Petite Smart Casual Capsule Wardrobe

1 row: camel coat, trench coattextured jacket (ex AT), neutral blazer
2nd row: neutral sweater, black top, layering tank, striped sweater
Row 3: My favorite minion-friend: black jeans, medium jeans, wide leg trousers, white jeans
4th row: white sneakers, black loafers, neutral slingbacks, fine shaft booties
5th row: reversible straps, black crossbody bag, neutral bag

Last year I made a big post 5 essential autumn-winter pieces It can be mixed and matched with over 10 timeless outfit combinations. While these item types remain pretty much unchanged, I wanted to share an updated post with some current pieces and new cuts/silhouettes that I love mixing them with old favourites.

With my current lifestyle, most days I find myself dressing smart casual with the comfort of casual pieces like denim and sneakers, but also with a polished element like a stylish jacket or blazer. These are some of the types of smart casual items I reach for the most, which can be easily mixed and matched with a variety of outfits. For a more stylish business casual wardrobe, I would replace jeans with slim-leg pants and open-back shoes with a pair of closed-back pumps or flats.

outer layers

• Camel jacket. In the picture: Uniqlo jacket xx (cf. in my opinion). A long camel jacket is a must-have to upgrade my everyday outfits, and my preference for length has gradually changed over the years from knee-length to mid-calf. I can throw this over jeans and sneakers for daily grooming and it also looks elegant on work wear or a more classy look. If you’re not familiar with double-faced wool coats, they’re designed to be unlined for look and drape. A jacket like this will be fine for ~30-50 degrees weather depending on how much you fold it underneath. Since our EP Duo jacket from last year’s post is currently out of stock, Uniqlo has become my stock pick!
• Trench coat. In the picture: J. Crew jacket 00 minions (see me). With my evolving style, my ideal trench coat these days would actually be in a longer and more relaxed fit. I haven’t found anything like that in a petite size yet, but if you’re taller, I tried it on my friend’s. falling ditch and was actually very impressed with how light and comfortable it was. If you want a tailored and above-the-knee fit, this J.Crew model is a classic.
• Neutral blazer. In the picture: Berksha xs minion (see in my opinion). I really love a semi-oversized, boyfriend-inspired blazer like this to wear with jeans as a stylish casual wardrobe. But for a business casual wardrobe, I would prefer a more tailored cut like this timeless one. J. Crew blazer.
• Textured jacket. Pictured: old Ann Taylor. Available options: Mango, Bloomingdales, J. Ing. I love my short tweed look jackets to add a feminine touch and some texture to my denim outfits! Ann Taylor will often pull out a good one.

bottoms

• Black bottoms. In the picture: WHBM petites make one of the best fit slim straight jeans I’ve ever owned.
• Vintage wash jeans. In the picture: Madewell 24 min (see Fig. in my opinion). I’ve been reaching for these nonstop since I got them! According to my review, note that the waist is big and loose on me.
• Pants. In the picture: abercrombie xs short (see in my opinion). One of the best petite pants I’ve owned and I especially love that these can be worn with heels or sneakers.
• Cream jeans. In the picture: Everlane 24, 26″ inseam (see Fig. in my opinion). If you don’t wear light colors often, you’ll be surprised how easily this color pairs with black, camel, and just about any neutral. Squeeze between a camel coat, camel sweater, and brown boots for a lighter-colored look in cold weather.

tops

Sweater

• Striped weave: Sezane xx’s, Alex Mill. You won’t regret buying a high quality striped knit! It also serves as a great accent piece to throw over your shoulders or tie around your waist while wearing lots of solid colors.
• neutral solid sweater: quince sweater xs, Everlane alpaca sweater xxs. These are the two brands I use most often. This Everlane sweater in “almond” is the perfect greige color and I was so pleased with my Quince alpaca and cotton sweater that I ordered a fisherman cashmere one!
• Cropped cardigans: H&M, Everlane, Nordstrom

Shoe

• White sneakers: Veja Kampo Size 35 (most comfortable Veja style, see fig. My review of your styles here), Everlane size 5
• Neutral pumps: Edited Parts size 5.5, very similar Marc Fisher pumps with better stock. As mentioned earlier, I would go with a closed back pump for business dress code rules, but I love an open back for a slightly more relaxed feel when pairing it with a lot of denim.
• black loafers: Sam Edelman size 5.5
• sock boots: ann taylor there are some great options right now and they should be selling well this month! As a splurge option, I’ve been watching these Loeffler Randall booties forever and you just have to decide on one color.

Accessories

• Black crossbody bag: YSL – my most worn bag this year.
• Light neutral bag: Naghedi (to see in my opinion) also tops the list of most worn bags!