 Stable complex structure on a real vector bundle

For an even-rank real vector bundle $\xi$, a stable complex structure is a complex structure on $\xi \oplus {\mathbb{R}}^{2s}$, considered up to adding trivial complex bundles and homotopy. This gives a stable complex class but does not necessarily make $\xi$ itself a complex vector bundle. Stable Chern classes therefore need not recover the unstable Euler class: $T{S}^4\oplus {\mathbb{R}}^2$ can be made trivial complex, while $e(T{S}^4)$ evaluates to $2$.