Wardrobe capsule is a group of items, in this case, clothings, that mix and match well together. Hence, when you start creating capsules in your wardrobe, you will:
- Get more wear out of every piece of clothing in your wardrobe, even the older pieces;
- Develop a signature style that is consistent and unique to you;
- Save money as you will only buy what is needed to add on to your existing capsules;
- Look well put together as most pieces are guaranteed to mix well together
To begin creating a capsule, first think of a story or a theme that you want to portray through your clothes. For example, I have created a fun and adorable look for my capsule. You can get inspiration from a favourite item in your wardrobe. In my case, the yellow bloom Topshop blouse inspired my collection. I added 3 tops and 3 bottoms to expand the wardrobe to 10 different looks. In creating any capsules; take into consideration the following 3 aspects:
- Colour scheme that harmonises with story/theme (I chose the colours pink, yellow, black and green from the flower blooms which matches fun and adorable)
- Style that works together (The pouf skirt, jeans, sweater and checked blouse are all fun and cute styles)
- Fabrics that complement one another (My collection consists mainly cotton, viscose, wool and silk; all lightweight)
If you want to save money and yet able to expand your wardrobe, capsuling your clothes is the smart way to go! Have fun!
Tags: mix and match, Wardrobe capsule. style
It is nearing time to ditch those pastel florals and make way for the sophisticated 1970s and bohemian chic. Men’s tuxedos, flare pants, lace, sheer maxis and crochet are some of the styles featured on the runway for autumn/winter fashion. How can you work it into your corporate wardrobe? Here are some style ideas:
1) Flare pants – Very 1970s. Think Charlie’s Angels in their pantsuits. Unless you are very tall or wear very high heels, this is a difficult style to pull off. It is flattering on slim and narrow hips. Balance the fullness of the pants with a neat and simple top. Chunky heels look best with the flared hems. Keep your accessories in clean lines as the pants is already dramatic looking. This is a good look to wear in a male-dominated work environment. The style is more chic as opposed to a pair of tailored pants.
2) Tuxedo jacket – If you are bored with wearing 2-piece suits, try pairing a white tuxedo jacket over a mint coloured dress. The look is elegant, classic and polished. If you love dresses but yet want to maintain a strong and capable image, this style will work for you. Complete the look with a pearl choker (in trend!) and stud earrings.
3) Crochet & Sheer – The bohemian chic style is most suited for the creative industry. You can over accessorise with bangles and huge earrings and still get it right. The look is unique, interesting, layered, free-spirited, original and offbeat.
4) Fur trims – Please only wear faux fur! I love fur trimmed clothings. It adds interest to textures and designs. To make it less over the top, stick to pieces with fur-trimmings instead of a full fur piece for our local climate or fur details on your shoes and handbag. Keep the rest of the outfit simple and natural. Avoid glitter and shine unless you are going to perform on stage!
Which autumn/winter style would you invest in?
Tags: autumn, trend, winter
A cluster or capsule as some call it, is a group of items that go well together. The items when mixed together tell a story about your style. You can begin to cluster items by selecting a colour scheme from a print, then pick styles and materials that complement each other. Clustered bangles are very popular now and you can wear it on any occasion. Kim Kardashian, reality TV star, has been spotted wearing clustered bangles on the beach, on the red carpet and even on her wedding. 
I found some pretty bangles at LaTrendz in Anchorpoint. They don’t cost more than $20 and there is an array of clustered bangles in different colours, styles and materials. The clustered bangles in the bottom picture go well together as the bangles follow the same colour scheme of black and white and same material which is metal.
Although the floral bangle is more on the girly style, it still worked well with the edgier bangles as they share the same colour scheme. Go experiment with your bangles to form new clusters for different outfits!
Tags: bangles, cluster, kim kardashian
Hollywood’s A-listers, including socialite Nicki Hilton are stepping out in this summer’s hot trend; the US$49.90 striped T-shirt dress from Express. The T-shirt dress is a no-brainer when you want comfort and style. Here are some tips to style up your T-shirt dress:
- Choose a quality cotton knit one that skims your body. Baggy shapes will make you look frumpy and tight ones look trashy!
- For a more fitted look, wear thin belts or opt for a loose hipster drawstring dress.
- Horizontal stripes widens the body, so if you are figure-conscious, go for diagonal stripes.
- Keep to minimal accessories like large hoop earrings (see Zoe’s) or long pendant necklaces.
- Wear casual sandals, wedges, oxfords or loafers.
- Cross body bags (see Zoe’s) and totes complete this easy summer style.
I saw some pretty cute striped T-shirt dresses at Japanese brands, Rose Bullet and Drip Drops at Isetan:-)
January Jones
Zoe Saldana
Tags: striped, summer trend, T-shirt dress
Your outfit is not complete without accessories. This summer’s accessories trends include:
- Stacked bangles and long multi-chain necklaces for a bohemian look. The more, the merrier. Pair up the same materials and weight together e.g. metal bracelets and chains, wood and rope, beads and resin. A simple flowy blouse and floral shorts completes your boho style.
- Straw fedora and fringed cape adds visual interest to a plain tank top and maxi skirt. Keep colours neutral for a cool and chic look.
- Colourful wedges and tote bag instantly brightens up your neutral summer palette. These accessories will go well with long white dresses, denim shirts and stripe tees.
Have fun with this trends! Let us know what is your favourite must-have accessory this summer. For me, it’s the colourful wedges!
