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Feeling peeved about the weather and the sudden change in season? Me too.
Having loved my lazy Summer days and cherished the spontaneous breaks with the ole famalam, I do have to officially hang up my shorts and sliders and say farewell to the sweaty under boob and await the onslaught of blue hands and ruddy cheeks.
Don't get me wrong, I think I am one of the few people that do actually like the colder months and I do enjoy the darker nights with my cosy socks and giant jumpers. As a Capricorn and an almost "Christmas baby", it's the only time anything exciting happens where I am the focus for a few days. Talk about all your buses coming at once.
Being a lover of coats and boots, I get oddly excited about checking out my old friends and giving them a de-fuzz or a polish (them not me), so you can see why the entrance of the fresh Autumn and Winter trends get me all in a tizz. Ooh new colours, new styles, new garments and new patterns to pick from, oh and yes knits, dresses and trousers are good too.
Usually, for me, it's a case of just selecting a few newbies to work with my current wardrobe or wearing things in a different way, as I'm not really a dedicated follower of fashion. I just like to know what's out there, as I'm sure you do, which is why, once again, I'm here to share you with you my TOP PICKS of the wearable and more purse savvy of this season's trends.
So without further ado.....
COLOUR LOVE
We all seem to love a cosier richer colour as it gets colder and there will be loads of offerings to satisfy your knitwear and layering needs as well as the punchy hues for those office parties and festive gatherings. The key is to tap into the colours you're most drawn to and that give you that "happy feeling" because you'll know there will be an abundance of those lovelies sitting on the rails, calling your name.
If you have been blessed with knowing your colour direction via the gift of Colour Analysis (ahem, which I offer wink wink), you'll be quickly drawn to colours which promote your natural gorgeousness too. Win , win.
My money is on anything yellow being the most pop-tastic when it comes to accent colours, whether it's an ochre, mustard or zesty buttercup because the majority of peeps I know find it a hard colour to accept into their wardrobe fully. Therefore, a cheeky clutch or a fabulous earring might be the most practical nod and I reckon most would welcome this cheery hue if it's snook into a print.
The browns, blues and green offerings definitely make for a safer neutral and colour mixing palette and blend beautifully together for that Autumnal look, so feel inspired and try new things and don't forget your pops of bright and print to liven things up.
With pastels still remaining strong, many brands have opted for lovely knits and floatey fabrics in light greens and purples, as well as the steadfast pinks, to add a little lightness to the darker days. So feel free to mix it up.
Once again we can rely on the seasonal and festive red, in many varieties, from the dark to the bright and they will be happy displayed in plaids to leather and cashmere to chiffon, so rouge it up.
In summary, there is really no end to the options of colour mixing out there and you can go safe or try new things... the world is your oyster...
Lookbooks
Well I'm happy to share with you that despite some seriously silly stuff, the majority of trends this season are simple, sensible and comfortably relatable, in some form or another, to our more 'sprightly' years. Whether you were a glam girl, country bumpkin or rock chick there's something now for that inner youthful lass to tap into.
As we all know, the fashion houses take these inspirations and go a bit crazy by putting edgy unwearable twists on them, but we don't have to worry about that here because we can just pick out the simple stuff we like together and take inspiration. So let' s look at a few that are doable shall we....
Ladylike Layering
First up, 'off duty princess Di'..... Yes... this was a description I read in a fashion magazine used to describe what I would call 'British Heritage' or the 'Posh Country-folk' look.
So for this classic look, I'm thinking tweed, argyle knits, knee boots, neat quilting and neck scarves, are you with me so far? The key to this trend is lovely soft layering with fabrics that ooze sophistication and don't swamp your whole frame.
You can go oversized in the jumper department if you don't want to conform, or go for a cape like coat, or blanket wrap, when it gets colder. Provided you keep the lower half neat to balance things out, eg. leather skirt or tailored trouser/jeans, all will be well.
Wide fit check trousers work great too. You just flip the proportions in the same manner by keeping the top half simple and neat instead. Turtle or polo necks anyone?
For work we still have the tailored trouser suits and the staple blazer, but this time you can add fine checks and dog-tooth to the mix, with pussy bow blouses or high necklines if you fancy.
Alternatively, a crisp collared shirt under a soft knit ticks oodles of boxes too as per Mrs Beckham's latest lines. It's all very mature and looks great offset with buttery leather accessories... And yes, whether faux or the real deal, leather is king again.
Dark Romance
This look is a must for all you ladies that are rock chicks and hippies at heart because this look cleverly embraces a bit of them all. You can take the solid Dr Martens and tartan but also choose softer elements of light and floaty fabrics to mix with.
