ThePurpleCapsule

Investment Pieces

2017-10-18T12:38:00.000+01:00

Is there really such a thing as an 'investment purchase'?

The answer my friends is YES.

I'm not talking about 'cost per wear' or how versatile a piece may be (although these are reeeeaaally important points to bear in mind) I'm talking cold, hard cashback....

Chanel handbags. Chanel handbags are the way forward, yasss!

Every year Chanel prices go up, way up and they have been since the 1950's (so I reckon that's a long enough research period..) The iconic/classic pieces are the safest option. For example the Classic Flap 2.55 in 2009 would have cost around £2,140.

Five years later that same bag would have set you back an eye-watering £3,905. Today the bag retails at £4,450....

So what are you waiting for?! I might pop into town to pick one up before I collect the kids from school today.....in my DREAMS. But it is something to bear in mind if you do have a big occasion to celebrate (or maybe a few rolled into one!) I'd love to buy one now and keep it tucked away (torture I know!) then give it to my daughters on their 21st birthday (actually i'd have to buy 2!) I'm no mathematician but if the price increased by 5% every year, in 15 years time that really would be quite the investment!

It's not just Chanel by the way....I splurged on Gucci Princetowns in March this year and 6 months later they've increased in price by a whopping 15%

The instafamous Gucci double G belt has also gone up in price over the last few months..

Don't get me wrong, I'm no label lover, 90% of my wardrobe is high street, from high end Whistles and Jigsaw to the more disposable fashion in H&M and ASOS. Although I do like to sometimes add a designer piece to an outfit to give it a more expensive look. Adding a pair of Chloe Susanna boots to an H&M dress or New Look jeans gives the whole outfit a designer feel.

Thanks for reading

K x

Miranda Dunn London

2017-10-04T21:31:00.000+01:00

I had the pleasure of going to have a look at Miranda Dunn London new season faux fur coats last week. The venue was the Electric House in Notting Hill which was pretty amazing itself but the best was yet to come up in the Library, the most gorgeous display of THE coats you're gonna want to wear all day errrrday of Autumn/Winter....

Miranda Dunn creates bespoke pieces with faux fur featuring predominantly. It really is the most exquisite faux fur, amazing quality that is difficult to find in high street faux fur pieces. I have one and am patiently awaiting my second (that sounds like i'm having a baby, NOT a chance) I purchased a navy blue coat last year and LIVED in it, normally dressed down with skinny jeans and trainers but also looks great with fitted tuxedo trousers/cami/heels on a chilly night out.

There are a range of colours from classic black to pale pink, there's lots of options including adding initials on the back or a star maybe, depends how adventurous you are! I guess I went for plain colour as I really do think I'll want to wear this for years to come and wanted to keep it as wearable as possible. This year I've ordered an opal grey plain, a little longer and without a collar (I did say it was bespoke!) I had a little try on of the black with pink spots, which is so cute...

They really are the most beautiful, timeless coats, I can't wait to start wearing mine again shortly! Oh and the news of these delicious coats has made it's way to the celebs too, Emilia Fox and Fearne Cotton quite clearly being fans...

The cherry on the top of this clothing label is that Miranda herself is the warmest, most lovely lady you could meet and beautiful to boot! Head to mirandadunnlondon to begin your faux fur creation....

Thanks for reading as always

K xx

H&M picks

2017-09-26T10:06:00.000+01:00

Every few days I take a look at the 'New Arrivals' section of H&M and Zara. It's an expensive hobby as all the brand new items are in stock in every colour and every size just waiting to be purchased by little ol' me! I often find the 'trending' items sell out so quickly then you have to deal with the 'ok its on ebay for triple the price which is crazy but I REALLY need it' scenario! It's a clever ploy to buy up lots of popular items and sell on for a ridiculous price but it's unfair I think and my morals won't allow me to rip other fashion lovers off like that unfortunately!

Anyway, here's some of my favourite pieces from H&M's New Arrivals....

I have this and wearing it just as styled above to a 40th birthday party next week. Also love this silk skirt as an option, works well with the red jumper...

These jeans are so comfortable and look amazing and on trend with red or black sock boots...

