My capsule wardrobe for a European spring getaway

In the past I have been anything but a light packer. I used to always feel constrained by the size of my suitcase, worried that I’d not like what I had packed, and desperate to keep my options open. But as I’ve got older and refined my wardrobe, I’ve found it easier and easier to pack light. Exercises like choosing outfits I can rely on when I feel I have nothing to wear (read here), shopping my closet (read here), and my one wear rule challenge (read here) have shown me that I’m actually pretty comfortable just putting things together if I need to, as well as giving me confidence that I can trust I know what I’ll like.

So with a couple of weeks in Europe looming, the first of which was a week in Geneva, on the cusp of spring, I decided to go very light on my packing and see how little I could get away with. The need to pack a million things for the baby was also good motivation! I went for a fairly neutral or minimalist style, which would be easy to mix and match depending on the weather and what we got up to each day. The temperature actually varied a lot over the course of the week, from 6°C to 17°C! So it was a good job I packed a fairly versatile wardrobe.

Note that this doesn’t include underwear etc – just assume that I packed more than I needed of everything!

Black wide leg jeans

These are a relatively recent purchase I made late last year, in an attempt to update my jeans postpartum. They still didn’t fit for a while though, so when I packed them I had only worn them a handful of times. Now they’re fitting better though, and I was so glad I took them, as I ended up wearing them every single day. They’re not quite as nice a shape as my Levi Taper jeans (read here) (which, being totally open, don’t yet fit me again), but I’m growing used to the wide leg shape, and I think this slightly washed black is a more versatile colour than a blue jean. They were super comfortable, and made for a good base for a range of outfits.

Two long-sleeved stripey t-shirts

I chose two Ripe Maternity long-sleeved t-shirts as the workhorses for my capsule. One in a thinner black and white stripe, the other in a broader burgundy and white. They’re both breastfeeding friendly, which is particularly appreciated when you might be feeding around other people, or in colder temperatures! Not having to pull your top up or fully open your shirt is a real blessing. These both paired well with my black jeans, and although I find the material, a mix of human-made and natural materials, a little stifling in the strong sun of Melbourne, they were just right for the cooler breezes and weaker sun of Geneva.

Boden cardigan

I’ve written about this cardigan before, as one of my most worn pieces of 2023 (read here). Once again it proved how great a purchase it was, as it was the perfect layering piece, bringing a touch of elegance to my jeans, working nicely over my dress, and providing real cosiness on the cooler days. (See picture below!)

Black Ecco boots

I bought these when we were last in Europe in early 2023, and they have become a real favourite. I’d not worn them much for a while as they’re not really right for the hotter months in Australia, so I was pleased to be able to dig them out again. They’re super comfortable for walking in (I don’t think I even needed to break them in much!), and they work well with the wider leg of the black jeans. This style can be dressed up or down – they’re fairly smart if you need them to be, but they still felt in keeping with the more casual outfits I was wearing most of the time.

Uniqlo green crewneck sweater

I wanted something a little bit thinner as a layering piece, and to add a bit of colour to an otherwise neutral wardrobe. This wool sweater was a great choice, as it kept me nice and warm, without the bulk of a proper cardigan, and livened up my outfits. It’s a good one for getting some more use out of your small number of tops, as it basically functions as a top in itself. I ended up wearing this more the following week, when we were in the Italian Alps, than in the first week in Geneva, but it was still a good option to have available.

Ripe maternity black ribbed cardigan

I actually didn’t end up wearing this very much – it spent most of the time stuffed in my backpack as a back-up layer which was never needed. When it was super cold I was wearing my Boden cardigan, and when it was warmer I didn’t need the extra layer at all. I could probably have managed with just a single cardigan, but I chose this one as it does up over the baby in the carrier if needs be! So it was useful to have it, just in case.

Uniqlo burgundy down jacket

I’ve written extensively about this piece in my post comparing it with the Kathmandu down jacket (which you can read here). I originally bought it as I needed a larger jacket to fit over my baby bump, but, as predicted, I continue to love it now I don’t technically require it. In fact it now does up over the baby in her carrier, so it’s still fulfilling something of its original purpose! I like having the more interesting colour too, to add a bit of variety, particularly when paired with the black jeans. I wore this pretty much every day, and it packs down really easily, so was a perfect choice for a light packing trip.

French Connection green knitted vest

I have barely worn this at all, as between pregnancy and postpartum I hadn’t been wearing many ‘proper’ outfits, and it’s been so warm in Melbourne that a knitted layer was not really necessary. But I was excited to liberate this one from the wardrobe and start getting some proper use out of it. I actually ended up wearing it just as a top on one of the warmer days. I know this is a fairly normal way to style vests these days, but I hadn’t tried it before, and I was pleasantly surprised by both how it looked and how it felt. Definitely a style I will be going for again to turn this winter piece into a more transitional item.

