amsterdam / edinburgh outfit diary, june 2025
The capsule wardrobe for my trip to Amsterdam and Edinburgh last summer
In June of 2025, my fiancé and I took a trip to Europe with the first stop being Amsterdam, and the second Edinburgh, Scotland. The ultimate reason for the trip was my best friend’s wedding in Edi, but we wanted to take advantage of the European trip to explore another location, and Amsterdam was at the top of both of our list.
Because we were going for about 9 days, I wanted to bring a capsule wardrobe with pieces that could all be worn together. I have to say, I really accomplished this! (Hence this blog post). I set an aesthetic for this trip: summer / ivory / lambswool / vintage. I sourced a couple of items, and then used existing wardrobe pieces to create the collection.
A peek at the mood board…
Because it was summer, I really wanted to focus on light colors, especially ivory. I was really inspired by the lambswool/angora pieces in the mood board, and decided to build the pieces around a lambswool sweater. I also knew we weren’t going to be warm every day, I knew I’d have to pack for weather that might be a bit chilly in the morning and warmer in the evening. This was exactly what happened, and my sweaters came in handy to throw on over my outfits.
Some of the pieces I brought…
This is about 2/3 of the pieces I brought, but this showcases the range I was going for and the color palette.
day 1
Amsterdam
We arrived extremely early in the morning from our overnight flight and couldn’t check into our hotel yet, so we explored the city. I changed from my plane outfit (a sweatshirt and leggings… yikes) to this outfit in the hotel bathroom. I knew it was going to be a bit chilly out, but it was also pouring rain so I added my 80s trench coat that I got from the Urban Renewal about 6 years ago.
I put it on over my 80s ivory striped cotton midi dress from Depop (it’s the brand Tickets California), added a white Kate Spade bag and my incredible ivory Chiko Shoes Mary Janes.
day 1
Amsterdam
We finally got access to our hotel room, took a nap, and then got ready to grab dinner and continue exploring!
I kept the same outfit but since the sun came out, instead of my trench I threw on my 80s/90s Rafella lambswool sweater. SO warm and cozy.
day 2
Amsterdam
Time for a full day of walking and exploration! I was stunned by Amsterdam, and this might have been my favorite day of the trip.
I opted for one of my favorite skirts- this 80s Cherokee midi skirt with a warm toned print. This skirt is a staple in my summer wardrobe and I was so happy to have it fit in this little collection.
I paired it with the ivory sweater, my H&M white cat-eye sunglasses, Kate Spade bag, and Chiko Shoes.
BTW: these shoes were extremely comfy which is why I wore them so much! They have worn so nicely over the past couple of years.
day 3
Amsterdam
Time to break out the linen pants! These oatmeal colored 100% linen pants are from Depop but they’re the brand Cynthia Rowley. I knew linen was the vibe I was going for, so I got these for the trip.
I also found this button up blouse from the Madewell sale rack right before the trip! There are so many outfits on my mood board that had a blouse like this, so I knew it would be perfect.
Paired with my cat-eye sunglasses, brown bag from Gigi New York, and Chiko Shoes.
day 3
Amsterdam
Time for dinner! For this one, I only changed my bottoms. The weather was warm, so I put on this white ruffle wrap skirt (I forget the brand). I tied up the Madewell shirt, left the sunnies & bag.
I did change my shoes (not pictured) to a pair of blue pumps from Vivaia to match my blue flower hair clip.
day 4
Amsterdam
Last day in Amsterdam :’) We got breakfast and squeezed in some more exploring. I wore this 80s/90s cotton button up faded floral vest over my bralette. I wore it with the white ruffle skirt and Chiko Shoes.
After this I stopped by the Brandy in Amsterdam and got a long sleeve shirt that I switched this vest out for traveling to Edinburgh.
day 6
Edinburgh
(No day 5 because I was busy with my friend, but I essentially wore my trench the whole day because of rain).
Time to explore Edi! We trekked up and down the streets and side streets on this wonderful day. It was a tad cold, so I wore my 80s/90s floral lambswool sweater by JH Collectibles I got from Depop with a pair of American Vintage jeans that I got in Amsterdam, my brown bag, and some brown Chiko Shoes sandals!
day 7
Edinburgh
One of the best days! We traveled by train to visit Sterling Castle. Today’s outfit was perfect because I could take my sweater off when it got too hot in the sun.
I wore my ivory sweater, striped dress, cat-eye sunglasses, brown bag (yes, it turns into a crossbody), and Chiko Shoes sandals.
day 8
Edinburgh
Last full day! We explored the Edinburgh Castle this day and soaked in the sunshine before my best friend’s wedding that evening.
I wore my ivory sweater, brown bag, sunglasses, linen pants, and sandals! All the same pieces, just changed around.
day 8
Edinburgh
Wedding time! The best weather graced us this June evening, and I was able to wear my dress without a sweater.
The dress is one I got a few years ago because Taylor Swift wore the same one in a 2011 Speak Now street style look. It’s 2010s Anthropologie dress by the brand Girls of Savoy.
The shoes were very last minute because I forgot to bring the ones I meant to bring… so these are strappy blush colored ones from Primark.
We headed home the next day, tired by fulfilled. I learned a lot from this trip in terms of outfit preparation. I started sourcing certain pieces a month or so before, using the mood board I made as my North Star. I also knew all of these pieces fit well into my style, so I would be able to keep them for a long time. Nothing was just a micro-trend I’ll never wear again.
PS, I use the app Whering to organize the outfits and pieces and create the mood board. That was a huge help here!