Another beautiful chiffon dress, would be a gorgeous winter wedding outfit with heels and a clutch..

One of my favourite things about London Fashion week is the street style, it's looking like reds, pinks and blues are the colour of the year... I love these bright blue wide leg trousers...dress up with black heels and black silk camisole top or down with fresh Stan Smiths and an oversize pale blue jumper...

This dress with a leather biker and ankle boots would be great for a mid week night out or again dress up with heels for a more dressy occasion...

Happy shopping and thanks so much for reading. I'll leave you with some of my favourite LFW Street Style outfits....(photos Pinterest)

All hail the OP...! xx

The 28th Store

2017-09-22T09:20:00.000+01:00

"Our mission is to simplify on-line shopping"

I was introduced to The 28th Store by the wonders of the 'gram and was very kindly asked to choose some pieces from their range. I lived in this little dress all summer..

It does exactly what it says on the tin and makes on-line shopping more simplistic... In a nutshell it has 28 items available for 28 days (see what they did there with the company name..) then it refreshes and a completely different selection of items are available for the next 28 days and so on. The beauty of it is that you don't have to scroll through hundreds if not thousands of items to find what you want. Now, i love ASOS always have always will, but even with a filter on your search item it can throw up hundreds upon hundreds of items, then annoyingly I often find what I want under a different filter altogether... Anyway you get the jist!

It really is a brilliant idea and all their items are inexpensive, here's some of my favourites from this months selection..

There's a wide range of items evry month, dresses, jeans, coats, accessories... so the next time fancy a little me to me present why not take a minute to check out The 28th Store first before you begin the on-line trawl.... For 25% off your order use code GRANDOPENING25 www.the28th.store/

Swimwear Winwear

2017-06-06T11:48:00.000+01:00

We've recently returned from a magical wedding in the tiny little Greek Island called Agistri. I was so looking forward to going but in the back of my mind for months leading up to it I was dreading the thought of being in swimwear especially as there were lots of other people staying too, lots of different friends and some who we were yet to meet. Anyway after 3 children (2 of which who took residence at the same time..) mixed with the fact I have done almost no exercise in erm 8 years, I decided a sturdy swimsuit was the way forward...

I found the most figure flattering swimsuit by Gossard...

It's 75% polyester, 18% elastine, 7% polymide making it stretchy but firm and holds the tummy whilst giving you a really lovely shape (even after massively indulgent beach lunches a beer, tried and tested!) The bust area is padded giving you a cleavage but quite modest (I'm a 32E/F and my ladies stayed put all day!) There's a detachable halterneck strap which I didn't use as I prefer the look of it without plus strap lines obviously. This is it from behind...

It really is lovely and I felt confident walking around just adding a pair of shorts or a loose kaftan. Also very reasonably priced at just £27.99, the Amazon link is here. There's a few other styles/colours here and here.

I also love this from Multi-way from Asos..but sizes are very limited.

Of course if you want to splurge on your swimwear, maybe it's your honeymoon or special anniversary or a special trip away with the girls these caught my eye from Net-a-Porter......

Links here and here. Also a dream holiday chill out outfit to be dressed up or down...

Link here.

Hope you have a happy holiday wherever you may be off to and if like me your holiday is already over for this year then lets pray together for some sun!!!!!!

Thank you for reading xx

London Fashion Week Festival

2017-03-03T11:16:00.001+00:00

Throw back to this last time last week and I was on my way in the sunshine to London Fashion Week Festival, wearing my new Gucci belt, favourite topshop skinnies and THE most comfortable pale pink flats from H&M. Currently I am in my Bright Company pjs (bought last xmas with matching pairs for the twins thinking it would be super cute, reality is I feel like a complete wally wearing the same as a pair of 5yr olds..) with hair in the wonkiest of top knots and last nights St.Tropez application not looking quite as even as i'd hoped for... However, I had the best time last Friday...

For me the best thing about LFWF was that it wasn't intimidating or pretentious, the atmosphere was really relaxed and friendly, plus most importantly the clothes in the summer trends category were all wearable and available to buy now!

So it kicked off with the Florals trend, bold and colourful was key, with the gorgeous host Laura Jackson pulling the look off to a T..