Tags: accessories, summer trend
Is your style vibrant, unique, creative, trendy, eye-catching, funky and playful? If yes, you will love Ipa-Nima bags. Celebrities like Cate Blanchett, Kelly Osbourne, Maggie Cheung and Faye Wong, to name a few, are fans of the brand. Check out the gorgeous spring-summer collections at its first boutique in Singapore at Holland Village Shopping Centre (next to Lim’s Arts & Crafts). I bought my 1st Ipa-Nima bag a few days ago; my Zola calf leather bag is a pretty sea blue with hand sewn beads. The workmanship is pretty solid. It is soft, colourful, fun and easy to match with my jeans, tribal tops and summery dresses. The shoulder strap length is just right as the bag doesn’t land at my widest hip area. Ipa-Nima bags are designed by Christina Yu, from Hong Kong. She combines rich textures and intricate embellishments to create quirky and playful designs. You can tell by the craftsmanship that a lot of effort and time are put into the production of each bag. Ipa Nima resonates with my fashion style. My Zola bag is certainly one that I will treasure and use for a long long time.
Tags: bag, Ipa-Nima, style
With the weather temperature rising, wearing shorts is an easy way to cool down. But it is always debatable when it comes to age appropriate shorts. This is my personal opinion: any hemline above the mid thigh is for the very young (teens to 20′s). Hemlines that are slightly above or at the knee would flatter any women above 50. Those in their 30′s and 40′s can wear hemlines at the mid thigh area or longer. Having established my point, let’s look at how women of all ages can wear this wardrobe staple. I find denim more forgiving than most other fabrics. Denim is made out of cotton, so it is suitable to be worn for all seasons. Its light to medium weight, flat and hard finishing helps to decrease size, hence making you appear taller and slimmer. Denim is also durable, versatile and readily available. As mentioned in my previous posts, you can team up denim with tailored pieces for a smart or casual business look. A jacket instantly smartens up a pair of denims. To appear leaner and taller, avoid cuffed hemlines (see denim for the 40′s) and horizontal washed lines at thigh area. Wear darker shade denims and straight cuts (for straight & angular body types) or slightly flared hem (for curvier body shapes). Add some fun into your wardrobe with denim shorts.
Tell us how you would wear your denim shorts?
Tags: age appropriate, body type, denim, fabric, shorts, slimmer, taller
Instead of the predictable black cardigan, throw on a denim jacket for casual Fridays and weekends. Denim is always in fashion and versatile as it can project a dressy or relaxed style. Definitely a big trend for spring/summer this year. The style options are endless; cropped, long, sleeveless, dark, light, acid wash, embroidered, lace details, corset etc… and you can wear it with just anything, even with another denim piece. To avoid looking overly western, pair your denim jacket with another denim piece in a different colour, texture, value (light or dark) and fabric wash. For example, you can coordinate an acid wash denim jacket with a pair of black denim jeans. Look for interesting details like pearl buttons, lace, ruffles or studs for added visual interest to your outfit. Keep the darker denim for the office and evenings and the lighter ones for day. Here’s a style tip; avoid cropped denim jackets if you have a long waist.
Do you own a denim jacket? If you do, what do you wear it with?
Tags: cropped jacket, Denim jacket, spring trend 2011, summer trend 2011
Corporate dressing culture has taken a more relaxed and friendly tone these days. Dress down days or casual Fridays as you call it, is an opportunity for you to show off the fun, casual and friendly side of you. Hence, it is a fine balance between looking casual and looking presentable for work. Some people assume dress down days means they can wear jeans and tee shirt to the office, even bermudas! Most people would wear their weekend clothes to work on Fridays. They are either unsure about the term “dress down” or they just do not bother to separate the two dressing categories. Remember consistency is key to a positive image! So, if you dress smartly all week, you should also take care of what you wear on dress down days. Be creative and coordinate some of your basic formal pieces with casual styles. One way of dressing down your formal wear is to use fun and colourful accessories and footwear. Materials such as leather, wood, resin, beads, rope, cotton and denim are generally more casual looking than formal. I find well tailored shorts (2 to 3 inches above knee) are versatile for dressing down a formal looking shirt blouse. Long shirts or tunics are also great as it can be worn with a pencil skirt or tailored pants for the boardroom and tucked out with skinny pants on Fridays. It is important to note that dress code differs from company to company, so do consult your Human Resource department on what is appropriate to wear on Fridays.
Some clothes/footwear that I would never advise a client to wear on dress down days:
- Acid wash denim
- Strapless dress/top without a cardigan/jacket
- Neon coloured outfits
- Birkenstocks
- Leggings
- Tee shirts with offensive slogans or images
- Very flat sandals
- Mini skirts
- Short shorts
- Low cut tops
- Midriff baring tops
- Sarong skirts
- Sport tee shirts
What would be your no-no’s for dress down days?
Tags: casual fridays, corporate dressing culture, dress down
Add animal prints into your working wardrobe to make a bold statement! You may ask, “Is animal print work appropriate”? My answer is yes, depending on how you coordinate it with your other work pieces. Also, the type, colour and scale of the print are important design elements in making the style work for the office.
- Go for animal prints in neutral colours like gray, beige, brown, black or white. These colours project a better corporate image than pink or blue leopard prints!
- Tone down the exotic animal print with simple, elegant and tailored pieces like a well-cut jacket or a fitted turtleneck top.
- Avoid looking trashy by pairing animal prints with solid neutral colours.
- Stick to smaller scale prints set in a uniformed pattern. Larger scale prints can be distracting and loud for the boardroom.
I would recommend a natural and glowing makeup look with a tinge of coral or pink lipstick to complement the strong and exotic prints. 
Tags: animal prints, makeup
Wardrobe capsule is a group of items, in this case, clothings, that mix and match well together. Hence, when you start creating capsules in your wardrobe, you will:
