Capsule Wardrobe

Presently Loving...

2010-10-09T08:24:00.005+01:00

... this sexy red leather jacket from River Island

I've always loved River Island but sometimes find their stock a little hit and miss. This sexy jacket however is right.on.the.money.

For day pair with...

And when the sun goes down, funk it up with...

A great investment we think this piece will serve you well throughout the seasons.

Get ready for A/W 2010!

2010-09-19T06:37:00.024+01:00

Ok folks, this was a lot of fun to put together and happened incredibly naturally and fluidly. I'm loving the contrast of fabrics this season and I think US Vogue put it best when they said that this is the season where "fashion is growing up".

So I've mixed the colours, the textures and injected sparks of red and am loving the end result, hope you guys like it too!

The software I use for my Capsule Wardrobes has added this fabulous feature so if you want to know where a piece is from just move your cursor over it and voila!

So some gorgeous wintery ensembles include...

So what's not to love about pops of red and animal skin? The cute black headband adds a little something extra, great for taking an outfit from day to night.

I'm loving the white dress for a glam evening out. The heavy leather jacket with shoulder detail is an amazing touch too. The great thing about this Capsule Wardrobe... so many mix and match options.

The A/W 10 fashion sent my heart a'flutter and this will be the first of many CWs this season!

Search for the Perfect Foundation

2010-09-18T06:27:00.004+01:00

I recently heard about MAC's latest foundation Pro Longwear Foundation. It claims to last for 15 hours and withstand a host of environmental conditions. Providing a sheer to medium coverage, it's pretty much exactly what I've been looking for.

So I headed to my nearest MAC to get matched up and the lovely assistant gave me a sample pot to test so I'm very excited about that.

I remember when I was working as a counter assistant for Estee Lauder, foundation was one of the most problematic areas for customers who came to visit me. There are SO many out there and I've still been searching for my holy grail foundation - I'm really hoping my search is over.

I'll give you a full review after I've tested it. In the meantime I'm putting the finishing touches on my latest Capsule Wardrobe so be sure to check back for that!

Happy Birthday Lily!

2010-08-20T05:45:00.008+01:00

My favourite mineral cosmetics company Lily Lolo celebrates its 5th birthday today. I've bought and tried several of their products and can highly recommend their Super Kabuki Brush , their Foundation and their Blushers .

And one of the best things about this company is their amazingly generous sample system whereby you can order a sample of the majority of their products for under £1 meaning you can get the perfect shade for your complexion before you purchase the full size product.

So Happy Birthday Lily Lilo, have some cake and champs on me!

Fashion's Best Friend...

2010-08-14T21:16:00.004+01:00

Fashion and Beauty go hand in hand, everyone knows this. I have a huge passion for all things beauty related and thought it was about time I incorporate a little of this into CW. So look out for upcoming makeup, beauty, hair, skincare and beauty fashions in the near future.

As a sidenote, who is looking forward to Autumn? I've been scouring the pre season collections and am looking forward to putting a capsule wardrobe for you guys so keep your eyes peeled for that!

In the Nude

2010-07-05T05:35:00.037+01:00

So we're fully into the height of summer and the fashion is glorious. I'm loving the nauticals, the festival fashion and the nudes which is where my attention is turned today

Having an English Rose complexion my habitual response to nudes and pale colours is to steer clear, but this season I'm sure you felt, as did I, the overwhelming wash of nude and beautiful sorbet colours. So my latest 24 piece capsule wardrobe focuses on nudes but breaks them with blacks and denim.

From left moving clockwise - Nude Lace Tails Jacket, Miss Selfridge, £40. Leafy Lace Bralet, Topshop, £10. Necklace, Topshop, £18. Lace Vest Scallop Body, Topshop, £20. Black belted shorts, Topshop, £32. Bracelets, Oasis, £12. Pink Ruched Bandeau Dress, Topshop, £45. Blue crystal bangle, Miss Selfridge, £16. Trilby hat, ASOS, £15. Cream knotted top, Miss Selfridge, £25. Black ruffle skirt, Topshop, £15. Black Flower Headband, Miss Selfridge, £6. Sailor dress, Topshop, £56. Pink Bag, Topshop, £35. Lace Insert Cardi, Oasis, £35. Crop stripe vest, Topshop, £12. Patchwork shorts, Miss Selfridge, £28. Baby pink box platform sandals, ASOS, £20. Bow two tone bag, Topshop, £28. Leather cut shoe boots, ASOS, £40. Oversized cardigan, Oasis, £10. Ballet pumps, ASOS, £28. Pale skinny jeans, ASOS, £15.

You've gotta love the contrast of fabrics and the so good you could eat them colours. Here are some cute ensembles...

I think the majority of these basics will transition well so be brave, take the plunge with nudes and you'll come out looking fabulous!