This is such an easy trend to wear either dressed up with heels or dressed down with flat sandals, trainers or ankle boots for a daytime look.

Next up was Ruffles....

This look was my favourite, would be perfect for a summer wedding with heels or I would probably wear gladiator sandals if it was a full day/evening out. I love this Self Portrait dress teamed with nude heels...

Finally it was the Cold Shoulder trend, perfect for spring summer. I prefer to wear off shoulder tops with trousers/jeans rather than off shoulder dresses as I think its a better balance but this dress showcased was to die for...

It was all in all such a great experience, the models were stunning without being too horrendously thin and each and every one of them had smudged bright orange/red lipstick on which is a look I think I should probably avoid.... Thanks as always for taking time to read K xx

Afternoon Tea Treat

2017-02-28T10:19:00.000+00:00

So last week I braved storm Doris and headed to the Covent Garden Hotel for an afternoon of Topshop Personal Shopping hosted by the gorgeous astylealbum ladies Lou and Em.
The wind was head and tail strong, as I finally approached my destination I (thankfully) caught a glimpse of myself in a shop window and saw a deranged scarecrow looking back at me. After a frantic scramble in my handbag and finding no hairbrush I hotfooted it to Vidal Sassoon to purchase their cheapest brush, and I was finally good to go meet the ladies!

Topshop has been a firm favourite of mine for as long as I can remember .... and it remains so to this day. I'm certainly old enough to remember how it used to be...

Lou and Em were super friendly, not to mention utterly beautiful, and totally knew their stuff when it came to the upcoming trends of spring/summer 17. They handpicked some of their favourite pieces from Topshop's new collection.

So first to Lou's jumpsuit. Amazing. I tried it on and loved it but thought it a bit pricey...

Moving onto my favourite, the sports luxe trend. It's here to stay and I'm delighted because you can team almost anything in your wardrobe with trainers from your lounge pants to your best dresses. I love this look as you can pull an outfit together without looking like you're trying too hard. It's a great way to get more wear out of your dresses you might normally save for lunch/dinners out, especially important if its a pricey dress, get your cost per wear down and it becomes a less guilty buy! The dress Lou is holding below would look fab with trainers and maybe a denim jacket tied around the waist for a daytime sunny spring day out with the kids...

I also love pretty feminine blouses teamed with jeans, these are my favourite pieces from the bits that were on show...

Just add heels, a clutch and a bright lip and voila the perfect drinks with girlfriends outfit! Another pretty blouse option here and here

Topshop jeans are varied far and wide, whatever style you want they're sure to have...

These are just a small selection that were available to try on the day. The cropped 'mom' jean looks amazing with a slogan T and heels for a dress down night out.

I had such a lovely afternoon with astylealbum and the Topshop team and came away with the mindset of being fearless when it comes to outfits, if you love it wear it! If you'd like a personal shopping experience with Topshop you can book it free of charge here.... Here are a few pics, the champagne was more popular than the tea...!

Thanks so much for reading, Karen xx

Made in Chelsea 💜

2015-01-23T14:13:00.001+00:00

No wait, come back, I'm not taking about the dreadful, cringeworthy 'reality' TV show......I'm referring to the classic, beautifully elegant flat boot! Without sounding like an old fuddy duddy I'm SO thankful flat comfortable footwear is trendy. After 10 years of wearing heels at work as long haul cabin crew and the crazy 'heeled' nights out that went along with that, not to mention my Mother-in-laws recent operation to remove her bunions (less said about that the better...) I'm done with heels!! The famous Louboutin sky scrapers are without doubt THE most beautiful shoes but the mere thought of wearing my 12cm high So Kate's brings me out in a cold sweat, although I did have this outfit planned for a recent night out with girlfriends....

in the end I swapped the heels for flats....

These Dune patent pointed black boots are so comfortable and stylish teamed with leather trousers/skinny jeans or even tailored shorts in the spring. Think they may now be sold out but these Marks and Spencer boots may be an option...

At £39.50 it's a great buy in my opinion. I always find M&S boots on the large side so you might want to go down half a size.

These block heel chelsea boots I've blogged about before in Oxblood, still available from M&S and look fab cosied up with tights, leather and woollen jumper....

Another fab chelsea boot are these from Clarks which I've been living in recently..

They're £57 and come in a range of colours and a choice of suede/leather. Once again I found these on the large side, or maybe my feet have shrunk in my old age....😬

As always thank you for reading, have a great week, The Purple Capsule 💜

Winter coat overload...💜

2015-01-14T11:17:00.001+00:00

So after a little break the blogs are back with a mountain of winter coat loving....

Admittedly I've gone slightly overboard with my purchasing of coats this season but I do see them as an investment in the hope that I still love one or two if them for years to come. Your choice of coat in the winter months is a real statement of your style as there's not much else to swap/alternate jeans/trousers/boots being the everyday staple!

Maxi coats are a huge trend for a/w 14/15, I love them as they give an elegant feel to your outfit, a great balance is to team with a pair of skinny, ripped jeans. Here are my choices....

Coat: Whistles

Coat: River Island

Coat: H&M

Fur collar: Asos

Another favourite of mine is faux fur, if it's decent quality it looks amazing, real fur is so unnecessary in my opinion. Works great with leather trousers or jeans.

Coat: Whistles

I believe this is now out if stock but a good replacement may be....

Coat: Dorothy Perkins

My one and only new year sales purchase was this gorgeous powde blue wool midi coat from Topshop....

This was a case of buy now (half price!) wear later, as think it'll look fab with white skinny ripped jeans and pumps in the spring.

Thanks so much for taking time to read. Lots of love The Purple Capsule 💜💜💜

Clutch Control

2014-11-19T11:32:00.001+00:00

Hey fellow fashion lovers, holy smoke it's freeeeezing now isn't it, shock to the system from our Indian summer/mild autumn days to foggy, frosty mornings...

I took slightly drastic action to the locks last night and chopped myself in a fringe, Bangs if you like, Jeeze I hate that word ha! A quick Google of DIY fringes and voila.......

I'm one day in and it's already driving me mad as I'm so used to having my hair pulled off my face, in a crazy messy top knot normally! Time will tell if it stays or not.....

However, back to the clutches...

Over the last year I've accumulated a bit of a collection of Whistles clutches....

I do love a clutch for a night out but a huge trend right now is the across the body bag.....All the above clutches are actually sold as make-up bags and retail around £35, the slightly bigger bags that come with a chain are more than double that....

So...a cheap and easy way to transform your 'make up bag' into a trendy bag is to purchase a handbag chain with clips either end (ebay: around £4) and clip I've end onto the zip and the other pushed into the gap on the other side, hey presto......

Thanks for reading, have a fab week 💜

Totes Trainers

2014-11-09T19:54:00.001+00:00

Have always loved dressing outfits down with trainers and it's always kinda been on trend but this year it's really taken off..

My staple sneakers have been white Converse but seeing my children running around in them for the last few years I think this lady's for turning....

My recent choice is the Nike Free Run 5. Keeping it simple with black, although navy or grey would also work. A great look with leather trousers or skinny jeans, using a bright handbag/clutch as your pop of colour. Not a huge fan of teaming trainers with skirts/dresses but this is a huge trend at the moment.

Adidas Sam Smiths have made a big comeback this year with Isabel Marant using them in her Winter '14 collection..

Havea great week folks, thanks for reading 💜

Laid-back Luxe

2014-11-01T15:12:00.001+00:00

This season's sharpest trend, relaxed tailoring, sees a feminine take on masculine designs.

Dressing down smarter outfits by replacing heels with trainers or brogues is bang on trend for autumn/winter 14.

Trousers: Zara

Camisole: Zara

Jacket: Whistles

My favourite find recently has been these boots from Office....a definate nod to the uber cool Chloe Suzanna boots but at a fraction of the price....

Have a great week lovelies 💜

Camel Classic

2014-10-29T20:05:00.001+00:00

This is a lovely double-breasted coat from River Island. Comes up quite big, a size 8 is still quite roomy, although probably a plus really as a jumper can fit nicely underneath without feeling too restrictive. It's got fab deep pockets, always handy for that essential handkerchief or to keep the Vogue Menthols and lighter to hand, erm, not really, ahem... It's super cosy, I wore it into London the other day with just a camisole vest and leather trousers under for a shopping trip and must say I carried it most of the time as i was rather toasty!

At £110 it's not cheap but it's a classic and versatile. Can be worn draped over the shoulders for a dressier look or with sleeves pushed up for a more casual style. Teamed with trainers or pumps it's a great daytime look 💜

Jeans: Next

Shoes: Boden

Marvellous Midi 💜

2014-10-25T19:39:00.001+01:00

Hey fellow fashion lovers. Hope you're enjoying the bright chilly autumnal weather, it's my favourite time of year, love getting wrapped up, something really chic about a gorgeous scarf wrapped around the neck and sunglasses donned! My 3yr olds are truly confused by the dark bedtimes and just as dark wake-ups, doesn't take much mind bless them 💕

So I've been snooping on the Next website recently....dangerously deceptive with their 'buy now pay later' account and the 24hr delivery service, sometimes you just NEED that dreamy item on your doorstep ASAP! Came across this gorgeous faux leather midi skirt in oxblood (also comes in blk) a snip at £38. It's buttery soft and hangs beautifully, almost fish-tail like. Love to team oxblood with a pop of colour, orange works really well as does bright pink, even if it's just in the form of a skinny belt or clutch, brightening up an autumn/winter outfit.

Thanks for reading, would love to hear your thoughts/ideas too!

Have a great week 💜

Sandals: Next

Zara cosies

2014-10-18T09:20:00.001+01:00

❤️ a chunky, oversized knit for autumn. A great alternative to a coat and if layered up can be just as warm albeit not waterproof ☔️! If you're lucky enough to have luscious long locks then it's a fab look to leave hair tucked in then pulled up slightly, effortless chic. I, on the other hand, pile my hair into a messy top knot which also works great. For a contrast of textures team with leather trousers/leggings and bright nails/lips for a pop of colour.....

Culottes: Zara

Thigh high boots: Next

Shoes: Office

Heel Heaven 💜

2014-10-11T18:49:00.001+01:00

So it's my birthday coming up and have passed up these beauties as yet another 'early birthday present!' My lovely husband has given up on my obsessive on-line buying...

Love these shoes so much I figured they warrant a post all of their own.... They're £65 from Office and come in a glossy black finish or snake effect but I much prefer the former, gives them a sassy, sexy edge. The heel is 11cm so very high but totally walkable and actually rather comfortable! So versatile can be worn with midi skirts, dresses, leather trousers, tailored trousers or my favourite dark blue skinny jeans for a mid-week night out with girlfriends.....

Goodbye summer '14

2014-10-06T11:46:00.001+01:00

Thinking summer had gone mid-August it returned in spectacular fashion to the point of still being in shorts (Zara) in October!

I do however believe it has now gone and I'm quite looking forward to getting cosied up in a mix and match of different textures this a/w. I spent most of last autumn in faux fur gilets and I'm most definitely bringing 'em back out this year. On colder days I pop a leather biker under which gives a fab contrast of textures.

Teaming with leather legs and Converse keeps it dressed down and easy daywear.

Blk gilet: Miss.Selfridge

Pink gilet: Zara

Stripe top:Zara

So after a summer of brogues, Birkenstocks and blazers I'm looking forward to an Autumn of relaxed tailoring, leather midi-skirts and long boots......💜

Knit wit

2014-10-02T19:03:00.001+01:00

This Zara knitted coat/cardigan is another perfect autumn outerwear piece. Beautiful mint colour which works perfectly with black leather trousers/leggings or dark denim skinny jeans. In the winter could be layered with a black biker to keep super cosy 💜

It's a wrap

2014-09-29T10:22:00.001+01:00

Spotted this gorgeous scarf/cape on the Zara website whilst I was supposed to be looking for hat/scarf for the twins....oops

It's perfect for the autumnal weather when it's too mild for a coat and too chilly to wear nothing. Can be worn several ways, as a regular scarf wrapped around the neck (it's huge so gives a real luxurious, cosy look), draped over the shoulders or as a cape. It's super warm but light enough to take off and chuck through the handles of your handbag if need be. Beautiful colours which injects a boost of colour for a black obsessive like me....and it doesn't moult which is a huge bonus! I just adore this, it's practical, chic and bang on trend....