Despite an emphasis on the dark and well.... black, there's many a rich floral print or patchwork to add to the mix and this gives the look a more romantic edge and a chance to don some colour, maybe a purple or deep red.? Ooh and roses take centre stage this season so you can squeeze them in everywhere from jewellery to embroidery and prints to shoes.
If you're wanting a softer approach, then longer dresses, such as the button down or wrap style that skims just above the ankles, will do the job nicely. All of which will work well with Victorian style boots, bright heels or even converse. Fish out your leather biker jackets too.
Definitely worth dipping in your toes if you like a boot and a bit of a swish. For the most part though, the primary factors consist mainly of anything dark, sexy and lacey and a cheeky studded accessory is a must.
Daytime Diva
Now if you love a sparkly top and a pop of bright colour then this is for you. The fabrics are shiny , metallic and there are sequins galore for your nights out too...
Obviously, wearing them altogether is not advised unless you want to be a walking glitter ball, but you can wear a little bit of what you fancy, especially if you like to make a quirky statement. Pairing an interesting texture or print with simple or neutral pieces really is easy to do and creates a great look.
You can try simple colour monochrome or go for a more interesting mix of patterns and colour couplings.
Animal print is mahoosive because it adds drama and you can't go wrong with a snake print this season, You'll find it literally on anything and it doesn't have to be in nature's palette either, it can be as interesting as you like.
Finishing Touches
Ooh I love a boot and you can't beat that snug warm feeling of comfort and footwear chic, especially when this season has some seriously practical styles to choose from. There is a flood of chunky sole-age (not sure that's a word) going on, whether laced like a Dr Marten or platform pull on, 70's style, it's fabulous.
Heels, come mostly in block as well as the more unusual shaped, along with the kitten (still) and the spike as usual. However, the diversity of print and fabric comes alive with all manner of animal print and floral, which encourages all tastes to have a go.
The Victorian style boot and the laced up spikes nod to the retro, the cowboy and the chelsea tip their hat to the classic tastes and the slouch styles and prints to the more dramatically inclined.
On the shoe side of things you can't beat a brogue or loafer in all manner of colours and the festive season welcomes any heels with bows, sequins and floral detailing. Feathers are massive but I have not included them because they are clearly stupid and prone to wilting in the rain.
There seems to be a popular intake of white again but I always struggle with the idea of white footwear, probably due to imprints of knee boots on 80's Abba nights (don't write in and complain, I'm not dissing the disco).
For the seeker of the edgier looking shoe, I give you the In-Step V style that adds a modern twist to the court. These are snazzy red ones but a chic black pair will look just as good and will still look fabulous next year.
Also let's not forget the brightly coloured hosiery and glittery or sequinned varieties for your office party or festive knees up. Yes, really! I'm sure this will be more popular when the draw of Santa nears.
Bling & Bags
Animal print, animal print and more animal print. From snake to croc and leopard to zebra it's all there. I've mentioned it again in the accessory section because I know many think they're too dramatic and bar-maid like to be worn on clothing, but I think it can be worn as loudly or as quietly as you like. Bags and footwear are therefore a great chance to cut your teeth a little.
In the jewellery department, it's still the ear that takes centre stage. You can go dangly, coloured rhinestone or boho crazy but what particularly caught my eye was the more interesting ear cuff styles or crawlers.
Chokers were interesting but not for the faint hearted and quirky brooches remain to add a cheery focus to scarves, lapels and bags even. Yayy!!
For a bit of arm candy, the top handled styles are still rife for the second year running but have a brightly coloured twist this time and neat mini messenger styles give your arms a rest when you're dancing the night away. No purse clutching here.
Righto, so I've taken just a couple of stand out styling looks and inspirations from the huge array of catwalk offerings and absorbed the stylista's and frow's dissections of the new season but, sometimes all you need is a cheat sheet.
You know the items that will easily update your wardrobe or add a little smug smile when you wear them. So as usual I've picked out a few pocket friendly garments that will last you til it gets warm again and will no doubt give you oodles of wear.
My 5 Key Pieces
It's been a tough one but here's my picks... All of which I reckon will appeal to the different style and wardrobe personalities out there. Look out for my high street finds of these over on Facebook this month for more inspiration.
Lace Up Boots
Leather/Faux Jacket/Coat
Below the knee Printed Dress
Argyle Knit
Interesting Earrings
Okay, I'm going to leave it there now on this whistle stop tour of seasonal styling because my fingers are seizing up and my brain is already making me a shopping list of wardrobe additions. Must.... resist the urge.... to....google...... !
I hope at least one item, style inspiration or colour inkling has given you the urge to start searching for online goodies and I wish you well on your new retail journey. Be savvy, try new things and always wear your happy.
Peace out... Sara xx
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