What You Should Be Buying In January
I find January a bit of a ‘ground hog’ month. At New Year, I set myself some goals for the year but spend most of the following weeks focusing on smaller resolutions - namely get fit, read more, ditch the devices and sleep better. One thing that dominates the to-do list is a general life edit. I start by sorting cupboards, planning the diaries and clearing out wardrobes. With this spring clean attitude in mind, I’ve been approaching the January sales with care. I’m not interested in frivolous purchases. Instead, I want to invest in carefully considered wardrobe updates.
The Leopard Print Coat
As a dedicated leopard print lover, I was lucky to be offered a beautiful 1960s vintage coat belonging to my friend’s mother. I’ve owned it for a good number of years now, and it has seen me through weddings, lunch parties, weekends away and fashion shows. It works brilliantly with black, camel, denim, metallics or clashing with stripes or florals. The problem with vintage is it starts to feel fragile, and I’m wearing it less for fear of having to retire it completely. An upgrade doesn’t need to be fur, but does need to have that retro appeal.
I love the signature detailing on this one (1) from Mother and Pearl. Fur would feel far too much with this design, so a less textured fabric works nicely. Dress it down with jeans for daytime or with a long gown for a stunning evening look. Elsewhere, Stand Studio seem to be dominating the faux fur market and I’ve had my eye on this belted number (2) for a while. A double-breasted cut on a fur coat always makes it look more substantial and formal.
Full Skirt
A full, easy to wear midi skirt is a seriously useful transitional piece - perfect with a roll neck in winter, or chic with a blazer and a t-shirt for spring. I love the notion of a pencil skirt, but during the day I tend to gravitate towards a high waisted a-line or a fully gathered style. I’ve worn one from & Other Stories heaps this season, but am on the hunt for a crisper style.
When it comes to stunning lace detailing, this one (3) from Marysia would work with a fine knit, or even a swimsuit in high summer. Alternatively, a simple, poplin tiered skirt like this (2) from Cecilie Bahnsen would look great with a crisp white shirt or roll neck. I also adore the muted tones of this faded leopard print number (1) from SEA. It would be a staple resort piece and look great with a simple tank and sliders. Finally, beautifully full and in a useful colour, I love this one from the Frankie Shop. Just team with a simple grey cashmere knit.
Peasant Dress
I bought this vintage piece online years ago and it’s had so much wear. I love layering it up with a burgundy or black roll neck, dressing it up with lots of gold jewellery, and even mixing it with leopard. But with every wash, it looks more transparent, so I’m looking for a replacement. It’s a key transitional style and I find the colour palette incredibly useful to link together lots of separates in my wardrobe.
I found this new brand, Naked Generation, on Instagram. It’s a limited collection, but I like how blouson the sleeves (1) are. I’m always a fan of Dodo Bar Or for their very wearable, retro peasant pieces, which have exactly the right kind of polish. I have a few on my hitlist but this berry colour (2) is especially pretty.
Cream Jumper
I have a few expensive plain cream jumpers but this cable knit is a high street gem. It’s from Zara, the quality of whose knitwear I am always surprised by, and has a modern, structured funnel neck. It just doesn’t get a huge amount of wear because it’s so thick.
This Nanushka piece (1) is a more feminine version of the Isabel Marant zip neck jumpers. I also like how cropped and nipped in the waist is – perfect for all of those high-waisted trousers and skirts. I’ve also been looking for a sleeveless, high-collared cream jumper (2) and I like the idea of wearing this Arket one with a white shirt underneath or a fine roll neck and midi skirt for a polished 70s look.
Black Winter Snow Boots
These have been well-loved and worn with everything from a black fur coat in the snow to grey skinny jeans or leather trousers on the school run. But their boho nature means they’re beginning to look tired. Fur isn’t top of the agenda, but a chunky snow boot with lace detailing is.
You can never own enough Isabel Marant and I love the contrast of these red laces (4). I wear a lot of black and red, so it’s a useful colour combination. Wear with jeans, a camel coat and a white tee. Meanwhile, the quilted effect on this pair (3) from & Other Stories feels luxurious and adds additional interest to a look. I like my snow boots to feel really chunky, in contrast with skinny jeans, narrow ski pants or tights. I’ve also had my eye on these Ganni ones (2)- a great transitional boot that works either in the snow or mountains and with skirts in the coming transitional months. I also love Moonboots. This shorter style (1) is, more wearable for every day, while still nicely decadent in fur.
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