Apero Label Nursing Tee

I brought this with me mostly as sleepwear, and that’s pretty much how I ended up using it. It has zips at the sides which are supposedly adequate for nursing, but to be honest, with a cup size as large as mine, it doesn’t really work! So I end up lifting it just like any other t-shirt. However, I like how soft the material is, and it’s a nice heavy weight. So overall a useful t-shirt, even if it’s not quite as useful as it’s supposed to be!

Ripe Maternity rib knit dress

This dress does actually work for nursing as intended! It has more buttons than usual down the front, so it’s super easy to open up when baby needs a feed. I wanted to bring one item that was just a little bit smarter and I could dress up if needed. I wore it with my Boden cardigan and felt pretty put together. It’s a super comfortable dress which I love wearing, and is really easy – it makes an outfit without one having to think about it very much! Definitely a good choice for packing, and although I only wore it once over the week, I enjoyed doing so.

Active Truth Leggings x 2 (wide leg and skinny)

The main reason for packing these was to have something comfortable to wear on the flight. I’m not someone who dresses up for flying – I’m very happy to look comfortable, not stylish. Add to this the fact that I needed to wear my big, bulky walking boots to save space in my luggage, and the leggings seemed an obvious choice. I went for the skinny ones on the way out, and in fact didn’t end up wearing the wide leg ones until I was leaving Geneva (this time on a coach not a plane!). They’re super comfortable, have big pockets which fit phone, wallet etc (although this does look a little silly and bulky), and are generally a good choice for combating the general discomfort of long haul flying. I don’t think there’s really anything that could make 14 + 7 hours of flight comfortable, but these leggings tried their best.

Uniqlo Flannel shirt

This was the other half of my travel outfit, again largely informed by comfort and needing to feed baby. It’s a nice boxy fit but has a bit of a v-neck, and it’s super for nursing. It’s also a warm, cosy fabric, which suits the cold conditions of a long flight. I don’t think I wore it at all once we actually got to Geneva, but it was perfect for the flight.

Moolk maternity black henley

Another nursing friendly piece (there is definitely a theme to this edit!), and one I have only really started wearing recently. It’s a lot closer fitting than my usual favourites these days, but it’s nice for layering, and has a slightly smarter look. Normally I would not like mixing different shades of black – my pedantry comes through in wanting them to match perfectly. But I’ve got over that, and actually quite like how this top looks with the black jeans.

French Connection green linen shirt

This is the only piece I took that I didn’t wear at all. On the warmer days, I wasn’t really in the mood for how it sat with my jeans, and with its oversized, boxy fit, it didn’t work that well under my closer fitting cardigans. It was useful to have as a back-up, but it didn’t end up working for me on the day.

Reflections

So what worked and what didn’t? I think I achieved a good mix of clothes that suited the weather, and fitted what I got up to, which was largely walking around admiring the city and its sights/sites, and eating in cafes! Geneva has a slightly odd vibe clothing-wise, as it’s a very wealthy city, and not the hugest tourist spot. There are lots of luxury brands in the centre, but for the most part people don’t dress particularly ostentatiously. Despite that, it somehow didn’t feel like the kind of place to wander around in my leggings! I was pleased with how the jeans worked as an everyday item. In hindsight, I might have mixed things up a bit by taking a different top in place of one of the stripey ones. Maybe something a little more structured would have given me a bit more choice. But there was some freedom in not having too many options – reducing the number of decisions you need to make when travelling can be a blessing. Layers, comfort, but enough style to make you feel put together, are the essential elements of a spring getaway wardrobe, and I’m happy with how this one turned out!

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Looking back at it, I actually seem to have packed rather a lot for not a particularly long trip. But in spite of this I did do a round of laundry, and I wore pretty much everything! My choices worked well for the changeable weather, and the relatively casual things I was doing. I don’t think there was a single day I didn’t spend some time with baby in the carrier, which does somewhat detract from the need to worry about your outfit! The most important thing was that I was comfortable with both how I felt and looked, and for once I didn’t massively over-pack! This is a real victory for me, as I used to return from trips with half my clothes unworn, having lugged a heavy suitcase around. I still had a heavy suitcase, but this time it was full of baby’s clothes, not mine! I’m definitely making progress towards being a true light packer! I hope this list might give you some inspiration for what you’d need to pack for a spring European city break – I’d love to hear about how you get on!