Casual Shoulder Season Capsule Wardrobe — The Variety Page by JH Agency, LLC

Jeans and t-shirt capsule wardrobe flatlay — All tops and vest are made and photographed by me. Jacket and jeans are store-bought and photographed by me. Sunglasses, undergarments, socks, and shoes are retailer or Canva images.

CEFR Level C1-C2

Updated September 2026

Originally Published March 2025

This post is for those who basically wear the same thing every day. For those who choose clothing based on comfort and utility. For those who want to have “a style,” but don’t relate to what they see from most style influencers. For those who dress simply, but also want a bit of quirky without being twee.

I’m not trying to be a fashion influencer. I wear what I can afford. I like to walk freely and not have my feet hurt or contribute to a deformed body, even for style. I also am 4 feet 11 inches (148.86 cm) tall. As of July 2026, my hips and thighs are large enough to require a US size 18 petite, even if the rest of my body takes a smaller size. It is very difficult to find clothing that goes on my body without me looking like I’m a child playing dress up, never mind finding clothing that fits halfway decently (that’s why I sew much of what I wear).

Maybe sharing what I wear, or would wear, will help inspire you. Maybe it will help you feel less alone in the midst of Scandi, minimalist, maximalist, granola, 17,000 new names for “preppy,” classic, what-in-the-world-is-that fashion influencers.

None of the brands I mention know I’m writing this. If you sew and are a vertical petite, I can recommend SBCC Patterns. Any other brands are just what happened to have what I wanted at the price I could afford.

The Clothes

I’m female and the clothes and outfits reflect that, but I could see this collection easily adapting to a masculine style or body.

The base of this wardrobe is a semi-fitted blue and white plaid unlined vest. I made this vest from SBCC Patterns Sazerac Dress. Search “blue plaid vest” to find similar items on retail.

I duplicated items in the capsule wardrobe so that you only have to do laundry once a week, but things still stay simple.

I don't use underpinnings in the outfit photos. You can decide for yourself if you want to wear socks or undergarments.

Swap out the jeans for black or navy ponte or twill trousers and these outfits could be fine for more casual business-casual offices.

Blue and white unlined plaid waistcoat vest — SBCC Sazerac vest sewn and photographed by me

The black long-sleeve ponte t-shirts, the navy long-sleeve double-brushed poly (DBP) t-shirts, and the black cotton-blend short-sleeve t-shirts were made from SBCC Patterns Tonic Tee.

The purple athletic knit button-up shirt was made from SBCC Patterns Harvey Shirt.

Sunglasses are Sunki’s Mini Headland model.

Jeans are Lee jeans from Wal-Mart, but similar styles are available from many brands and retailers. In this capsule, I used a loose bootcut in a worn medium wash and a fitted straight-leg in a worn dark wash.

Black stretch twill jacket is Time and True from Wal-Mart.

Shoes are Lem’s Chukka Grip. This image is a product image from Lem’s.

Black wool socks are Smartwool. This image is a product image from a retailer.

Bras and underpants are stock photos. You know where to buy what you like and what’s suitable for your anatomy.

Course: Book Discussion Guide for Life in Year One

The Outfits

I put together 15 outfits. You can easily imagine creating more looks by changing the jeans style or swapping which item is layered on top. Jewelry and other accessories, hair, and make-up styles can all help change the formality or aesthetic of these base outfits. Have fun!