London Fashion Week.....

If the budget doesn't allow for the above....Zara's version is a snip at £25!

Leather : Pleather

2014-09-24T21:56:00.001+01:00

I've been a slave to leather leggings for probably the last 5 years! Brilliant alternative to skinny jeans for a night out, with heels or smart/casual with pumps for daytime. I think leather works best teamed with a softer fabric, linen T, cashmere sweater or cool cotton shirt. As far as trousers/leggings go I'm a pleather gal. There's a massive difference in price obviously but my main reason for advocating pleather on the legs is finding that genuine leather trousers sag at the knees and derrière after a few wears and therefore requires specialist dry cleaning to perk them up which is really pricey and not always successful (having had a dry cleaning disaster with my one and only pair of leather trousers...) Pleather wins hands down, they can be popped in the wash and spring back to life beautifully fresh for their next outing!

Biker trousers: Zara

Leggings: Asos

Blazer: Next

Leather jackets on the other hand I feel need to be the real deal! You don't get the snug fit and natural vintage crinkle with pleather as it tends to be more shiny, flat and stiff. Depends on the style of jacket you want but if like me your favourite is biker then invest in the genuine stuff, it'll last you a lifetime (that's what I tell the husband anyway...!) 💜

Jacket: Whistles

Sunglasses: Rayban

Marks and Sparks ✨

2014-09-19T22:23:00.001+01:00

I've always been a massive fan of Marks and Spencer's for their food but have never really rated their clothing range (erm, apart from my smalls) until now.....

Discovered these gorgeous Chelsea boots on-line as I was browsing for my sons' birthday cake! Glossy finish, stylish, comfortable boot perfect for the autumn 💜

Chelsea boots: Marks and Spencer (also

available in blk)

Jeans: Topshop (self-ripped)

Cami: Zara

Bag: Mulberry (Mitzy)

Ash mash

2014-09-17T20:01:00.001+01:00

'Ash' brand do a wonderful array of trendy footwear....gladiator sandals, wedge trainer, sneaker pumps but my favourite of all is their selection of ankle boots....the Jalouse boot is effortlessly chic with a slightly distressed finish and super comfortable. Look fabulous and current teamed with tailored shorts, T dresses, floaty maxi skirts, leather trousers....the list is endless, they're a massively versatile item in your capsule wardrobe 💜

Jalouse boots (tan): Ash

T-shirt dress: Asos

Bag: Michael Kors

Wedge boots (blue): Ash

British Brogues

2014-09-14T21:14:00.001+01:00

Brogues have become my fave choice of flat for the upcoming autumn. A firm favourite of British beauties Sienna Miller and Pixie Lott....As mentioned in a previous post was never sure about the 'prettiness' of them but have learnt it's just about finding the right pair.... Things to look for are pointed or almond toes to keep your brogues looking feminine and a soft colour/fabric to stop them appearing harsh/clumpy 💜

Brogues: Carvela (nude) Next (silver/blk)

Jeans: Topshop (self-ripped)

It's a question of Culottes....

2014-09-13T00:45:00.001+01:00

Culottes? Really? Absolutely! Up until recently culottes in my mind went hand in hand with 80's puff ball skirts and conjured up images of stale school teachers with ugly shoes...Then Victoria Beckham donned a pair and culottes became cute and quirky. A brilliant alternative to leather trousers/leggings, a perfect choice for autumn/winter. Fabric of choice would have to be leather (faux or real - Whistles do a fab pair if your budget allows..) Heels are a must in my opinion and team with a simple camisole, finished off with your fave statement necklace 💜

Culottes: Zara

Shoes: Zara

Clutch: Whistles

September Shorts

2014-09-08T15:54:00.001+01:00

Make the most of the beautiful weather we're having and expose the legs! The cold weather does seem to diminish choices of outfits so wear your shorts/skirts/maxis as long as you can I say!

Ditsy culottes: New Look

Denim shorts: Next

Checked shirt: Ralph Lauren

Bag: Mulberry (Roxanne)

Black shorts: Asos

Stripe T: H&M

Orange Bag: Michael Kors