The Christmas Party Never Stops!

2009-11-30T12:49:00.016Z

One thing I love about this time of year is the Christmas fashion. It's geared towards the sudden spike in Christmas activities, functions and parties and truly reflects the feeling of celebration. But one thing I don't love so much... that about 80% of said winter fashion screams "wear me this season and this season alone, for I am solely a Christmas dress". Not great for the savvy capsule wardrobe shopper. So below are some beautiful dresses from this season's collections which do not yell Autumn/Winter 09, which will sit nicely in your capsule wardrobe and which you'll be happily wanting to pull out for those spring parties and summer gatherings.

From left moving right by outfit - Black vintage bag, Karen Millen £99. Black Dress, Karen Millen, £204. Black studded cuff sandals, £150, Karen Millen. Bodycon knit dress, Karen Millen, £120. Black square jewel clutch, Karen Millen, £120. Platform feature heels, Topshop, £65. Ruffle V-neck dress, Republic, £30. Black studded belt, Miss Selfridge, £18. Black sandals with mirror square embellishment, Faith, £75. Rose cocktail dress, Karen Millen, £244. Rose sandals, Karen Millen, £135. Pink blush ring, Oasis, £14. Cobalt blue dress, Monsoon, £95. Silver vintage cuff bracelet, Oasis, £16. Silver platform sandals, Karen Millen, £150.

By keeping the dresses simple but yet current and minimising the sequins on the dresses you can ensure that your Christmas party purchases will be good for more than one season. If you're missing that bling, accessorise with sparkle in shoes, bags and belts for that glorious December party feeling.

All I can say is bring on the parties!

Weekend Wear

2009-10-18T23:43:00.015+01:00

I've put together this cute Capsule Wardrobe for weekends. Including both casual and going out suggestions for any weekend event, this CW is brimming with trends of the season such as feathers, structured shoulders and sequins - perfect for transitioning into Christmas!

Enjoy!

From top left moving clockwise - Faux pearl and diamond cuff, H&M. Black, white and grey striped jumper, Warehouse, £35. Flare Trousers, Warehouse, £45. White sleeveless vest, Topshop, £30. Black necklace, ASOS, £25. Cream square neck vest top, Topshop, £28. Black ruffle skirt, £35. Chunky cream jumper, Oasis, £25. Lightweight indigo jeans, Oasis, £45. Sequin bow jacket, Topshop, £95. Blue velvet body, Topshop, £28. Grey scarf, Warehouse, £25. Black belted double brested coat, Oasis, £110. Green long sleeve top, Oasis £18. Boyfriend blazer, Warehouse, £65. Pink frill sleeve T-shirt, Topshop, £32. Indigo jeggings, Republic, £25. Black feather clutch, ASOS, £25. Brogue shoe boot, £20, New Look. Black patent bag, Karen Millen, £165. Jewel platform sandal, Topshop, £70. Colourblock dress, Warehouse, £75. Gold leather snake biker jacket, Miss Selfridge, £125. Black ankle boots, Topshop, £100.

Focusing on key trends that won't date this capsule wardrobe gives you numerous options for fashionable weekend fun. Here are a couple I've pulled together.

Here are some great examples of casual weekend wear which don't sacrifice style. And for the evening...

This cute mix of pretty layered tops and adorable accessories will get you noticed at the weekend. I love contrasting cute with edgy which is exactly what the outfit in the middle of the last set does. Evidently, you can be at your most stylish when you come out to play at the weekends no matter what season.

Creating your own Capsule Wardrobe

2009-10-08T16:23:00.009+01:00

So far I really hope you guys like my capsule wardrobe suggestions. I'm working now on another autumn winter CW which will be up soon. But for now I wanted to share with you some tips I've found which will help you to create capsule wardrobes for yourself.

Typically my capsule wardrobes of 24 pieces consist of

4 Tops (a mix of day and evening)
2-4 Bottoms (either skirts or trousers)
About 2 Cardigans (probably 1 in the summer)
2 Jackets
1 coat for winter
2 Dresses
2-3 Bags
About 3 pairs of Shoes
2 belts
Some jewellery which in most cases you can wear day or night (depending on your outfit)

Some staple items will depend on your lifestyle. If you work in an office a great fitting suit with both the trousers and the skirt is a key investment which you should look after. For mums on the go, layers are a must and a fitted pair of jeans will see you nicely from home to the school run and a large but stylish bag will mean your practical but fashionable too.

Overall, tailoring my Capsule Wardrobe ideas to your life is essential after all no one size fits all. If you'd like any more tips or ideas, feel free to email me direct at caz.wheeler@capsule-wardrobe.com

Fall into Autumn

2009-09-02T11:13:00.015+01:00

Now I'm a summer girl, I love the bright colours, the tanned skin and the heat and it's unusual that I get excited about the cold winters approaching. But I have to say this season's A/W fashions have got my heart racing.

