Real-Life Capsule Wardrobe: Chico’s Travelers Collection
Thank you Chico's for agreeing to be part of this project. While this post is sponsored by Chico's, I had full creative and editorial control.
Chico's Travelers Collection is a cult favorite, copied by many but never as good as the original. Wrinkle-resistant fabric that moves with you, doesn't cling, dresses up and down with ease, is seasonless and also machine washable; the Travelers Collection from Chico's is pretty perfect and a perfect base for any capsule wardrobe.
I was scrolling through the Chico's website recently and my mind kept creating capsule wardrobes from their offerings. Chico's has one of the most cohesive collections, season after season. Prints, solids, and even jewelry all in color stories. Fabrics like the Travelers Collection that remain year after year to be able to build a coordinating collection. A perfect mix of staples and those necessary statement pieces to add interest and style to any wardrobe. I had so much fun with my last real life capsule wardrobe I wanted to do one with Chico's, focusing on their Travelers Collection. I reached out to Chico's and they thought this sounded like a fun project. The capsule wardrobe I created is one that is great for travel, as well as the office and the everyday. With the mix of pieces I chose, this capsule wardrobe works now but will easily transition into fall and beyond.
This travel capsule wardrobe focuses on the here and now – summer. Thinking of vacations, I made looks that are great for sight-seeing in the sun, but also dining and dancing at dusk. Believing a wardrobe should extend past one event and season, I also made a few looks that show how the Chico's Travelers Collection can go from a cruise to the classroom, sight-seeing to shopping at Target. To switch up this real-life capsule, I photographed myself in all of the outfits instead of making collages. This way you can better see the details – where to put the belt, how to tuck in the blouse, how the outfit hangs on the body. Let me know what you think!
Shop the Capsule Wardrobe:
Scoop Tee | Tank | Skirt | Pants | Shorts | Jeans | Magenta Jacket | Cardigan | Striped Tee | Dress | Crossbody Bag | Clutch Bag | Long Pendant Necklace | Short Gold Necklace | Gold Bracelet | Scarf | Adjustable Belt | Hat | Hoop Earrings | Sunglasses | White Sandals | Tan Wedge Sandals (lower version) | Black Flats (not in collage but in outfit photos) | Black Heels | Black Pumps | Smoothing Shorts (not seen)
For sizing in the photos below, everything is a size 2 in Chico's unique sizing. The jeans are a 1.5 because I wanted them very slim. The dress, tank, shorts, and pink peplum jacket are all petite options, the pants are the short option, the rest are regular/standard.Sample Outfits from the Capsule Wardrobe
With ten pieces of clothing, I created 24 outfits for vacation, day, evening, weekends, and work (I actually created 28 but ran out of time to photograph them all and chose the best outfits). I have them separated by the 16 vacation/summer looks and 9 fall/work looks but you'll see that there are looks that can span the seasons and situations. Click on any thumbnail graphic in the galleries to see the full-size images and descriptions. Hover over the images to find arrows to advance and go back within the gallery. If there’s an ad in the way, x it out to read captions. Click the X at the top right of an enlarged image to close the gallery and return to this blog post.
Sample Outfits for Summer and Your Next Vacation
Sample Outfits for Fall, Weekend and at Work
Sure, it's easy to pair together a bunch of black clothing and call it a day, but there are specific elements of this capsule wardrobe that help it looks cohesive and stylish.
Any capsule wardrobe needs an element of interest. This can be a statement top, a skirt in leather or an unusual fabric, or a pattern. Wanting to keep this capsule versatile for day or night, casual or dressy, I chose a striped top. I love striped tops, I find them a great way to add style to your look without a lot of effort. Stripes look great with other prints, as seen in this capsule with how it complements the Convertible Watercolor Leopard Flip Scarf. Stripes are also classic, they transcend trends. I wear my Chico's Pima Cotton Striped Scoop Neck Tee all the time. It launders great and is such a flattering silhouette (it also comes in two other color options).
Accessories are key, and when I saw Chico's Adjustable Hook Belt I knew it would be a must for this capsule wardrobe. Available in two colors, I chose gold as I went with the gold accessories (this bracelet, this pendant, and this shorter statement necklace). This belt is bold, yet it will slide through your belt loops without issue. The width of the belt is adjustable so you can cinch it for higher waist looks or open it to have it slung low on your hips.
While separates are great, a dress can prove even more versatile. Chico's Travelers Convertible-Neckline Dress is one of the most versatile dresses I've owned. The dress has two different necklines; flip the dress around for a higher neckline. The fabric is perfect for day or night, and the simple silhouette can go from beach to boardroom to ballroom with a switch of accessories.
I hope with these real-life capsule wardrobes it will help you start to see you can achieve more style with fewer items in your closet. By shopping smart, shopping the best quality you can afford, and choosing items that can live multiple lives, getting dressed each day won't be such a chore.
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I want travelers capris
Miss Alison, this is fantastic! You look great in everything! Ironically, I had just started building my own capsule wardrobe from Chico’s Travelers pieces; this is right on time. While I like to view all the pieces in one image, it helped tremendously to actually see you wearing the pieces, as well; thank you for doing that. I might have to go and actually consider getting their shorts now; I like how they look on you. Well done!
YOU DID a marvellous job with this capsule !
Allison, you look great! Thank you for all your time and effort styling these fabulous ensembles.. I know how much work went into this post as I do the same thing, prior to travel. Length of trip (be it a week or six), I go through the time regimen, try it on, shoes, jewelry, scarf, whatever….then store a photo in my phone. I can’t tell you enough how these steps have saved me time and anguish during the trip, working out the small styling tweaks at home.
