Building the perfect capsule wardrobe

A few weeks ago I was invited along to a style workshop at the amazing new creative workspace that is The Lifestyle Lab. The concept was created by the lovely Victoria Martin Style and is already becoming a hot spot for cool events and launches - watch this space, quite literally.

Presented by Victoria, we were taken on a journey to the perfect capsule wardrobe. The what you need, what to invest in, working with trends and what to just straight up avoid. With a background in personal styling Victoria's pretty dang awesome at this stuff and I left feeling ready to give my wardrobe a much needed re-fresh. I've been going through a bit of a love-hate relationship with my clothes so the event couldn't have came at a better time. I've always thought I was pretty good at knowing what looks good and what doesn't but my shopping habits don't often lend themselves the way they should. Impulse buying is a weakness of mine. Anyone else? So, now feeling a little more knowledgeable in how to shop stylishly I'm living by a few wardrobe mantras. Here's just a few ways that I'm planning to nail a killer wardrobe that Olivia Palermo would be proud of.

Simple isn't boring
I'm finally starting to move away from this but growing up I only ever purchased statement pieces. I'm now realising the importance of a basic - a plain white tee, a pair of good jeans, a tailored blazer or simple flats. Quality is also crucial in basics. It can be SO hard to spend the good portion of £50 on a basic t-shirt but I'm now realising the difference this makes on the way it hangs on your body, how it washes and it's overall look.

Inject a little colour
It's so easy to lean towards an all black wardrobe to look chic with minimal effort but fashioning a little colour into an outfit really shows your style credentials. One blogger who pulls off colour perfectly is Sincerely Jules - her style is still incredibly effortless yet chic. Accessories are also another brilliant way to rock colour. Think colourful jewelled earrings, a statement bag or even bright nails.

Play with texture
Another thing I've really started to consider when purchasing clothes is the variety of materials I have in my wardrobe. Contrary to the previous mantra, wearing the one colour (whether that's grey, black, white or blue) can be undeniably stylish however texture is key to nailing this look. Wearing top to toe black cotton can be a little uninteresting but mixing it up with a different material such as leather or silk brings a whole other dimension to an #OOTD.

This is just a few thoughts but definitely a good starting point. In terms of purchases, here's a few that are on my #NeedsMust shopping list:

A white blazer - I have a black blazer that I've worn religiously for the last two years and it's the perfect piece to smarten up any look. I'm hoping the white will be a nice alternative and give a really fresh look to my outfits, especially with spring / summer on its way.
A good pair of jeans - now, when I say good jeans what I really mean is 'proper'. I.e. ones that are made with denim as opposed to a mix of cotton and elastan. I still love stretch denim jeans but want a pair that look straight outta the 90s. Perhaps in a better fit.
A Breton top - my love for the striped top grows every day and I'm needing a new edition to my wardrobe. I'm not too fussy on the style but it just needs to be something that fits / hangs really well.
An oversized shirt - although it might look like there's already one of those in my closet based on the above pictures this was actually a steal from The Boy's wardrobe. Yes, I could steal his any time I wanted but I'd prefer to find one of my own that's the perfect balance of oversized yet flattering. I've heard a lot of good things about the men's shirts at Gap so planning on picking one up there during their next sale.

So, again, just a few of the things I'm hoping to pick up in my next shopping spree.