It's often at this time of year that I start to feel a little bit tired of the winter. As much as I love all the different seasons, by the time January draws to a close it can often feel as though the cold weather has gone on forever, and yet with February just around the corner, spring still seems a long way off. Quite apart from missing the sunshine and longing to spend a little more time outdoors, I start to get a bit tired of my outerwear too. No matter what I'm wearing, at this time of year it feels as though all anyone gets to see of my outfits is the same rotation of two or three coats, and a few scarves and bags.
So it seems to me that January is the perfect time to have a little outerwear refresh! Since we're going to be living in it for a fair bit longer, I thought I would share 4 ways to spice things up, so that we can all rekindle our relationship with our outdoor clothes. (Bit dramatic, I know.)
1. Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
When it comes to choosing winter coats, I think it can be all too easy to opt for the same styles over and over again. Sometimes that's with very good reason. After all, for those of us who live in colder climates, our coats end up working overtime and so it makes sense to stick to what's tried and tested and what we know suits us best. Sometimes, though, trying something a little bit different can work wonders, and reignite the fun factor that so often gets lost with outdoor dressing. Checks aren't usually my cup of tea at all, but something about this Topshop coat drew me to give it a try. As a result, I've been loving wearing it out and about as it's such a refreshing change from the plain camel coats I usually wear. Of course, coats can be pricey, so you could opt instead to experiment with something smaller. Maybe try a new style of hat (berets are very popular right now and one of my favourite hat styles), or perhaps an oversized scarf in a bold colour or print that you wouldn't normally go for. (I love this star print one!)
2. Add A Fun Accessory
It's amazing how much a cool pair of boots or statement handbag can pep up the look of your outfit. I always think that a great bag and coat are a perfect partnership, each elevating and complimenting the other. Personally, I am still completely obsessed with the circle bag trend, and when I saw this one from River Island, I fell in love. Not just with the beautiful details of the bag itself - the gold bracelet handles, the chain trim - but with the fact that I could see straight away how great it would look with my checked coat. In fact, even my older coats seem to take on a new lease of life when paired with it. And if that's not a good enough excuse to buy a new handbag, I don't know what is.
3. Go Tonal
One of the reasons we end up falling out of love with outerwear, in my opinion, is that we stop making conscious choices with it. Pulling on the same old coat and scarf every day becomes so familiar that it's something we do without thinking - we stop asking ourselves whether this looks good with that, instead we simply grab and go. By investing just a little bit of thought into it, we can elevate an outfit from something we've hastily thrown a coat over into a polished whole, and one of the easiest ways to add polish is to keep things tonal. By that I don't mean that everything has to be an exact colour match, but similar shades carried through your coat, bag, shoes etc can really help to pull the whole look together, transforming your outerwear from an afterthought to an integral part of the outfit.
4. Experiment With Makeup
As much as I love makeup, I don't play around with it a lot. Mostly, I think, that's because I don't have the type of face that can be altered much with makeup, so I've never really developed that level of fascination with it. But that said, doing something just a little bit different from your standard look can really add something to an outfit, and when we're stuck in winter coats for months on end, it's a great way to spice things up. In my case, I tend to reserve bold lips for evening wear, but I've been loving them for day time lately, especially when paired with this checked coat and burgundy roll neck. Different from my usual nude shades, it helps to add a little "something something" to my overall look. A slick of liner or subtle gleam of highlight would also work really well.
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Have you tried any of these tips? And are you getting tired of the winter yet?!
Kate x
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When the sun starts to shine and the temperatures pick up a little, I don't know about you, but I start getting pretty impatient to change up my look. Daffodils are starting to bloom, and I'm craving lighter colours and delicate fabrics... basically, and I think I may have said this last spring, I'm itching to run barefoot through a meadow in a floral sundress. Problem is, it's still only around 10 degrees Celsius on a good day. So how to inject a little spring into our wardrobes without freezing to death? It's time to embrace the art of transitional dressing, and because this is a subject that's been on my mind recently, here is my round-up of the best transitional jackets to wear this spring.
The Classic (Or Not So Classic) Trench
Trench coats will always be fashionable, and the classic beige trench is perfect for these awkward weeks that seem to fall in between seasons. Mid-weight and generally light in colour, the traditional trench always looks fresh after the thick wool and layers we've been used to throughout the winter. Trenches are particularly big news for spring 2018, and I've spotted a few variations on the traditional style dotted across the high street in recent weeks. Rainbow colours, checked prints, unusual fabrics and unexpected lengths, it's always interesting to see a new take on an old classic.
I'm loving this cropped trench from River Island. It's faux suede, although so soft and luxurious to the touch that you could easily mistake it for the real thing, and it combines some of the design details you'd expect from a classic trench with elements you might more easily associate with a biker jacket. The result is chic, interesting and a little bit different. It's available in several colours, but I decided to tick off another of this season's trends by going for this vibrant mustard shade - set to be huge over spring and summer. It gives me the extra layer of warmth I need over a jumper right now, but will also work beautifully over lighter blouses and dresses as the temperatures start to rise.
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The Light Wool Coat
Sometimes, especially around the beginning of March, it's grey, wet and windy and feeling almost as cool as it did in winter. On those days, we need a proper coat, but wrapping up in a full-on winter warmer just feels wrong somehow. That's when a little light wool number comes into its own. Often more streamlined that what you'd wear through the coldest months of the year, I've been craving one in a pastel shade, like this pink coat from Zara. Coats like this are also perfect for evenings out at this time of year - they'll keep you nice and warm and they look smart too.
The Military Jacket
I've been talking about light colours a lot so far, but I also love a navy or even black military style jacket in spring. There's something about the crisp cut of them, together with the eye-catching brass buttons that makes me excited about wearing one, even though they're a style that's been around forever. I currently have my eye on this Zara jacket. Military jackets also work beautifully after the summer is over and things are starting to cool down a little, so you get double the transitional usage out of these!
The Biker Jacket
Oversized, shearling lined, suede, cropped or classic, biker jackets come in all sorts of variations these days, all of them perfect for covering up in during the transitional weather. My classic black one gets worn to death, and I have a cropped, light blue version that I love wearing in the spring with jeans and a simple white shirt. I'm also a big fan of biker jackets over dresses - it's a look that always seems to work, and, for someone like me who feels the cold easily, it's a great way to get more wear out of those pretty pieces that don't always offer a lot of protection from the elements.
The Boucle Jacket
I love a boucle jacket! Super elegant and with all the Chanel vibes, they're something that Zara (again!) do really well, but I've spotted some gorgeous ones at River Island this season, including this white double breasted number. Jackets like this instantly dress up a simple jeans and t-shirt combination, but for real wow-factor, look for one that comes with a matching skirt. After all, the suit is another look that's going nowhere this season!
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Do you have many transitional jackets in your wardrobe?
Kate x
Some links may be affiliate links. This poses no extra cost to you, the customer. All opinions, as always, are my own.
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