Craft the Chicest Spring Capsule Wardrobe–All for Under $300 by Laura Jackson

Thanks to those high-street heroes we know and love, like Mango, Cos, and Everlane, crafting a perfectly uninformed look doesn’t have to break the bank. Even contemporary brands—think Staud, Reformation, and Ganni—offer up fabulous fashion finds for under $300. As we continue transitioning our closets from winter to spring, relying on a strong (and affordable!) foundation of style staples is one fail-proof way to tackle the seasonal switch-up. 

Vogue’s Under-$300 Spring Wish List: 

• The Cropped Trench Coat: Cos belted linen utility jacket, $150
• The Denim Skirt: Grlfrnd Amara denim maxi skirt, $225
• The Lightweight Liner: The Frankie Shop quilted ripstop jacket, $285
• The White Jeans: Agolde Low Rise Baggy jeans, $228
• The Striped Sweater: La Ligne Marin striped cashmere-blend sweater, $295
• The Suit Vest: Reformation Devin vest, $128
• The Daytime Dress: Dôen Ischia shirred floral-print maxi dress, $300
• The Sleek Loafers: Tory Burch ballet loafers, $298
• The Basket Bag: Dragon Diffusion Gora mini basket bag, $281
• The Everyday Sneaker: Veja SDU rubber-trimmed sneakers, $155

This spring, our affordable capsule wardrobe begins and ends with the basics—and what is more basic than a delightful pair of denim? Specifically, long-line denim skirts and white jeans; we’re wearing these essentials with the sleekest shoe styles of the season, like a pair of Everlane smoking loafers and New Balance sneakers. Because spring weather is forever in flux, a roster of lightweight outerwear is crucial to any chic capsule wardrobe. Our jackets of choice include quilted shell liners from The Frankie Shop and Amazon’s The Drop to cropped trench coats from Cos and Massimo Dutti. While notably nautical, a selection of striped sweaters is a seasonal standout. Whether it’s La Ligne’s Marin crewneck or a J.Crew cardigan, style your stripes atop the aforementioned white jeans or even draped over a daytime dress. Speaking of dresses, flowy frocks from Dôen, Faithfull The Brand, and Staud go from spring to summer seamlessly. For a twist on tailoring, invest in a suit vest. Wear singularity as a top or with a matching trouser for a full polished look. And finally, to finish off any look, carry a festive basket bag from Dragon Diffusion, Zara, or Hat Attack. 

All for under $300, these affordable capsule wardrobe pieces are as high-quality and chic as ever. Shop our edit, below. 

The Striped Sweater

Layering essentials that can easily be added in and out of an outfit are ideal for an affordable capsule wardrobe. Enter the striped sweater. Worn all on its own or underneath one of your newly minted pieces of outerwear, the nautical style isn’t just reserved for the summer months. Get the look courtesy of La Ligne, Zara, Kule, and more. 

Kule The Betty sweater

$298 AT KULE

The Best Breton Tops: Our 11 Favorite French-Style Striped Shirts for Women by Sara Holzman

This tee is still timeless, 163 years later.

Today, the best Breton stripe tops are accessible wardrobe pieces that offer a low-effort, high-reward stylish effect. But before the graphic T-shirt was synonymous with effortless Parisian fashion, it had quite the utilitarian and hard-working past. In 1858, the distinctive Breton stripe was dubbed the uniform of the French Navy. The blue-and-white tee, with 21 total stripes (a tribute to each of Napoleon’s victories), was an easy way to detect the whereabouts of unlucky French sailors who’d fallen overboard on the high seas. It wasn’t until the ’50s that the top was catapulted to fashion fame via French cinema girls like Brigitte Bardot and Jeanne Seberg, who integrated the striped shirt into their sought-after capsule wardrobes.

“Like denim which started as railroad workers’ clothes, or how we all cannot resist the call of khaki, certain sartorial genres have been co-opted over time from more humble or utilitarian origins,” describes fashion stylist and creative director Mary Fellowes. “The image of dozens of French sailors with these horizontal lines cutting through our visual horizon was surely beguiling for fashion visionaries that effectively upcycled them into everyday civilian style,” she adds of the top’s journey from a maritime uniform to It-girl staple.

And for spring 2023, designers—both those working at a high-fashion caliber and those creating garments for your favorite affordable retailers—revisit the classic. Some remain strict to the signature look, while others veer away from the 21-stripe requirement and traditional color schemes. 

Ahead, shop the best Breton tops of 2023, according to fashion stylists and Marie Claire‘s team, and find insight on how to style the striped shirts. Nautical by nature, a Breton-style top will look dreamy on a sailboat or amidst the French Riviera scene, but realistically it’s also a smart work-from-home uniform paired with a jogger or jeans.

The Best Breton Tops

Kule The Modern Long Sleeve

$88 at Kule

This relaxed-fit Breton stripe tee will, in fact, add more joy to your wardrobe. Kule is known for its signature striped tees that update the classic graphic via a playful, personality-filled slant. In particular, this red, white, and blue striped long-sleeve shirt represents the preppy-cool brand’s modus operandi to a T. It has a slightly tomboyish fit but is undeniably timeless with its straight silhouette and slightly-scooped neck. It pairs seamlessly with white jeans(opens in new tab) and your best pair of sneakers(opens in new tab).

The 27 Best T-Shirts You Won’t Want to Take Off by Halie Lesavage

Including BAZAAR editors’ go-to crewneck and celebrity-beloved cropped tees.

If I tallied how many times I’ve worn each item in my closet, the piece topping the list wouldn’t be a designer tote bag or a midi dress I’d sourced from a favorite runway collection. My most worn item would be one of the best T-shirts for women, by a long shot. Quality T-shirts are an accessible luxury in my view—they’re versatile and comfortable, and they’re often the sneaky layer that makes a special sweater or dress look that much more pulled-together. No wonder so many runway designers wear outfits involving a humble T-shirt to take their final bows.

There are hundreds of places to find this icon of basic clothing, and even more variations and remixes floating around online But the best T-shirts that editors, celebrities, and style experts like Brigette Deshais, VP of women’s design at AYR, wear most often are usually the simplest. “For an everyday t-shirt, I’m always going to go with the kind of t-shirt shape you’d draw as a five-year-old—basically a square, because they’re the most versatile,” Deshais says. From there, she looks for an easy sleeve opening and a snug, ribbed crew neck.

The Best T-Shirts for Women, Tested & Reviewed

BEST 3/4 LENGTH T-SHIRT

Kule The Classic

$105 AT KULE.COM CREDIT: KULE

Kule’s quintessential T-shirt has a straight cut, three-quarter length sleeves, and a round neckline—a combination that delivers on an effortless French look everytime I wear mine with a little straw bag and a pair of straight-leg jeans.

Sizes: XS–XXL

Materials: 100% cotton

Colors: Black/Cream, Navy/Cream, Cream/Navy, White/Royal Blue, White/True Blue/Poppy