I love this capsule, I just wish black was my color but alas, too dark for me. I’ll keep an eye out for future warm toned hues better for my skin coloring.
Thanks so much,
a faithful fan,
Pat
Love this, and that pop of pink is fabulous.
(also–this is a really fun idea for a sponsored post, I have to say!)
Thanks Bridget! One of the perks of doing this blog full-time is having the time to get creative and be able to bring paid content that isn’t just a giant ad but also is fun, informative, helpful, or inspirational. I hope to do more!
I work part-time at Chicos! Thanks for showing how GREAT Chicos clothes really are!
My pleasure, Chico’s makes it easy!
Thank you so much! I wish the. Items in your capsule were still available, esp the scarf and pink jacket. And you look great in every example.
Great post! That Chico’s dress looks FAB on you! I would snap it up but I’m on a budget right now. 🙁
Glad you liked the post!
What a fabulous post! This must have taken dozens of hours. I really appreciate seeing these items on you and as part of a capsule wardrobe. I lov echicos but there are so many pieces here I think I have just looked right past. You are brilliant!
Thank you so much Cynthia! It was a really fun project, and I love showing how brands can go past their specific aesthetic to work with a variety of personal styles and shapes!
Thank you for taking the extra time, effort, anything else involved to model the capsule yourself.
I have a request for a future post. I am intimidated by hip slung belts, belts off the waistband and out of the loops. I feel awkward, that my stomach pouch is emphasized, or it’s cinched too high, is the buckle over to the right or left far enough, does this look like I’m trying too hard, and I give up in frustration.
Woah, that’s a doozy of a post because it really is figure to figure on where to put it. I found when post-baby I had larger hips the hip belt looked way better. Now, I find it a bit off. It worked with this because it was all one color and a fabric that was okay with being bunched up a bit as I move. I’ll think about how to address this!
Allie,
I love, love, love this post! I find. Chicos Traveler collections to be the mainstay of my work and evening out wardrobe. I will order the striped shirt, pink jacket and belt from your links. How did I miss them in the store last week? Perhaps they are New items. Thanks $1M for keeping fashion real, accessible and affordable.
They may not have been in the store? You’ll be pleased to find out today everything at Chico’s is 50% off AND that pink jacket is part of their semi-annual sale! Happy shopping!
Love the elements here and the concept of statement pieces. That’s what I’m missing! May I ask what size you wear in the stripe top? I think we’re about the same size. Love your posts!
The stripe top is a 2 regular. I’m sorry I forgot to include sizing, I usually have that. Updated! And for reference on all the other items: For sizing in the photos below, everything is a size 2 in Chico’s unique sizing. The jeans are a 1.5 because I wanted them very slim. The dress, tank, shorts, and pink peplum jacket are all petite options, the pants are the short option, the rest are regular/standard. Glad you like the post! 🙂
I do love a good capsule and appreciate mostly black in my wardrobe I can’t believe you travel in white shorts. While they look great I feel like everything I touch makes my white clothes look dirty
These are a fabric more like athletic fabric. I’m digging them because they can look dressy but water beads up on them and they’ve been easy to spot clean with a Tide to Go stick!
LOVE this post, Alison! I don’t have many Chico’s pieces, but love their quality. I also have many similar pieces in my own closet that I never thought to mix and match in some of the ways you have here. You may have just created my capsule wardrobe for me! haha! I absolutely love your style, and am always thrilled when I see you style something similar to what I have. Keep on posting girl! You rock!
Oh I’m glad Dawn! If I can help you see your current wardrobe in a new light and find more style with fewer purchases I’m thrilled. That’s the goal!
White shorts are not something I would wear – what other color do you think would work? Navy? I like that you break it up from the dark bottoms, but I’m just not sure what would replace white.
With all black, I would suggest a statement color. The ultraviolet (the name of the pink in this capsule) I think would achieve the same effect. Along those lines, I also love a red short, whether it’s a true red or a bit warm/tomato. It’s amazing how much it can go with and how easily it can dress down or up. If not, I’d go with a neutral like khaki, tan, or olive which would go with most any color in your closet!
Great post! I love Chico’s.
Their clothes are such great quality and so wearable too!
Love this post! I’ve been a Chico’s traveler’s shopper for years and own older versions of many of these pieces. You put a lot of work into this post! It’s hard work styling and changing into so many outfits. I hope Chico’s works with you on another post like this later in the year…
That would be fun, one for fall into winter!
I love a good capsule collection and this one is solid but how did you not include those super comfy and cute magenta sandals?! They’re the perfect pop with that cardigan.
I wish but they’re not quite the same color. Close but not close enough (the shoes are cooler) so I felt it looked wonky. But I was totally thinking them when I ordered these clothes!
ugh I just LOVE capsule wardrobe pics! I will never have the discipline to be a capsule wardrobe dresser, but I love the thought of it, like reading Real Simple magazine 🙂 I’m also super stoked to see one of my favorite, and hard to find in clothing colors, deep pink, be featured in this lineup. Once in a while this happens with a color I love, and I can stock up on classic pieces. I can’t tell you what struggle I had finding clothing in this color a few years ago when I was trying to build a capsule. Christian Siriano has it all over his current lineup too, so it must be trending!
Yes, and I just found out that Chico’s has 50% off everything today! Plenty of that fabulous dark pink half off! Happy shopping!