Toddler Boy Summer Capsule Wardrobe

Summer is in full swing here in Alabama, and we’re soaking up all of the sunshine and pool days! We’ve swapped our sweaters for swimwear, and our closets reflect the sunny weather. So today I’m sharing a simple toddler boy summer capsule wardrobe with you in honor of these warm summer days!

I’ve shared some toddler fall capsule wardrobe ideas in previous years, but never any for this time of year. So I hope you find this post helpful if you’re looking for summer capsule wardrobe inspiration!

Here are the specs of Jack’s summer capsule wardrobe this year.

AGE: 2.5 years old

SIZE: 18-24 months (and 2T pieces that run small)

STYLE: classic, boyish

COLOR PALLETE:

Primary Colors: navy, varied shades of blue
Neutral Colors: grey, white, khaki
Accent Colors: salmon, aqua, red

34-piece Toddler Boy Summer Capsule Wardrobe

TOPS:

2 button-down shirts
3 soft polo shirts
3 Henleys
1 short-sleeved tee
4 sleeveless tanks

BOTTOMS:

4 pairs soft cotton shorts
2 pairs khaki shorts
1 pair salmon shorts

CHURCH CLOTHES:

6 button-down shirts
2 pairs nice shorts
1 sailboat bowtie

SWIMWEAR:

1 pair swim shorts
1 rash guard

SHOES:

brown everyday shoes
black church shoes
blue water shoes

All told, Jack’s summer capsule wardrobe has 34 pieces, including shoes and accessories (not including pajamas, underwear, or socks).

We could have definitely managed with fewer button-down shirts (more on that below), but otherwise, these pieces are working really well for us.

What did I spend?

This year, I spent around $75 on Jack’s spring and summer wardrobe.

His new cotton Henleys and tanks are from H&M. His new Thomas the Train underwear and everyday brown shoes are from Target.

Everything else was either thrifted this spring, or carried over from last year.

Jack is fairly tall and thin (with a belly!), so all of the 18-24 month size shorts I’d bought him last summer still fit him well. The button-down shirts from last summer also still fit.

Because I didn’t realize how much slower toddlers grow after they turn one, I accidentally bought his clothes too big last summer, thinking he would grow into them sooner.

Then, while thrifting this past spring, I bought him more button-down shirts for the warm weather, not realizing that the ones from last summer still fit.

Whoops! So that’s why he has some extra shirts.

Toddler Boy Summer Capsule Wardrobe Organization

All of Jack’s shirts are hanging, and the rest of his clothes are organized directly below in an IKEA cube system with IKEA drawer organizers. I use the top two cubes for clothes, and the bottom two for books.

I prefer to hang Jack’s shirts to dry when they come out of the wash, so it’s really easy to transfer the hanging clothes from the laundry room to his closet. There’s no folding required!

In the left cube are his pajamas (left) and his shorts (right). I really like folding them upright so that I can easily see everything.

In the right cube are his underwear (bottom-left), socks and bowtie (bottom-right), and swimwear (top). I don’t bother folding his underwear—it’s easier that way.

Jack’s shoes just sit on top of the cube organizer.

Mix and Match

One of the things I love the most about capsule wardrobes is that creating cohesive outfits requires so little effort. Once you’ve done the work on the front end, putting together cute outfits is a breeze.

In fact, it’s so easy to mix and match tops and bottoms that I can even let Jack pick out his own outfits!

Here are a few examples from his current summer capsule: