Now this is a slightly different post than normal. I was contacted by the lovely team at
Travel Supermarket challenging myself and 9 other bloggers to a city style challenge.
The Challenge:
To be able to fit 2 day outfits and 2 night outfits, as well as a travel outfit, into a small piece of hand luggage, 'the capsule wardrobe' to quote stylist Nicole Smallwood. The idea is to represent and express to our readers that it is possible to pack lightly but still retain style and function. We had to make sure we dressed for our cities, taking into account weather and location, as well as current trends.
If you know me even slightly, you will be aware of my inability to pack lightly to go anywhere, for any amount of time. This for me was exactly what it was advertised as, a challenge! Fortunately, I felt like I was up for the task.
My City:
Berlin
I was pleasantly surprised when I found out I was given Berlin. Unfortunately, I have never been, however I still felt I could portray German style, as well as mine, quite well. While researching Berlin I came across a couple of helpful quotes and phrases:
- "German fashion is famed for its elegant lines, unconventional young designs and the great variety of styles."
- "Berlin is the centre of young and creative fashion in Germany."
- "German fashion is globally popular as ready-to-wear and custom-made creations with the general public."
With that, I began to style, with the thought of 'do a lot with a little' in mind.
Travel Outfit
When it comes to travelling it is essential to dress comfortably, however, that does not mean you can't dress stylishly. The lightweight, loose fitting flares scream comfort and style, while the sleeveless knitted top and optional jacket mean that you can control your temperature on your travels. For me, the outfit you travel in is the outfit the destination is going to greet you in.
First impressions are everything, so your travel outfit must be
everything.
Day Outfit #1
When dressing for a day of site-seeing in a city,
comfort and function are key. Trainers are the perfect staple piece that incorporate comfort and style in one, an
essential for a city break in my eyes. Weather wise, in England the sun was out and the temperature was high when shooting these looks, so bare legs were a necessity. I can't imagine the weather in Berlin was far off that in the UK, however if by any chance it rained, pack a small, compact umbrella and roll a pair of tights and stuff them in a shoe, (this is a massive space saver and means you have a quick fix on the day).
Evening Outfit #1
I swapped my nikes for heels when it came to dressing for the first night in Berlin. I thought a pair of on-trend culottes, killer courts and a simple chiffon cami would do the trick. The suede jacket
intensifies the attire without taking away the
elegance and class it so magically exudes.
Day Outfit #2
It's all about utilising what you have got. You may recognise these black culottes from the first evening's ensemble. Something as simplistic and stylish as the culotte should be showcased profusely in my opinion and it is the perfect piece to style up both casually and smartly. I've swapped the heels for flats and the petite cami for an oversized shirt to create this daytime look.
Evening Outfit #2
This dress! What an amazing
statement piece for an evening look in Berlin. To me this screams
'elegant lines and unconventional young designs', it's unusual yet eye-catching. The perfect LBD for a night on the town in Berlin.
The way in which I wanted to represent Berlin was through my choice of colours. As you can see I haven't really introduced much colour to my outfits. I have stuck to a theme of blacks, whites and tan, with a pop of red every now and then. Nothing too 'out there', as I
personally can't imagine the stylish streets of Berlin being lined with greens and pinks. I took my colour scheme
originally from the German flag, however, as I was researching I came across this interesting fact;
"Germany has two competing traditions of national colours, black-red-gold and black-white-red, which have played an important role in the modern history of Germany."
So I decided to incorporate both national colours into my style.
A further requirement of the challenge was to incorporate current trends into each outfit. Suede is a massive trend right now, so I thought the use of the jacket would work well as it's dusty tan colouring could be seen to reflect the national colour 'gold'. Also, the use of flares and denim scream 70s style, which is what today's fashion is revolving around. The addition of the denim jacket breaks up the national colours well, making the use of them more subtle and classic.
What's in my bag:
- 1 x suede jacket
- 1 x black heels
- 1 x flat shoes
- 2 x dresses (the gingham dress is extremely lightweight and thin, the perfect space saver!)
- 1 x culottes
- 1 x white shirt
- 1 x cami top
That is my capsule wardrobe for my short trip to Berlin.
A mere 8 items packed. The trick is to wear the heavier, more bulkier items to travel in, this saves space in your luggage yet still allows you to take them with you.
