How to Build an Autumn Capsule Wardrobe: The Foundations and the 70/30 Rule

An autumn capsule wardrobe is a small set of plain, good quality foundations that all work together, with room left for the pieces that give it personality. This guide is built around the eleven foundations our founder, Hayley Thomas, chooses for autumn, and around her 70/30 rule for everything else.

A change of season often brings a sense of overwhelm, with so many new colours and shapes in the shops that it is hard to know where to start. Starting with the foundations makes it simpler, because once they are right, almost everything else you buy has something to work with.

Our capsule wardrobe guide covers the essentials to build around all year, and our guide to the summer capsule wardrobe applies the same thinking to the warmer months.

What makes a piece a foundation

A foundation is the piece you put on without thinking when you are running late, because it feels most like you and you feel safest in it. It is also the piece you would replace straight away if it wore through, because the rest of your wardrobe cannot do without it.

Foundations tend to be plain and unfussy, with clean lines, which makes them easy to build on and to mix and match. Print still has a place if you love it, but plain pieces are far easier to wear in different combinations. A foundation should not be tied to one event, so the same piece works for every day, for the office and for an evening out, and neutral colours keep it versatile.

Quality matters most in these pieces, because they are the ones you wear most. As Hayley puts it, if you are going to spend your money anywhere, “don’t spend it on that fancy dress for the wedding. Spend it on a really good shirt.” The same applies to the best pair of jeans you can find and a beautiful quality knit, which are the pieces that make your money work hardest.

Foundations also change with the seasons. A breton such as the Jessica Breton is a foundation in spring and summer, while in autumn it becomes more of an accent, draped round the shoulders when an outfit needs a stripe. A fine roll neck works the other way round, an accent in spring and a true foundation in autumn, when it layers under almost everything, works on its own and can be worn in dozens of outfits.

What to include in an autumn capsule wardrobe

These are the eleven foundations for autumn and winter. Each one is a type of piece rather than one particular product, so the right version for you depends on your shape and your style.

1. A white shirt
2. A white T Shirt
3. A crew neck knit
4. A knitted tank
5. Classic cargo trousers
6. A plain knitted skirt
7. A blazer
8. A sweatshirt
9. A roll neck
10. Your best pair of jeans
11. A pair of tailored trousers

A white shirt and a white T Shirt

A white shirt is absolutely fundamental to a wardrobe, because it dresses up or down and works as well with jeans as it does with a skirt or with tailored trousers for the office. The Perfect Shirt is the classic version, in soft brushed cotton with a single pocket, a gently shaped hem and a relaxed cut that is not too oversized. The Olivia Oversized Poplin Shirt is the more statement option, in crisp cotton poplin with an exaggerated dipped hem and more volume through the back.

A white T Shirt belongs in every season. In autumn it sits under a blazer or a crew neck knit and works with jeans or joggers, and it keeps a little white close to your face to reflect the light. The right shape is simply the one you like best. The Perfect Boyfriend T Shirt is relaxed, The Perfect Roll Sleeve T Shirt has a cap sleeve and a scoop neck, and the Skylar Shoulder Pad T Shirt adds structure at the shoulder.

All three are cut from premium Greek FiberMax cotton, grown and spun in Greece. The cotton drapes well, is not see-through and stands up to repeated washing, and the story behind our Greek cotton explains where it comes from. The shapes are compared in more detail in how to find the best white T Shirt.

A crew neck, a roll neck, a knitted tank and a sweatshirt

An autumn wardrobe needs more than one knitwear shape, because each one does a different job. A crew neck feels a little more relaxed. A roll neck is neater and layers easily, and it balances anything wider below it, such as a wide leg trouser, a wide leg jean or an A-line skirt. Our guide to how to style a jumper goes into each shape in more detail.

The Alex Cashmere Blend Jumper is the crew neck, a relaxed fit in 90% wool and 10% cashmere that works with jeans, layered under a blazer, or dressed up with something sparkly for a party. Navy and charcoal are the two shades to look at for autumn.

