Winter Essentials…And Black Friday Bargains?

I’ve spent the last few weeks sorting through pretty much everything I own. I wouldn’t go as far to say I have completely Marie-Kondo’d my life, neither am I ever going to be the owner of a “capsule wardrobe” but I did manage to remove an entire bin-bag full of un-worn clothing from my wardrobe, a smaller bag of lingerie and several pairs of shoes.

We also took another 6 or 7 bags of various items from the loft which were supposed to go “to the charity shop” actually to the designated recycling/clothing banks in the village next to ours. I still have some way to go (my large walk-in cupboard full of books, magazines and beauty products will need an entire weekend dedicated to it’s transformation) but there is no denying I’m feeling much….lighter. I can actually see each item that was once buried in a crumpled pile as it’s now hung neatly in my tidy closet. And I want to wear every single piece. The only problem is….I actually chucked quite a few necessary key pieces away, I was surprised at how tatty and worn some things had become, especially knitwear and tops. The majority I’ve now had for at least 3 winters – this would be my forth, and wearing cardigans and jumpers through the latter stages of pregnancy and then around a newborn means they are stretched and faded from multiple wash cycles and as a result are all rather tired looking.

As a result I compiled myself a list of essential replacements. And then the list kind of grew a bit…you know, just to lovely things I want rather than ahem, need. Some of the stuff listed below I have already invested in, others I’m hoping for some amazing Black Friday discounts tomorrow because my plastic has taken such a severe bashing. Do let me know what you’ve purchased recently, what you feel is a winter “essential” and what you have your eye on in preparation for the imminent sales in the comments box below.

Also, apologies for the sea of grey, it’s my favourite admittedly but it’s been difficult to purchase anything in brighter hues this season, has anyone else found this to be the case?!

The Breton Top {ASOS £16.00}

This is what Becky and I say to each other most days “Am I French yet”? not least because of our vast consumption of croissants and penchant for Chanel lipsticks. I love this cute striped top from ASOS, I have it poised in my virtual basket ready for tomorrow.

The Parka {Noisy May £75.00}

I bought a Parka from Zara last Autumn so I can’t really warrant another one…..but I love the pale khaki fishtail style of this design by Noisy May. I’ve told myself I will consider it ONLY if it’s discounted massively. I didn’t promise though. Because every time I think about it I truly believe it should be mine.

The Ballet Flat {ASOS £28.00}

If there are any of these left as you read you might want to put these studded “lightening” flats from ASOS straight in your basket – an excellent copy of a certain YSL design and a favourite with the fashion bloggers of instagram. They sold out within hours apparently so they have very recently bought them back into stock – I would take bets on these NOT being included in the Black Friday reduction madness.

The Fine Knit Cardigan {T By Alexander Wang £89.71}

This fine knit cardigan by Alexander Wang was one of those “not sure I can justify the price” pieces. I love the brand, I have a long sleeved maxi and a couple of T-shirts that I have worn to death and still look brand new, but almost a hundred quid…..for a cardigan?. The Outnet is awesome, some of my most asked-about fashion is designer garb I’ve found at a steal from there. And actually, if you look at the price points of places such as All Saints and Whistles, this was in line with that. At least that’s how I justified it to myself anyway. I actually like to wear it with the buttons done up over a vest top as a kind of slouchy sweater.

The Trench Coat {The Kooples £495.00}

I know, spendy spendy…..but it’s so beautiful. And I managed to persuade my long suffering husband to buy it me as an early Christmas gift (well, due to the price it will be my ONLY Christmas gift) and I plan on wearing it for years. The leather detailing on this Kooples wool trench is very chic and I actually have it in yes you guessed it, grey. I could only find the image of the black on the website but they definitely have alternative colours in store.

The Winter Floral {Topshop £48.00}

I really get my wear out of a floral frock in winter, perfect for festive parties and for just when you want to feel well, not so drab I guess. I have quite a collection from Reformation but I have to say, this Topshop Woodland print bib-front style is excellent quality and hangs really well. It is fairly sheer though – so I would recommend a black slip or thick tights underneath to protect your modesty.

The Lace Camisole {Jigsaw £20.00}

For dressing up I’m generally a skinny jeans, blazer and camisole type of girl and this modal vest from Jigsaw is understated yet pretty with it’s delicate lace edging. There are lots of colours to choose from and for the princely sum of twenty pounds you can probably treat yourself to more than one….

The Throw-On-Wear-Anywhere Dress {Topshop £26.00}

In winter I like a simple long sleeved dress to wear with black opaques and ankle boots, this ribbed Topshop number skims rather than clings and can be dressed up with layering necklaces and a leather jacket.

The Suede Boot {Free People £78.00}

I take no responsibility for the recommendation of these leg-lengthening cowgirl-esque super comfortable beauties. After my specific boots feature last month a lady called Lynsey left a note in the comments section saying I needed them. She was right. I did. And now I have them in both the saddle shade and the black……the Vegan Tulsi Tassel Boot is available at Free People.

The Henley Top {Free People £68.00}

After perusing the Free People site and seeing all the wonderful things this Blue Moon Henley in particular caught my eye. I love the laid-back bit tucked in/rest hanging out type vibe (I’ll admit to struggling with this on a whole actually – anyone else feel it takes bloody ages to get the so called casual “look” of this right?!) and the good news is, even though I have it in taupe, a gorgeous Indigo shade and a rich aubergine hue is also available.

Happy shopping folks!

P.S If you missed it last week, Adam shared some great pieces for men too!

SHOP THE POST