This Summer, All Your Closet Needs Is 9 Items—Shop Them at Every Budget
I love to shop just as much as the next person. (My boyfriend would argue probably more.) But lately, I've been trying my best to keep my spending and consumption habits to a minimum. In the beginning, I'll be the first to admit, it was trickier than I expected. I practically shop for a living, so the temptation levels are high on a daily basis. After some getting used to, though, I began to realize that my closet doesn't actually need to be filled to the brim at all times. Really, I only need a few handfuls of items to make interesting outfits every week, especially in the summer, when the hot weather in New York makes wearing minimal clothing your only viable option.
Specifically, I've narrowed down my warm-weather wish list to just nine items—including dresses, bottoms, tops, shoes, and handbags—that can be easily mixed and matched so that no one has to know that I'm a total outfit repeater (guilty!). Not to brag, but it's pretty much the perfect summer capsule wardrobe. Below, discover which styles in each category made the cut, and shop them all in various price categories, starting with under $100 and going up to $1000+.
Under $100
White Dress
Thong Sandals
Button-Down Shirt
Linen Pants
Raffia Bag
Halter Top
Capri Pants
Mesh Flats
A-Line Skirt
$100 to $200
White Dress
Thong Sandals
Button-Down Shirt
Linen Pants
Raffia Bag
Halter Top
Capri Pants
Mesh Flats
A-Line Skirt
$200 to $500
White Dress
Thong Sandals
Button-Down Shirt
Linen Pants
Raffia Bag
Halter Top
Capri Pants
Mesh Flats
A-Line Skirt
$500 to $1000
White Dress
Thong Sandals
Button-Down Shirt
Linen Pants
Linen has finally entered the barrel-leg-pants chat.
Raffia Bag
Halter Top
Capri Pants
Mesh Flats
A-Line Skirt
$1000+
White Dress
If you're going to spend over $1000 on a dress, you want it to work for you and be able to be worn in multiple ways. This Proenza Schouler dress goes from a long-sleeve number to a tie-front halter with a few easy steps, practically cutting the price of it in half (girl math!).
Thong Sandals
Button-Down Shirt
Linen Pants
Raffia Bag
Halter Top
Capri Pants
Bella Hadid just wore these, so of course, I want a pair too.
Mesh Flats
A-Line Skirt
Eliza Huber is an NYC-based senior fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and the intersection of sports and fashion. She joined Who What Wear in 2021 from Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a business degree from the University of Iowa. She's launched two columns, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, Gracie Abrams, and Sabrina Carpenter; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top runway trends each season. Eliza lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits, watching WNBA games, and scouring The RealReal for discounted Prada.
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