The Gwyneth Fine Merino Roll Neck is knitted from 100% ultrafine merino, so fine that it slips under tailoring as easily as it works on its own. The classic shades are black and navy, with charcoal as well, and the merino itself is explained in our merino wool guide.

A knitted tank covers the days when a full sleeve feels like too much, and the Ora Cashmere Blend Drop Shoulder Tank works on its own, over a shirt and under a blazer. The charcoal and navy keep it neutral enough to layer with the rest of the list, and there are more ways to wear one in how to style a knitted vest.

The sweatshirt brings a more casual feel. The Perfect Crew Neck Sweatshirt can go over a shirt for a more pared back look, round the shoulders as an accent, with joggers, or with a statement skirt to dress it down. The simplest colours, vanilla, navy and black, are the classics. There is more on layering pieces like these as the weather cools in the art of layering.

Cargo trousers, jeans, tailored trousers and a skirt

Classic cargo trousers are a foundation all year round. The Kate Cargo Trouser is the most classic cargo shape we make, cut straight through the leg in a lyocell and cotton blend that does not crease. The hem rolls up or down, depending on how much ankle you want to show. The ecru and the navy are the classic choices, and both work with The Perfect Shirt, any of the knits or a more statement blouse.

Your best pair of jeans is a foundation in its own right, so the effort goes into finding the pair that suits you. If you are unsure, the Emmie Barrel Leg Jeans are probably the easiest place to start, a classic shape with a little stretch that works with a wide range of body shapes. If the Emmie suits you, the Rosie Twist Front Jeans are the closest of our other styles, with a similar length. They feel a little different on, because they are 100% cotton with no stretch, and the twist front seam gives the leg a soft, rounded curve. The mid wash works much like a mid neutral. Fit, fabric and shape are covered in more depth in how to find the best jeans for women.

A pair of tailored trousers completes the trouser side of the wardrobe, and the aim is one pair you love that works from day to night and at the weekend, such as the Eadie Pleat Front Trousers in taupe. Flat front pleats, a tapered cropped leg and a viscose blend that drapes softly make them polished enough for the office and relaxed enough with trainers at the weekend.

Skirts can be tricky in autumn because of the question of tights, which is why a plain knitted skirt in a longer length works so well. At that length you can wear tights for warmth without them really showing, even if you are not usually a tights person, and a knitted skirt brings a more luxurious feel to the colder months.

A blazer

A blazer works all year, as long as it feels like a jacket in its own right rather than the top half of a suit. The Josephine Wool Blend Blazer in black is a longline, double breasted shape with structured shoulders and a narrow lapel, subtly shaped at the waist so it draws the eye in without feeling nipped. It sits at the right length over most jeans, although a very full barrel or balloon leg is better balanced by a slightly shorter jacket.

The 70/30 rule for your wardrobe

Once the foundations are in place, the rest of your wardrobe can bring in personality, and a good rule of thumb is roughly 70/30: about 70% absolute foundations and 30% those bits of magic.

The magic is the piece you fall in love with, and it can be dressy or cool. The Jules Striped Blouse and the Florence Silver Print Trousers are dressier examples. The cooler kind of magic includes the Billie Barrel Leg Trousers in forest green and the Perfect Side Stripe Joggers, or a statement knit such as the Cora Alpaca Blend Short Sleeve Striped Jumper.

The common trap is being drawn like magpies to the exciting, sparkly pieces and spending most of our money on them. They work far better as the 30%, where a strong set of foundations gives each one plenty to be worn with. Our guide to adding personality to a capsule wardrobe goes further into finding your own version of the magic.

How the foundations work together

Kate cargos with The Perfect Crew Neck Sweatshirt and the Ora tank over the top make a lovely classic outfit, finished with a statement necklace. The Emmie jeans with a white T Shirt and the Josephine blazer become an outfit for a meal out once you add a heel, with enough structure to feel polished and a little smarter. A plain knitted skirt with the Gwyneth roll neck, perhaps in charcoal, and a vanilla sweatshirt round the shoulders brings in a second colour as an accent.

