Holiday Capsule Wardrobe
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ith just a mere few days until the sea will be lapping at my feet and the sand will be getting in between my toes, I suddenly have had an epiphany... I’m going to have to ditch my familiar and comfy leggings and jeggings (jean leggings, best invention ever!) and get my not-so-ready-for-the-beach-body out. Unfortunately my last year of university has left me with a little extra baggage so I’ve been hitting the gym... hard! Luckily for me my lovely friend Charlotte works as a personal trainer at David Lloyd gym meaning I get to work out with all the lovely footballers and business men... not that they would look twice at the sweaty mass on the rowing machine I’m sure! Some tread mill, cross trainer and cycling action took place then Oz, the personal trainer (and Charlotte’s boyfriend!), did some stomach crunching exercises with us. After cool down stretches and a session in the sauna, steam room and jacuzzi, I’m feeling revitalized! That is until I wake up the next morning... ouch! But it is all worth it... I’m sure! To finish off my beach bod I have decided to fake it slightly and give myself an extra head start... I was seriously thinking about sun beds but after watching Embarrassing Bodies (Wed at 9pm on Channel4) I discovered that sun beds could increase your chance of skin cancer up to 50%. So I’ve opted for a little bottled miracle... In the form of Garnier’s Ambre Solaire; spray on so it drys asap and you don’t
images sourced from superdrug.com
CAPSULE
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get brown hands. Perfect, and not to a bad price, Superdrug have a 1/3 off all tan products. Don’t forget to exfoliate! Now for the summer wardrobe... this is always a hard one for me as my wardrobe is predominately autumn/winter focussed, especially when it comes to legs, they just do not come out unless they’re under thick black tights. So in order to create that summer wardrobe (on a tight, tight budget!) I’ve decided capsule is the way to go. Just a few essentials that can be thrown together when you’re in a fluster rooting through your suitcase. To start, a hat is a necessity; something that can be crushed and squashed amongst your case but when worn, pops back into shape.
images sourced from dailymail.co.uk
My chosen hat for this summer is the straw hat, in cowboy form à la Cheryl Cole... New Look do a similar one for £18. The next is the boyfriend shirt. Simple, crisp, white shirt, that is oversized and can be thrown on over a bikini in the day as a cover up, or worn as a shirt dress and teamed with a tan belt for the evening. I picked one up from Bershka on Oxford Street for £10! My chosen belt is a simple Dorothy Perkins number for £5 but I also invested in another trend, the skinny, plaited belt; mixing the look up for £10 from H&M.
I’m planning to invest in some simple basics too; I tend to opt for oversized tops so that a strap top can be made into a dress. Team it with a belt and heels and you have an evening outfit. Also if you see a great slogan top get it in mansize and grab a pair of scissors, lots of my tops that I’ll be taking (including my I Heart NY and David Bowie tops) were originally found in the mens department but by cutting off the sleeves and making the neckline a little more flattering you have a great little dress. Very on trend à la Fearne Cotton in April’s Cosmopolitan. Along with this I will be taking some high waisted skirts (one of which is a new purchase, leopard print £12 from Peacocks with a staggered pleating) to team with my basics for the evening. Obviously in the sweltering heat you won’t be wearing trousers but I am taking a few pairs just in case. To be honest these are more for travelling, but you never know what the holiday may hold... trousers are handy for that night chill and if you get horrifically burnt legs! I purchased a linen pair the other day very light and very unlike me but they are so airy and simple you hardly notice they’re on your legs! And for as little as £6 from Primark you can’t go wrong.
I also have a pair of harem pants that are cut off just above the ankle, which will be perfect for the journey, flattering and not restricted and uncomfortable, plus the light material means you won’t be getting hot and bothered.
Shoes next and what more could you ask for with the gladiator sandal trend! I have four different pairs already! I first invested in the super trend back in 2008, buying a pair of simple flat gladiators from New Look just after summer, which meant they cost me £5! Luckily the summer hadn’t quite finished so I managed to get a few wears out of them; and then when the little sun we’ve had in England started shining, I dug them out again.
“Studs are all over our sandals at the moment and mine were £36 from River Island (they are especially loving the stud trend!)”
Must not forget sunnies either, I picked up a couple of pairs from Primark for £2 each. A pair of black aviators and a Ray Ban mock up in postbox red. Topshop do a neon pink pair that I have been eying up as well for a little more at £15. I also love these ones from Topshop, they have a visor!
Also to step up the trend - literally - I invested in a pair of heeled gladiators, £15 from New Look and perfect for walking down the strip of an evening whilst on holiday.
images sourced from dorothyperkins.com, topshop.com, riverisland.com
Mine are from H&M but Dorothy Perkins do a pair that are long and skinny at the ankle and voluminous at the thigh... I may invest purely because they are so forgiving!
This spring I also bought a gold, metallic pair whilst in New York for $15 and back in England I got a similar pair to that pictured but in dark brown. Studs are all over our sandals at the moment and mine were £36 from River Island (they are especially loving the stud trend!).
images sourced from riverisland.com
I am a big River Island fan when it comes to swimwear; they have a huge range of bright coloured bikinis and cutaway swimsuits. I’m planning on buying this bandeau one with my signature print, leopard! For the top and bottoms it works out at about £25 which is a bit pricey when you can pick up a set from Primark for £6, but I think you can splurge on one bikini then the other six can be a selection of Primark and New Look numbers (Ok so six is a bit much for seven days but you never know what’s going to happen, be prepared!). Every summer New Look sell block colour string bikinis in sets of two, last year I bought black and hot pink and this year I think I’ll invest in the sea green and Cadburys purple sets. The good thing about these bikinis too is they have a slight padded cup, meaning no need to worry about nips on show! Happy Holidays!
Kay.
WARDROBE
Last but not least... the bikini!