I was pleased with how I packed for our trip to San Diego over Thanksgiving last week. So I thought I would share my capsule wardrobe checklist that took us through an 8-day trip to southern California nicely. Even if these pieces aren’t current when you read this, they might give you some ideas to pull from your closet to pack in your suitcase.

My capsule wardrobe for San Diego

Our trip took place over Thanksgiving week so we packed some wardrobe essentials to put together outfit ideas that I would need for this time of year. It’s definitely a seasonal capsule. Had it been summer, I would have packed totally differently. The highs during the day would be 65-75° but the lows would get down into the 50’s making it pretty chilly with the breeze coming off the ocean.

I kept top of mind that we would be doing a lot of walking and the main goal was comfort. I knew that I wanted to reflect my personal style with wardrobe staples that are mostly neutral colors. That way they could all work together. So with that as a starting point, I put together the items in my capsule wardrobe checklist.

The checklist.

Tops

• A basic white t-shirt.  These are my favorite from Old Navy that I have worn to death all summer. I would recommend that you size up one size.
• A basic black t-shirt. The same shirt as the white one, only in black. You will wear these a million ways—an absolute staple.
• T-shirt or tank for working out.  I like to wear t-shirts and this one is a good basic.
• White button down.  You can use this as a top or wear it open over a tee. Or even as a swimsuit coverup.
• Optional: Extra floral top. We were going to be gone long enough that I threw in THIS TOP for an extra outfit with a pair of straight leg jeans.

Bottoms

• White jeans or pants. The pants that I took with me are no longer available. But these Spanx pants would be my second choice and they have a silver lining so there’s NO WORRY about being see through!
• Black split hem pants.  These pants from Target were my go-to! They are so comfy and look great with heels and sneakers alike!
• Joggers.  I love my new Spanx joggers! They were just fine for hiking in San Diego. I would also highly recommend THESE. They are lighter weight. I sized down on them.
• Workout leggings. These are a must! You can wear them on your travel days and/or for working out.

Jackets

I opted for lighter weight jackets and shirt jackets that I could tie around my waist during the day but have as an extra layer when the temperatures dipped at night.

• Blazer.  For a little nicer look while eating dinner out or evening entertainment. THIS is also a good basic blazer.
• Rock n Roll shacket. I love this! It’s a little edgy and cool.
• Plaid shacket. This is a great neutral plaid that would go with any of the pant and shirt options.
• Denim jacket. Denim is a neutral and again, would go with anything. I particularly like it with the lighter colored options.
• Lightweight black open front sweater. I wore this unzipped and over my black dress just to keep my arms warm.
• Vest. My love for this oversized vest runs DEEP!!! I wore it over my swimsuit and plaid shacket to and from the condo’s hot tub to keep warm. It was quite chilly in the evenings! More about this puffer vest HERE. It’s just about sold out, so HERE is another great one.

Shoes

• Plain white sneakers.  Comfy for traveling and to keep those toes warm.
• Sport sandals.  For days at the beach or walking to the hot tub.  I wore them to go hiking in.
• New Balance sneaker.  These could easily be the only sneakers you need. I wore these almost every single day and with every pair of pants. They are great for when you will be on your feet all day… like we were at the San Diego Zoo.
• Open toed mules.  I wore these with the blazer and the split hem pants for a little dressier look when going to dinner.

Other clothing items

• Swimsuit.  This is my tried and true. Black and comfy.
• 2 Piece sweater set.  Wear it as a set or split the pieces up and wear them separately for more outfits!
• Plain black dress.  I actually wore this with the open front black sweater to travel in because it was Sunday. (I like wearing dresses on Sunday)🙂 Mine is old but there are some good ones HERE and HERE.

Accessories

• Sunglasses.  These are a classic shape and inexpensive. They don’t have the hardware that will get caught in your hair if you wear them on your head.
• Jewelry. I wore these same earrings the entire trip along with my two favorite necklaces.  See the necklaces HERE and HERE. 
• Crossbody bag. Love this neutral color with the chain.
• Backpack.  I took this everywhere! It’s so convenient to carry snacks, sunscreen, lip balm, or whatever! And the vegan leather is so soft and high end looking! Great price, too!!
• Hats. You probably only need one. I wore my black one most days to protect my face from the sun.  But while I was there I bought this very neutral blush colored corduroy hat on Black Friday and LOVE IT!!!

How I wore these pieces.

There are probably a million outfit options when you consider the many different ways you could pair these pieces.

Here are a few ways that I wore them.

I can’t find this shacket available anywhere online, that’s why I linked the one above.

That’s my capsule wardrobe checklist!

What would you add?

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Before you pack your suitcase these PACKING TIPS will help!

Heading to San Diego? THIS HOTEL will make you so happy!!

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