In this Capsule Wardrobe I've included some key trends for fall, some gorgeous jeggings from Topshop, a fabulous investment trench coat in a light grey which would be ideal for between season transition and some beautiful printed leggings from Topshop.

From top left moving clockwise - White shirt, Karen Millen, £99. Dogtooth cardigan, Oasis, £45. Suit Jacket, Warehouse, £75. Dress, Karen Millen, £150. Sequin top, Oasis, £69. Necklace, Oasis, £16. Red long sleeve top, Topshop, £18. Black long cardigan, £38. Blue long sleeve top, Topshop, £12. Grey frill dress, Warehouse, £71. Bracelet, Oasis, £14. Long black boots, Faith, £100. Black jumper, Miss Selfridge, £45. Jeggings, Topshop, £20. Grey shoes, Oasis, £60. Black clutch, £55, Faith. Black & White printed leggings, Topshop, £20. Black bag, Karen Millen, £150. Grey investment coat, Karen Millen, £299. Black belt, ASOS, £15. Red bag, Oasis, £38. Black courts, Faith, £50. Skirt, Warehouse, £40. Black gloves, Karen Millen, £60.

Winter is all about layering, especially in the UK hence the number of cardis and jackets in this set. I think a staple investment coat is essential and it's a piece which will take you through the cold seasons. I loved this one I've included from Karen Millen as it will work well for winter months as well as chilly springs thanks to its colour.

These sets below would be great as some beautiful outfits for work wear.

I loved the monochromatic elements this season and by adding flashes of colour it can break up an otherwise dull outfit. Team worky skirts with coloured tights in plum or marine colours to bring through your personality to the office.

As for weekend wear, I've used the 2 sets of leggings for casual wear staples which can easily take you from day to night.

Layering is the best way to survive these cold months with shirts, cardis and longer length cardigans (very now and great for hiding your bum!). Accessorise with animal print scarfs to inject a now trend into your wardrobe on a budget.

Overall, have fun with layers, colours and accessories and start thinking about those killer party outfits for the holiday season!

Summer Holiday

2009-07-19T17:10:00.019+01:00

Oh I know you've been there. The night before you're due to jet away on your holidays and you can't close your suitcase or worse... it's on the scales showing 30 kg!

I'm hoping the following Capsule Wardrobe will give you some ideas on how to minimise this problem. I've used tan accessories throughout as they just go so well with all colours and add a funky twist to any outfit. Taking beachwear garments and doubling them up as tops is key for a holiday CW, but then you don't want to look the same every day and night do you? See what you think...

From top left moving clockwise - Maxi Dress, Warehouse, £45.00. Bracelet, Warehouse, £14.00. White embroidered kaftan, ASOS, £25.00. Black rope necklace, Oasis, £10.00. Stripe one piece, French Connection, £65.00. Red frill zip vest, Topshop, £28.00. Flower print skirt, Topshop, £15.00. Purple vest top, ASOS, £6.00. Khaki Linen Trousers, John Lewis, £33.00. Pink bandeau dress, Miss Selfridge, £22.00. Bag, Oasis, £35.00. White vest top, ASOS, £6.00. Red vest top, Oasis, £15. Denim shorts, Topshop, £35.00. White wedges, Faith, £18.00. Bronze bracelet, Debenhams, £12.00. Deep purple top, Topshop, £38.00. Denim skirt, Karen Millen, £40.00. Sparkly cuff, Faith, £18.00. Red gladiator style heels, Faith, £65.00. Blue one shoulder top, Oasis, £15.00. Denim capri pants, Karen Millen, £80.00. Purple ruffle bag, Debenhams, £40.00. Stripe bandeau bikini, Topshop, £25.00. Gladiator Sandals, Miss Selfridge, £28.00.

Lots of fun holiday-esque pieces in this one. I think for holiday you need a variety of tops especially in warm climates which means you can save luggage room by just taking a handful of trousers/shorts or skirts. This CW would be perfect for a week's holiday in sunny climes, I'm thinking Southern Europe or maybe the Caribbean. Great outfits from this CapW include.

I see these three ensembles functioning the airport, to hotel, to beach transition. This tan bag is going to work great for the airport, for sightseeing and for the beach. I've added some lovely chunky accessories which just set off a simple bikini and kaftan look.

And for the night.

For the night we have a variety of options great for dinner, drinks or clubbing. Some show more skin than others but I think all 3 outfits would work for any night time situ.