The magic works with the same pieces. The Jules blouse can sit tied at the neck under the Alex crew neck so just a little of its sparkle shows, and it works just as well with blue jeans and a black shoe. The Florence trousers work with the charcoal Ora tank, because charcoal and silver sit so well together, or with The Perfect Shirt and a black heel.

The forest green Billie trousers look lovely balanced with the Gwyneth, and the Cora works over the Olivia or The Perfect Shirt with cargos, jeans or tailored trousers. If your style is more laid-back, the Perfect Side Stripe Joggers can even take a blazer and a heel.

Accessories finish these outfits without needing many of them. A chunky necklace in silver or gold, a cuff, and one statement bag or pair of shoes is enough to make the foundations look put together without trying too hard.

There are more outfits for the season in our autumn outfit ideas, from the first cooler weeks to weekends and evenings out.

What shoes an autumn capsule wardrobe needs

Shoes follow the same thinking. The foundations are a classic pair of black boots, such as a pointed boot with a kitten heel, and a smart flat in a pointed shape or a loafer. The third foundation is one simple trainer in off-white, ecru or a darker colour, kept narrow so it goes with more. The last pair is the magic, one sandal or heel to wear out, so with shoes the balance works out nearer 75/25 than 70/30.

How to choose your autumn colours

Neutrals keep the foundations working together, but a wardrobe of nothing but neutrals can start to feel a little boring. The answer is to decide on two colours before you buy anything, chosen to go with your neutrals and with each other.

Our two colours this autumn are burgundy and sky blue, which both work with greys, chocolates, taupes and navies as well as with each other. The Camille Cashmere Blend Striped Jumper in sky blue and burgundy puts the pair together in one knit. Sky blue also comes in the Blythe Funnel Neck Cropped Jumper and the Gwyneth, and burgundy comes in the Bea Funnel Neck Jumper.

When something lovely turns up in a colour that is not on your list, it is worth standing firm. A piece in a colour that goes with nothing else needs a whole outfit built around it, which is where an autumn budget disappears. Two colours that work with your foundations can be layered together as it gets colder, and the full knitwear collection has both alongside the neutrals.

Frequently asked questions

What should be in an autumn capsule wardrobe?

An autumn capsule wardrobe works best built around plain, good quality foundations in neutral colours. The eleven to start with are a white shirt, a white T Shirt, a crew neck knit, a knitted tank, cargo trousers, a knitted skirt, a blazer, a sweatshirt, a roll neck, your best jeans and a pair of tailored trousers.

How many pieces should an autumn capsule wardrobe have?

This guide suggests eleven foundations for autumn, plus four pairs of shoes. The exact number matters less than the balance, with roughly 70% of your wardrobe as foundations and 30% as the pieces that give it personality.

What is the 70/30 rule for a wardrobe?

The 70/30 rule means keeping about 70% of your wardrobe to plain, versatile foundations and 30% to the statement pieces you love. The foundations work every day, and the statement pieces bring personality because there is always something to wear them with.

What colours work best in an autumn capsule wardrobe?

Neutrals such as black, navy, charcoal, grey, vanilla and ecru make the best foundations. To stop them feeling flat, choose two colours that go with your neutrals and with each other, such as burgundy and sky blue, and decide on them before you shop.

What shoes do you need for an autumn capsule wardrobe?

Most autumn outfits are covered by a pair of black boots, a smart flat such as a loafer or a pointed flat, and one simple, narrow trainer. One sandal or heel for going out completes the set.

What is worth spending more on for autumn?

The pieces you wear most are worth the most investment, such as a really good shirt, the best jeans you can find and a quality knit. They are worn far more often than an occasion dress, so they are the pieces that make your money work hardest.