There isn’t much that is more exciting than the prospect of a trip to England, where you can finally live out your Downton Abbey or Pride & Prejudice dreams. But after spending months carefully planning your itinerary, it can feel exhausting to try to figure out how to pack a 2 week travel capsule wardrobe that will fit all of your plans.
Last year, my husband and I spent two dreamy weeks traveling across the U.K. and I had to create my very own 2 week travel capsule wardrobe. I spent months browsing Pinterest and Tik Tok to figure out what to pack. After packing and re-packing many times, I created the perfect capsule wardrobe for my trip.
When making your England packing list, you have to consider that one day you might be hiking in Scotland and the next walking around the streets of London in the rain. You need a versatile wardrobe that ensures you will look stylish in all your trip photos, without having to lug it all over the country. That’s where a 2 week travel capsule wardrobe can be one of the best things you include in your trip planning!
What is a Travel Capsule Wardrobe?
A travel capsule wardrobe is a thoughtfully curated collection of clothing designed to maximize outfit combinations while minimizing the amount you pack. It typically includes versatile, mix-and-match pieces in neutral colors, along with a few accessories to add personality and variety. The goal is to travel light without sacrificing style—everything should fit in a carry-on while still giving you plenty of outfit options for your entire trip. A travel capsule wardrobe takes the guesswork out of packing and helps you stay organized, stylish, and stress-free on the go.
The Importance of a Carry-On Capsule Wardrobe
If you’re traveling from the U.S., you might be used to bringing large checked suitcases for longer vacations. But when visiting the U.K.—especially if your trip includes multiple cities or public transportation—you’ll likely want to rethink that approach. Even during our time in London alone, we encountered several Tube stations without elevators, which meant hauling our luggage up and down multiple flights of stairs.
Even if you’re planning to drive during your visit to England, packing light has its advantages. Many vehicles there are more compact than the average American car, and it’s common for hotels—especially charming historic ones—to have narrow staircases and no elevators.
That’s why a carry-on capsule wardrobe is such a game-changer. With a carefully planned set of mix-and-match pieces, you can travel light without sacrificing style or comfort. It allows you to spend less time struggling with oversized luggage and more time soaking in the beauty and culture of the U.K.
How to Mix and Match Travel Outfits (Creating a 2 Week Travel Capsule Wardrobe)
When building a 2 week travel capsule wardrobe, it helps to start by visualizing the outfits you can create with your core pieces. This lets you take stock of what you already own and spot any gaps you need to fill.
Sticking to neutral, versatile colors is key for easy mixing and matching. If bold prints and colors are your style, try adding your personality through accessories—like scarves, jewelry, or a fun handbag—while keeping your clothing base cohesive.
To guide my packing, I loosely followed the 5-4-3-2-1 method:
- 5 tops
- 4 bottoms
- 3 pairs of shoes
- 2 dresses or outfits
- 1 set of accessories
Laying it all out helped me see just how many outfit combinations I could make. In fact, I ended up removing a few items and gaining even more space in my suitcase!
My England Packing List
Here is the carry-on capsule wardrobe I packed for my two week trip to the U.K. We traveled to London and Edinburgh with many stops in between at the end of May. Temperatures ranged from upper 50’s to upper 70’s.
- 1 pair of flared leggings
- 2 pairs of jeans (white and regular denim)
- 1 black midi dress
- 1 black bodysuit
- 1 black cropped tee
- 1 grey long sleeve shirt
- 1 white short sleeve shirt
- 1 button down shirt
- 1 cardigan
- 1 sweatshirt
- 1 denim jacket
- 1 rain jacket
- 1 sweater
- Hoka tennis shoes
- Nike sneakers
- Lulu Lemon belt bag (black)
With these items I was able to create more than 14 outfit combinations. Thankfully, we were able to wash all of these clothes once during our trip just to ensure everything stayed very fresh. This also helped me not to worry about what would happen if I got something dirty and could no longer use it as an option.
How to Visualize a Travel Capsule Wardrobe
As a highly visual person who also loves a good list, organizing my travel outfits was the perfect combination of function and fun. When I started creating my England packing list, I knew I needed a way to quickly see which outfit I’d planned for each day at a glance.
To do this, I gathered or took photos of every item in my travel capsule wardrobe and created a digital outfit planner in my Notes app. I listed each day of our trip, noted what we’d be doing, and paired it with the outfit I wanted to wear. It made packing (and getting dressed each day) so much easier and stress-free!
How to Plan a Travel Capsule Wardrobe Using Your Notes App
- Using your iPhone, take photos of all of your capsule wardrobe clothing pieces. Alternatively, find photos of similar clothing pieces online and save them to your camera roll.
- Create a new note in the notes app.
- Go to your Camera Roll and hold down your finger on each outfit until you are given the option to “copy”. This will remove the background and create a little sticker.
- Go over to the notes app and “paste”. Repeat until you have all of your clothing pieces in the note.
- Click on the circle with the three dots in the right corner and select “Attachment View” and “Set all to Small”.
- List out each day for of your trip and include some helpful information, like what activities you have planned or the weather forecast.
- Copy and paste clothing pieces in each day of your trip to create your desired outfit.
This was a lifesaver before and during our trip! Even if I decided that particular day I didn’t want to wear what I had planned, I could choose from other outfit options I had readily available without wasting time trying on combinations until I was satisfied.
I have to credit Rilee Smith on Tik Tok and Instagram for inspiring me how to do this in my notes app. If you enjoy organizational content and travel hacks, you should definitely follow her.
Where to Buy a Capsule Wardrobe
A few months before my trip, I began planning out what clothing items I would need and quickly saw there were many gaps in my closet. I love thrifting, so I actually collected most of the other items I needed by making a few visits to the thrift stores in my area.
If you’re short on time, or don’t have the patience for thrifting, I have good luck finding basic pieces at Old Navy, The GAP, and Amazon!
Final Thoughts
Planning a trip to the U.K. is an adventure in itself, and building a 2-week travel capsule wardrobe can make that adventure even smoother. By packing intentionally and keeping your outfits mix-and-match ready, you’ll save time, space, and stress while still looking put-together each day of your trip. Whether you’re climbing castle stairs in Scotland or strolling through a rainy afternoon in London, a well-planned capsule wardrobe ensures you’re ready for anything—without dragging heavy luggage around. I hope my packing list and tips inspire you to create your own stylish and streamlined travel wardrobe. Happy travels!
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