So using the Cap Wardrobe mantra I've limited this collection to 24 pieces focusing on fabrics which would travel well and would co-ordinate with each other. I did however see some lovely things on the way which would be perfect for that much needed vacay and hopefully won't take you too far over that tricky baggage limit. For practicality reasons I'd probably also recommend taking a cover up "just in case". Check out these great ideas below.

From top left moving clockwise - Longline Jersey Cardigan, ASOS, £18.00. Bracelet, Oasis, £8.68. Necklace, Oasis, £14. Bikini, Oasis, £14 top, £14 bottoms. Pink playsuit, Miss Selfridge, £45.00. Sunglasses, ASOS £10.00. Jade drape front cardi, Miss Selfridge, £32.00. Pink one shoulder bodysuit, Miss Selfridge, £14.00. Tan wedges, Faith, £45.00. Silver wedges, Karen Millen, £135. Matching silver bag, Karen Millen, £150.

Wherever you're off to on your travels this summer, have a fabulous vacay and stay stylish!

Loving this dress!!

2009-06-23T17:05:00.003+01:00

The Topshop_tweets account posted this awesome outfit this week. I am loving the whole look, the multi-coloured dip dye dress, the headband and just the retro look of it all is fabulous. This dress would carry through the seasons and seeing as fringing has been around for a while, I'm sure this hip dress won't date any time soon.

Go order now!!

Summer's Here - Essentials to take you through the Summer, Work and Play

2009-06-22T13:50:00.003+01:00

So here is my first Capsule Wardrobe. Colour has been huge this year and I wanted this CW to be a great guide for summer work and rest. These pieces are idea to take you from the workplace into the evening be in drinks with friends, or a hot summer date.

From top left moving clockwise - Necklace, Principles £25.00. Azure blue top under jacket, £38.00. Blue ruffle jacket, Debenhams, £21.00. Grey trousers, Debenhams, £25.00. Red bag, Oasis, £35.00. Cobalt Maxi Dress, Warehouse, £90.00. Bangles, Oasis, £12.00. Red Cardi, Topshop, £35.00. Blue scarf, Oasis, £10.00. White shirt, Dorothy Perkins, £10.00. Purple belt, Topshop, £30.00. Grey skirt, Oasis, £45.00. Red bracelet, Oasis, £8.00. Red and white dress, Monsoon, £95.00. Red court shoes, Topshop, £40.00. White belt, Topshop, £15.00. White bag, Warehouse, £25.00. Grey work dress, Oasis, £70.00. Yellow top, Oasis, £38.00. Magenta T-shirt, Debenhams, £12.00. Jeans, Oasis, £40.00. Red bow wedges, Debenhams, £20.00. White platforms, Oasis, £65.00. Ballerina flats, Oasis, £35.00.

Here are some of my favourite ensembles.

These outfits mix and match amazingly drawing on hints of red and blue which contrast great with the flashes of yellow. I'm sure the bright colours are a reaction to the world's economy, but there's something about brights in summer which can't help but lift your mood.

Great options for drinks with the girls, weekend shopping, or for that special occasion.

I've kept this CW more formal, right now we're just coming off Ascot season and heading into wedding season. The red Monsoon dress teamed with the red ruffle cardi would be a great wedding guest outfit.

Elements of this CW would suit a variety of shapes. Curvier shapes, especially with a good bust would work great with the red Monsoon dress but if you're not confident about your legs then go for a longer shape or a maxi dress.

So, what are your thoughts on this first CW?

Hi Sweeties!

2009-06-02T13:41:00.001+01:00

A huge warm welcome to capsule-wardrobe.com

Here I want to honour a couple of inspirations for this site. The main one being our present global economy. This has undoubtedly affected us all and I'm sure we've all learnt to be a lot more resourceful in these difficult times. I know I'm thinking harder about clothes purchases than I used to (remember those lunch time quick shopping trips? Ahh, those were the days!)

Whatever "resourceful" means to you I'm sure we could all agree that their are items in your wardrobe which rarely see the light of day. Most ladies out there regularly wear the same items over and over, buy things which are unsuitable and which they will never wear or get stuck in a style rut and become wary to intimidate. I want this blog to give you ideas which you'll want to try.

My second inspiration is Mr. Gok Wan. Mr. Wan is a well known stylist in the UK and his recent series of Gok's Fashion Fix has been a huge inspiration for this site. Every week he replaces a lucky lady's dreary drab wardrobe with a beautiful capsule wardrobe of 24 interchangeable pieces. You can read more about his show here.

I think in these challenging economic times, it pays dividend to put Gok's mantra of "buy less, wear more" into practice and this is what I'm hear to do.

So for now, this site is mainly going to focus on items from the UK shops, mainly high street but I might sneak in some designer pieces for good measure. Later this year I will be moving to the US and will be changing this site for you ladies in the US so look out for that!

I'd love to hear your comments, feedback and thoughts xx