Creating your capsule collection

Welcome to the busy working city girl capsule collection, all handpicked by moi. I hope you like it!

When creating a new wardrobe you need to be realistic with what you need V. what you want. A capsule collection contains items that won't go out of fashion and can be restyled with many pieces. Shoes and bags will make or break, or renew an old outfit - so think about key pieces that can be matched to at least 4-5 outfits.  

I have really enjoyed pulling this collection together. Inspired by 'Parisian Chic' and corporate life in London - I looked for items that would really work around a busy woman's lifestyle. 

Items shown above left to right: Alexander Wang Prisma skeletal suede and leather shoulder bag now £387, Chloe Drew, leather and suede shoulder bag £880 (out of stock), Saint Laurent classic small monogram suede shoulder bag £880, Gianvito Rossi green velvet pumps £313, Gianvito Rossi brown suede pumps £313, Gucci patent leather pumps £331 (out of stock) H&M black denim boiler suit £35 (out of stock) Balmain double breasted velvet dress now £1,184, Balmain crystal-embellished velvet mini-dress now £1,782. 

The capsule collection 

Items shown above left to right: Mui Mui striped wool sweater £557, Valentino cropped cotton shirt now £263, Zara high waist trouser £14, Balenciaga wool wrap skirt £483, Victoria Beckham red teddy wool-blend miniskirt £166, True Religion Halle skinny jeans £218, ASOS mismatch flat back swing earrings - red £6 (out of stock) H&M long earrings £5 (out of stock) Chuck Taylor All Star low leather sneakers £78

All seeming a bit too expensive? 

Gulp - I  agree. You'd need a fair bit of free cash to buy every item I have pulled together. You don't need to buy designer items though, but you should invest in good quality pieces and if you do buy things that don't fit - visit a tailor to get the perfect fit.

It just so happens a lot of the items I selected came with a designer price tag. Finding alternative items without the hefty price tag is easy. Just decide on what you need and then search your favourite high street shops. Places like Zara and & Other Stories do their own versions of some of the key looks and trends each season. 

If you regularly attend work events where you need to be well dressed, or go out socially to places that warrants a smart dress code - try and combine your wardrobe. Depending on your job, and the industry you work in you may not really need a 'work look' and a 'out of work' look - you'll just need a 'you' look.

If you like the items featured in this blog, visit the Villiod app and you can find my boards, tap and purchase any items shown (if they are still in stock).  

That one outfit that makes you feel fierce

Items shown above top right: ASOS Fuller bust african print scrappy contrast bra (from £20) and underwear(£PNK)

Textures can be a great way to add importance and glamour to an outfit. A well structured dress that compliments your figure is worth a million pounds.  Steer clear of cheap fabrics though as it can really spoil an outfit. For additional power dressing put on some fantastic and fierce underwear. Sit there looking all polished, nobody but you needs to know you have crazy, sexy, gorgeous underwear on  - I'm telling you, it can really boost your confidence - try it!


Important meeting at work? 

No problem. Every gal needs a crisp white shirt, and colour-cordinated accessories make for a smart and practical city girl look. Clutch bag for the evenings too.

You can keep reinventing this look by switching up your shoes and bags. And let's not forget a ponytail, braid or blow dry and different make-up can transform this simple look all over again.

Friday night on the town? 

Sorted. Try this relaxed, stylish off-duty look. Keep things elegant and on point with heels and a structured bag. Check shoulder bags to see if the straps are removable - these can then double up as a clutch bag too. 

Casual off duty look

Easy. This is where a nice clean, well looked after, pair of white simple sneakers can make your outfit look pulled together. Avoid wearing your 'gym' trainers from A to B and have a pair of 'walking trainers' that compliment your style - you can be practical and stylish. 

Date night?

We all need a dress that makes us feel great, no matter what we look like or how we feel - we slip on 'that' dress and it hides the lumps and the bumps and flaunts our best features. You could even match with the black patent shoes and multi coloured Chloe bag. I would avoid wearing velvet shoes and a velvet dress though as this would be a bit too matchy. 

Weekend brunch 

One of my favourite patterns is stripes. It goes with everything and can be dressed up and dressed down. It's very french chic and I do tend to be inspired by the Parisian's elegant and coordinated style for the city gal wardrobe. I've put the velvet heels in this picture but you could swap for the trainers. 

