A 12 Piece Maximalist Summer Capsule Wardrobe

I know that the term maximalist capsule wardrobe seems to be an oxymoron since maximalism is always about more. More colour, more textures more layers, more accessories, more patterns…

And capsule wardrobes are about less.

But I wanted to show you that it can be done and that having a small wardrobe doesn’t mean it takes away everything that makes your style you.

It doesn’t have to be boring, or all neutrals in order for it to be successful.

You can still achieve the minimalist wardrobe size while working with a maximalist aesthetic which will also vary depending on your personal tastes.

Because at the heart of it, a maximalist wardrobe is built around a strong sense of personal style, so understanding that personal style is important.

This is why I always like to point out that these capsule wardrobes are not step-by-step instructions to copy. They are like an inspiration or guide to help you take it to the place where it works best for you and your style.

Last week I talked about the struggle of waking up and wanting to be both a minimalist and a maximalist like Beth Jones. This is like the best of both worlds.

Depending on your other style words your combination of looks, accessories, and other pieces may play out differently which is what will make your capsule wardrobe uniquely you.

If you don’t know your style adjectives you can read more about them in this post, where I go into more detail about finding them and building a wardrobe around them.

How to Build Your Maximalist Capsule Wardrobe

Maximalist wardrobes are often exhibited through the use of bold colours, patterns and intricate details, but it may also focus on just one key element that stands out and becomes the main part of the look.

“More is more” is an important motto for many maximalists, and if you are starting out and are an aspiring maximalist you need to embrace that bit of fearlessness that it takes when making your clothing choices. 

When building any small capsule wardrobe I like to always include something loose, something tight, something dark and something light.

Which will give you the building blocks for a great variation of looks and proportions.

In this case it would be red blouse, tank top, dark denim, and white tee.

These are actually the same jeans that I used last week but in a dark wash. The dark wash gives a bolder vibe in this wardrobe.

Since this capsule wardrobe is only 12 pieces of clothing and maximalism is about being extra and more, I went with as much variety in colour, textures, and patterns that I could find and through the use of shoes and accessories we will be able to add the “more” that we love.

Summer can be hard to show off your personal style, especially if your style centers around wearing more. The hot weather often makes you want to wear less so you need every simple tip and trick from your styling tool bag.

This short video from a stylist that I love shows a simple yet effective way to make a regular blouse look more expensive and “more”. She has a lot of great quick and helpful styling tips.

And like I mentioned last week, all styling rules are not meant to be followed like they are set in stone, but they are important to know and understand so that you can apply them when you feel like it.

This 12 Piece Capsule Wardrobe does not include the shoes and accessories in the 12 pieces since shoes and accessories are the finishing pieces that we use to not only complete the outfit but are used as tools to give you a larger variety of looks.

I use this same concept when I am putting together packing lists because the use of shoes and accessories are simple changes that can take your day outfit to a night look or make the same outfit look different from the last time.

Everyone has a small selection of shoes and accessories to play with and even if your accessory collection is abysmal, you can find fun and unique pieces at thrift stores that would work well to accessorize a maximalist capsule wardrobe.

There are a few key points about this wardrobe that I want to mention, the Adidas pants are a new 70s style release that comes out tonight if you are an Adidas website subscriber (it gives you discounts and early access to releases).

If you are not a subscriber then you can access the pants soon. I am going to scrabble to try and get them. I’m just undecided if I want a fitted look or go up a size for a relaxed look.

The floral dress just came out and immediately danced its way into my basket. H&M really has some gem pieces sometimes if you look.

It’s selling fast and will probably sell out immediately but these things always come back in stock so hit the notify me button to be emailed when it does.

I still have items from the mid 2000s that I love and are still in great condition from H&M.

Because this is a maximalist wardrobe I wanted to get the most from my selections so I opted for every piece being a different colour or print.

It gives the most variation and the best ability to maximize those looks. These selections would also integrate well into an already existing capsule to flesh out some colour and prints.

It would also make an excellent packing list if you like a vibrant look.

I hope that this maximalist wardrobe lets you see that it is possible to achieve big things with small numbers.

Maximalist Summer Outfits Ideas

You might also like:
A 12 Piece Minimalist Summer Capsule Wardrobe
A 90s and Y2K Inspired Summer Capsule Wardrobe
A Transitional Spring to Summer Capsule Wardrobe
The Spring Starter Capsule Wardrobe
A Spring Capsule Wardrobe on a Budget
A Romantic Capsule Wardrobe for Spring
The Modern 90s Minimalist Capsule Wardrobe for Spring
An Edgy Spring Capsule Wardrobe With Style Adjectives

I am now offering digital styling guides, and personal styling services. If you are looking for some styling help that is inexpensive and easy, check out my digital styling guides. If you want some one-on-one help shopping, building and editing your wardrobe, or packing for a trip, I can also assist. Check out all the styling services that I offer here.

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