A Chic 10 Piece London Capsule Wardrobe Thatll See You to Spring 2026

Building the ultimate capsule wardrobe is no small feat, especially in London. With its biting winters and (occasionally) scorching summers, it’s hard to find pieces that can be worn throughout the year. Because if you’re like me and can never get enough sleep, sorting through an ungodly amount of clothes to create a look can feel like hard work.

Which is why, ahead of 2026, I’m editing my clothes and accessories into a pared-back collection set to be on rotation for the next nine months. However, I must say, as I filter through my clothes and shoes, I can’t help but feel that creating a functional edit that caters to these two extremes whilst capturing what it means to be a “city girl”, isn’t easy.

London dressing, to me, feels far more dynamic than other major cities. With an individualistic undercurrent, Londoners balance an innate nonchalance with classic pieces and a spirited undoneness with an edgy sophistication, which means each piece of my new wardrobe needs to fit the memo.

Naturally, the question of vibe for next year has been on my mind for a while. At Who What Wear UK, as it’s our job to live and breathe trends, and there’s a whole range of aesthetics we predict will take precedence in your wardrobe in the coming months. From structured Napoleon-era jackets to the folky medieval-maiden-style maxis and Victoriana footwear with a witchy twist, for us, spring/summer 2026 is shaping up to be a year of maximalism where truly anything goes.

However, whilst one or two of these pieces can launch your capsule into the 2026 mood, it’s those simple staples—the ones we may consider mundane—that are the hidden gems of our wardrobe, and ultimately, the pieces that let the trending items shine. Now, am I saying you should throw everything away and start from scratch? Never! However, if your tried-and-true tailored trousers have seen better days (like mine), or if you want to go for a little something different this year, this list is a great place to start.

A London-Ready Capsule Wardrobe to See You Through to Spring

1. Tapered Trousers

Style Notes: Whilst tailored trousers never date thanks to their innate timelessness, tapered trousers (and ultra-wide tailoring) have garnered more traction lately. Designers, including Carolina Herrera and Stella McCartney, focused on ultra-wide-leg iterations at their autumn/winter 2025 runway shows. This shape perfectly encapsulates the more laid-back, cool-girl nature of 2026 dressing. In spring, I’m planning on wearing mine like Monikh Dale (pictured above): with a layered tee and suede bag.

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2. Pleated Maxi Skirts

Style Notes: With nostalgic styles having a moment, the latest of a long list is the pleated maxi skirt. Since Proenza Schouler and Timo Weiland made the elegant ’50s silhouette cool again in the 2010s, there’s been little noise on the pleated skirt front. But now, with the rise of loose tailoring in tandem with a revived affection for heritage plaid, pleated skirts have suddenly started trending. An offshoot of Miu Miu’s preppy re-birth, longer maxis balance sophistication with edge to create looks that feel effortlessly undone. With a brushed-mohair striped jumper or a waisted knit, it’s impossible for this elegant silhouette not to look chic in 2026.

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3. Funnel-Neck Cape Coats

Style Notes: Call me a snob, but as someone dialled into ever-changing outerwear trends, very few styles can combat the most frigid temperatures whilst also lending a subtle sophistication to every look it touches. However, the cape coat balances both with ease. Finished with an on-trend funnel neck, this style nods to traditional Victorian silhouettes whilst lending a modern edge. From jeans to maxi skirts, regardless of age, the most fashionable people on my feed are gravitating towards this style for an IYKYK energy to their looks.

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4. Straight-Leg Jeans

Style Notes: Whilst the shift towards straight-legged silhouettes has been hardly subtle, if you’re unwilling to shimmy into the skinny styles currently trending, why not opt for a pair of ‘90s-coded straight-leg jeans? With a pinched waist and subtly leg-sculpting quality, everyone from Stella McCartney to Victoria Beckham replaced baggier styles with something more shapely during the off-season 2026 previews. With a vintage feel, styles like Agolde’s Pinch Waist and Levi’s 501 have skyrocketed in popularity, fast becoming the go-to choice of fashion people when styling layered tees or cosy cashmere knits.

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5. Oversized Suede Bags

Style Notes: With the resurgence of the Louis Vuitton speedy (a Y2K silhouette that with Paris Hilton’s stamp of approval), whilst the rest of fashion fits slimmer, the bags are undeniably getting bigger. Our love affair with all-things suede has been 2025’s worst-kept secret, but suede bags before this year (outside of The Row Margeaux) tended to be far more compact. With the suede Mulberry Bayswater quietly gaining in popularity, and Depop seeing surges in vintage styles by 1040% this year alone, we predict next year will be encapsulated by all things big, suede and gloriously robust.

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6. Culottes

Style Notes: A warm-weather no brainer the Bermuda short is one of those capsule wardrobe styles which never dates; however, the shift to year-round styling has piqued my interest in this shape ahead of 2026. With a timeless appeal, designers from Ganni to MM6 Maison Margiela have foreshadowed that the next 12 months will be overflowing with longline short. Pairing with everything from loafers to knee-highs with ease, these shorts ooze indie-sleaze cool in the most polished fashion, a look I’m tapping into with full force come next year.

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7. Monk Shoes

Style Notes: Loafers will never not be chic, but as the preppy fashion aesthetic continues to capture the zeitgeist, forgotten styles like buckled monk shoes are fast becoming the newest way to differentiate from the pack. These glorified ‘school-shoes’ might make you shudder at first glance; however, they are a far cry from the clunky iterations of old. With buckles galore, these shoes feel current and are slightly fresher than the loafers which have flooded our feed over the last 12 months.

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8. Hoods

Style Notes: If you’ve yet to invest in a warm scarf, why not try a cosy hood balaklava instead? Gaining in popularity over the last few years, a plush hood feels fresher and cooler than the neck hugging and more refined than your favourite hoodie. Casting chic visual interest, I’ll be pairing mine as Felicity Bird (pictured above) has with loose jeans and fitted maxi coat on chiller days.

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9. Gilets

Style Notes: The rise of Gorpecore (a style which see’s hiking-adjacent pieces worn outside traditional realms) gilets have fast become the outwear choice of the London fashion set. Before you shudder at the thought and see “finance bros” flashing in front of your eyes , the styles seen aren’t restricted to the quilted jacket seen on Christina Nadin (pictured above). From cosy faux fur to vibrant prints, these jackets are a functional way of vocalising self expression through dressing (something Londoner’s love to do). Pairing well with jeans, trousers, skirts and leggings the hardest part of styling a gilet is deciding what colour way to go with.

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10. Thin Scarves

Style Notes: With an inherent ’90s romcom-core, the elongated thin scarf is the accessory trend fashionable Londoner’s can’t get enough off. Picked up initially by the the scandi girls, its a piece which simultaneously elevates cold-weather attire whilst adding an IYKNK energy to spring’s most vibrant florals weaving your outfit together with ease.

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