We are just getting into summer here in Seattle and Ted currently has one pair of shorts and one tee shirt that fits. Even though summers are pretty short around here, this simply won’t work for a kid who manages to get half of his meals in himself and the other half in his lap. Over the past weekend, we had temperatures in the upper 70s and into the 80s (about as high as it gets here) and my poor kid was running around in just a diaper most of the time. I decided that it would be prudent to look into getting him a handful of pieces that he can wear this summer. A toddler capsule wardrobe if you like.
I got the idea of a capsule wardrobe when I saw this one that H&M sells as a complete set. This is such a brilliant idea I’m amazed that more retailers aren’t doing it as well. I love having him in outfits that make sense and it’s so nice when a store just takes out most of the work for you. For this capsule wardrobe, I’m sticking mostly with H&M clothing but of course, you could get shorts and tees like this anywhere. However, I do have a couple of reasons for sticking with this particular retailer.
Why H&M? Several reasons. First, they sell reasonably priced kid’s clothing. Most items are under $10 and often go on sale. They also hold up pretty well against the damage of toddler life and stain remover. Second, they sell kid’s clothes in packs. Another brilliant move I wish other retailers would do. I can get a three-pack of shorts, a five-pack of colored tees, or a set of graphic tops. It’s great! The sets are often in different colors that coordinate well together in a similar color family, like this five-pack of tee shirts which has a matching short set that you can easily mix and match and they will always look coordinated. Finally, while H&M is a fast-fashion retailer, they are at least trying to move towards sustainable or conscious fashion. Especially since kids grow out of their clothes so fast, and right now I’m not able to shop for second-hand clothing for him (this is my favorite spot in Seattle), I’d rather support a store that is making the move in the right direction.
Ok, let’s dive into making a toddler capsule wardrobe!
Toddler Boy Capsule Wardrobe
Obviously, this is all centered on boy’s clothing since I’m a #boymom but you can use the fundamentals for building a girl’s capsule wardrobe as well. First, I picked a basic color scheme of blues, greys, whites (messy but not a big deal with a good stain remover), and red as the accent color. Then I looked at what he had and what he needed. You’ll notice there are no long sleeves in the above image. That’s because he already has a couple of sweatshirts that will hold up throughout the summer.
SHORTS
It’s summer so the pants need to be swapped out for shorts! Like I said above, H&M has a bunch of great options that you can buy in multiples. This five-pack of shorts caught my eye. I also like this two-pack since you have one solid pair of shorts mixed with a patterned pair.
SHORT SLEEVE SHIRTS
This category should be a mix of casual and semi-formal short sleeve shirts. I like these henley shirts that come in a two-pack, this set of three multi-colored polo shirts, and these cute graphic tees. Personally, I don’t bother with button-downs since they are too much work to get onto a wriggling toddler. The polos are slightly dressy and can be mixed with the next category, formal clothing.
FORMAL CLOTHES
If you happen to have any formal events like summer weddings to attend, you’ll need to make sure your little guy has something to wear to the festivities. You can get suiting for toddlers at retailers like J.Crew Factory as part of their Crewcuts section. Since these pieces all sell separates, you can mix and match for church or nicer parties. Or just get a sport coat that can go on top of pants and a polo or button down.
SHOES
I’ve found that having a couple of pairs of shoes works best for Teddy. One pair is an every day I don’t care if they get dirty pair and the other is a little bit nicer that can do double duty with the formal wear and any outing that doesn’t involve dirt.
LONG SLEEVE LAYER (coat or sweatshirt)
Even though this is a summer capsule, it’s prudent to have at least one sweatshirt or jacket for nighttime. Teddy already has a couple of sweatshirts that fit with the color scheme I picked out so I don’t have to worry here. They sell a sweatshirt two-pack if you need some for your kiddo.
ACCESSORIES
There are various accessories you can get for your toddler. Teddy loves wearing sunglasses (he calls them “cools”) so I’ll be getting him a couple of new pairs since he broke his last two pairs. You might also want to get a pack of scarf bibs if your kid is still teething and therefore drooling like crazy. And if you’ll be doing any swimming, don’t forget a bathing suit. Teddy has these ones from H&M but these from Crewcuts looks so stinking cute too!