If you'd like some help pulling together your own capsule collection that compliments your lifestyle and body get in touch at: www.robertastylelee.co.uk 

Look good, feel good. 

Stay fab!

Roberta x 

Note: This is a sample of a capsule collection - not all items and outfits ensembles have been shared.

You can see more over on the website at www.robertastylelee.co.uk 

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3 ways to maintain motivation

Most people give up on their New Year goals - it is estimated that around 8% of those making new years resolutions will stick to them. Meaning there is a lot of lost motivation that happens after new year...

In the UK a poll was carried out by ComRes for Bupa, the top resolutions this year were: in 1st place - No resolutions at all. In 2nd place was weight loss, 3rd get fitter and 4th was healthy eating with looking good following in 5th place. 

Here are 3 tips to help you stick to your resolutions:

1. Write down your goal and put it somewhere you'll be reminded of it every day. 

2. Make yourself accountable to someone else - like a coach...

3. Set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, results-focused, and time- bound)

If you need more help you can always book in for a FREE consultation at

www.robertastylelee.com and see how I can help you achieve your goals. 

Remember every day is a new start. So pick yourself up and try again.

Stay focused, stay fab.

Roberta x 

10 reasons to phase those people out...

It's about time you took care of yourself and stopped putting the needs of others before your own. That's right, it's OK to be selfish. In order to be successful in life you need to surround yourself with people who support your passion and commitments, love you for all the things you are good at, and all the things you are not. 

This is probably why they say you can count on one hand the people you can truly rely on.

Here are 10 good reasons why you should phase out those people in your life that bring you misery in all it's forms, from subtle to downright anguish. 

1. They make you doubt your self worth. 

2. They make you feel upset, insecure or less happy than you were before you saw them.

3. They take but never give.

4. They don't make you feel special or important.

5. They never make the effort to see you, it's always you doing the leg work.

6. You can count on one hand all the times they have said and done unforgivable things. 

7. It just feels like too much hard work. 

8. You are a second thought or not even a priority in their lives.

9. You've considered unfriending them on social media many times, but chickened out (trust your instincts - just do it).

10. You can't list 5 things that you truly love about them. 

To summarise

If they don't bring happiness and joy to the party, don't invite them. It's your life - your party. Life is too darn short to live on other peoples terms. 

Try this exercise 

Write down what makes you happy and what doesn't. Then see whether or not the people you surround yourself with come to the party with gifts galore or empty handed, or worse still leave with more than they turned up with. 

Stay focused, fit and healthy - and remember YOU are fabulous, but as with all of us, there is always room for improvement. 

Life can be brutal. But that doesn't mean you should should just sit back and suffer. The people in your life have a responsibility to bring happiness into your life too. 


Stay fab.
Roberta x

You can see more over on the website at www.robertastylelee.co.uk 

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Life isn't actually that complicated - We just need to reboot

When I overthink it, my life seems pretty darn complicated: my career, my finances, my home, my family, my friends- and trying to plan for the future, my love life, or lack of (finding a decent guy in London feels like a job!) - and everything else in between.

It all seems like an overwhelming list of things to contend with - trouble is once I feel overwhelmed, everything can feel quite complicated.

That is, until I learnt to address the basic stuff first, like my health - then the rest became a lot easier.

I realised it's actually lots of little things (all cleverly connected), but essentially quite small simple things that need to be addressed calmly... and that's easier when you've got a healthy mind and body.

Take time out

After 24-months of intense contracting work, very full-on positions with a great deal of emotional stress placed upon me - I decided I was going to take a few months off. I'm genuinely so much better off and happier now, because I'm health first, everything else second. 

It was during this time off, I began a bit of a detox and review of my health. I was overweight, didn't feel great, exhausted, was drinking a lot when I went out to compensate for not having much time for anything else. So the fast paced seriously stressed lifestyle it turns out wasn't healthy for me. But then is it healthy for anybody? Not really. Time out to recharge your batteries is essential for everyone.

I have deliberately slowed down and I have been able to see things a little more clearly, this has enabled me to make some very healthy lifestyle changes and appreciate things from a different point of view. 

First, find a place to be with your thoughts.

We all need a place where we can think. 

I'm lucky to have a great view from my sitting room. I have a lovely tree arching around outside the window, a pond with beautiful fish (and that gentle sound of fresh water) and general greenery...it is really very relaxing. 

This has become my much needed sanctuary.  

I get my best ideas working from this space, I am able to rationalise my thoughts, clear the noise in my head, and instead of flustering over the 150 things I need to do, I am able to calmly address each one in a logical pattern and my brain is able to operate at functional pace. 

Digital Detox

We live in such a hyper-connected world these days, it's become harder than ever to switch off.  We are saturated in stimuli, distractions and demands.  Finding some time for yourself where you can relax and get in your zone is so important. I found working from home one day a week was beneficial, but sometimes what you need to do is just get offline. 

You'll find that switching off to social media and the digital world very difficult if you are active in many social networks on a daily basis (and you enjoy it). But what you think is fun to begin with can become an addiction. 

The important thing to remember is to find time to be present, in the here and now, the physical-self and the mind needs to connect with your surroundings. 

In order to appreciate what we need is difficult if we never take any time away from the overly digitalised world we live in today. It's like fast food for the brain, too much is never a good thing. 

Planning for a Digital Detox

Pick a quiet weekend where you can realistically be offline (not in the middle of a deadline at work for example):  

• You'll need to switch off your wifi & cellular data on your phone & devices to resist the temptation to surf
• Get yourself a newspaper, book or a few magazines  
• Avoid drinking alcohol (this will help you resist the urge to share everything on SM) stock up on teas or bottled water
• Pre-stock the fridge with some fresh healthy food & prepare a few meals from scratch (try using a recipe book!) 
• Plan a few activities, like yoga or running rather than watching stuff on your TV, tablet, laptop or smartphone
• Give yourself a task, one where you need to 'make' something like, repair some clothes, paint the bathroom, bake a cake, organise your wardrobe etc. 

By doing this I hope it will help you realise the time it takes to do the little things and how good it can feel to get the little things done. The sense of achievement of something practical and tangible is very encouraging and makes it feel like you haven't wasted valuable time. 

See how it feels to switch off!

The Reboot 

A digital detox is the equivalent of a reboot.  Even technology needs the occasional refresh and reload. We waste a lot of time online, and being constantly engaged on SM channels can prevent you from doing things that bring about the much needed balance in everyday life .

I have my new found health and sense of self, I know what I need and what I don't. Because I am focused in my health and wellbeing, I am OK with what I look like (first time in ages) and I understand the needs of my own body.  I am more in tune with my emotional needs too. I understand what is in my life, what isn't, and which of those make me feel happy and secure.

With all that taken care of, all the others things in my life really don't seem as complicated anymore. 

Stay fit and stay fresh

Roberta x 

You can see more over on the website at www.robertastylelee.co.uk 

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How one women can inspire a generation of women

There are many women out there who deserve to be mentioned. So many women have done so much for us in closing the gender gap and fighting for equality and basic human rights. 

Of course, men have done plenty too, but the rise of women and #girlpower is a wonderful thing to see blossom. I felt that a blog post in support of International Women's Day today was necessary. 

Men and women have different strengths, but no gender is more important than the other. Both genders have an equal role to play in leveling out the playing field and creating a fair and balanced future for all of us. Respecting we need one another and gain comfort from one another does not mean we are weaker than one another. 

Women have shown their strength in so many ways and continue to do so everyday. Some decide to take action and fight for the equality of women on a larger scale. Others do little things in their every day lives. Nothing is wrong with either approach - as long as we all appreciate what we all do, and support one another along the way. That includes women supporting women, and men supporting women, and women supporting men. What do you do to show your #girlpower, ladies?

I have a love of fitness and fashion, and today I share my admiration and respect of Coco Chanel, who defeated the odds and carved out a lucrative career in the fashion industry - and created a new style, all at a time when men dominated the industry. She had a passion, determination and grit - something that growing up without life's luxuries can really give you. Coco Chanel never let her situation define her, who she could be and what she was capable of, regardless of what society thought of her. A true fashion icon and a real example to women that we can stand up and be different and succeed, as long as we believe. 

Read more on Coco Chanel's life story here.

Stay fab and focused!
Roberta x

You can see more over on the website at www.robertastylelee.co.uk 

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