more pulled together than my ratty old college sweatpants. My #1 loungewear/travel item. Also an amazon purchase of $35 so I HIGHLY recommend them to everyone!

Leopard Maxi Skirt – Another affordable amazon find. The only thing I packed that actually has a pattern, and also the only bottom I packed that isn’t pants. Not sure how much wear I will get out of it, but we shall see! Under $20 on amazon.

Spanx Leather Leggings – Definitely not the first time I’ve mentioned these on the blog. Everyone loves them. They are pricey, but I still love them.

Zara Pants – I basically only brought these in the event I need them for work. They can definitely be worn more casually, but I tend to mostly wear them in work settings.

White Madewell Denim – This was another impulse pack. I really don’t know how much I will wear these in the middle of winter, but they seriously go with everything. Plus, I wanted to have something casual to wear that wasn’t jeans of black, and this gave me another option.

Levi’s Distressed Denim – My most worn pair of jeans. Basically no stretch, but I love the way they keep me sucked in(ha!)

Black Jeans – the stretchiest, most comfortable pair of jeans ever. They also make your butt look awesome. Completely opposite in feel/style from the Levi’s ones, but I LOVE them for work and travel because they are so comfortable,

Madewell High-Waisted Skinny Jeans – Apparently us millennials are cheugy for wearing skinny jeans. I don’t care, I will still wear these all the time, especially in a casual work setting.

Shoes:

Black Mules – This was a last-minute purchase. I realized I had no black shoes (because I wasn’t planning to bring the black heels) and I have yet to wear them. We’ll see how much wear these get.

Nude Loafers – I wear these ALL THE TIME for work. When I visit customers, I have to wear flat, closed toed shoes to walk the manufacturing floor. I’m not sure if I’ll wear them a ton if I don’t have to go on-site anywhere, but I had to bring them in case.

Nude Heels – My most-worn heel for obvious reasons. They go with everything, a must for date-night, nice dinners, and the wedding I’m going to.

Tan Booties – The only “true” fall/winter shoe I brought. One of my most-worn shoes during this time of year.

Black Heels – This was a last-minute panic-pack. I really don’t know if I’ll end up wearing them but got nervous at my lack of black shoes so I brought them anyways.

White Sneakers – A no-brainer for me. Best option for walking around everywhere while still looking put-together. I’ve already worn them a ton since being here, and get tons of use out of them at home as well.

Cap-Toe Slingback Flats – This is another one I went back and forth about packing. I love these for work, and they go with SO many things because of the coloring. I was just worried they wouldn’t be super seasonably appropriate. Not sure how much wear these will get.

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If you’ve made it this far, thanks for sticking around! I’m planning to share weekly updates of how I actually style all these pieces during my trip. Be sure to look out for those posts in the future 🙂

Until Next Time,

Amanda

Follow along on IG: @amandadev4

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