A Sucker For Oxblood

And there you go: this is look number three of the four burgundy files, featuring a little tunic from Topshop.

I have something quite similar in dark pine green, less lacy and more everyday, with a slight bubble hem. I found earlier that this dress style worked for me - it clings lightly to your shape but is forgiving around your bottom half (right, quarter), it is very feminine but in a soft and girlie way.

Some may question my choice of footwear but when you have to go outside in winter and be ready to walk a lot (who knows where you end up at what time of the night), I just want to wear low chunky heels and something in a knee height.

I have ordered my Topshop studded boots in burgundy, which will look impeccably elegant next to these battered black lace-up boots. Until then, even the pickier of you should rest assured I am not deluding myself into thinking I look half smart in these pics - I just had to show you the dress.

Which is, by the way, not even a dress, but a tunic in the main range of Topshop. It also came in black and in a petite version, but I definitely wanted the choice to wear it as a dress.

The transparent lace back may be a bit tricky if you want to give it a swirl in the office or want to wear a bra without actually showing it off. That is why I dropped a simple cotton cami in the very same colour in the shopping bag when placing the order with Topshop, et voilá.

The dress or tunic looks best as part of a total burgundy look, so get a pair of soft opaque tights and, unlike me, wait for that pair of oxblood boots to be delivered before getting your photos taken! And if you haven't done so already, do hit the sales - it is that time of the year.

Lace tunic dress and studded boots: Topshop, quilted clutch: Primark, lace-up boots: vintage, tights: Intimissimi

How Decent Is Too Decent?

A little pleated, striped, sleeveless shirt dress can go a long way in ensuring you are office-appropriate in any season. Here it is, moulded into a 1950s-inspired look with a little help from a key seasonal piece, the jumper.


The patent leather ballerinas with their half-inch heels put just the right spring in your step - the look would definitely feel uncomfortable with anything high or chunky. 


Still, ballet pumps are not the only option. Any pair of low-heeled cute shoes (such as traditional kitten heels or something modern and metallic) will do nicely. Alternatively, if you want to tough it up just a bit, some ankle booties will do the job and keep the cold at bay at the same time.


And yes, as you can see, the quilted sleeveless biker with gold detailing is still one of the biggest staples. I wear it all the time, as it's the perfect autumn jacket, while it provides the best under-coat layer in winter. 


One more thing. Out in the cold, and in this pale sunlight, everything tends to look so bleached out you may need a dash of bold lipstick to spice things up.

pleated shirt dress: Pull & Bear, jumper: Mango,
ballerinas: Clarks, quilted jacket: New Look

Simple Sixties: Light, Shadow And Flame

Can you not love a 1960s graphic retro look when the cold days arrive? The uber-comfort of a fine high-neck tee, a pair of super-soft opaque tights and  low, chunky-heeled ankle boots? Well, you might be generally avoiding such basic comforts like the plague, for fear of ending up looking and feeling utterly boring. 

But fear no more. And, mind you, no need to give in to femme fatale tendencies either - bad weather, the muddy or icy catwalk of city streets and killer heels do not match. 

There are other ways to sharpen up and brighten up: colours, graphic effects, and cuts.

Hence the monochrome patch pocket miniskirt with gold buttons, an op-art image of bright light streaming through a window, a finely crinkling-and-folding long-sleeve top in the brightest red, a lick of flames in the fireplace, plus a bit of patent leather with a hint of gold at the heels, proof that even the darkness can glow.

This season, the look has got even better with my favourite, go-with-everything quilted, gold-zipped biker jacket in a classic cropped and collarless Chanel style by New Look. Just as with the New Look summer parka, I can't get enough of it because of the snug sleeves, that us petites with twig-like arms so rarely get in a jacket, and that makes all my other jackets appear big and bulky in comparison.

This is a classic autumn look that, when the going gets tough as low temperatures hit, you can throw an oversized boyish winter coat, a traditional wool trench, a padded parka or a shearling cape over it, and you're covered up nice and tight.

 

monochrome skirt: River Island, quilted jacket: New Look,

poloneck top and 1960s ankle boots: Asos

A Day In The Country

Boy, it's cold... But, when you gotta go, you gotta go. Visiting friends well out of town does require a bit of commitment and a dash of waddling in mud. The upside is, it's not particularly difficult when it comes to answering the question of what to wear.

Dress or skirt? Out. Which leaves jeans or leggings. Heels? Out. Anything delicate or prone to get ruined by mud? Out. That means wellies. Desperate to look stylish? Absolutely not. You don't want to feel too self-conscious among normal people, or stick out like a sore thumb when meeting friend's family. Problem solved. One more thing: wrap up warm.

The alphabet print jeans seemed a perfect and decent nod to the printed trousers trend, the fine poloneck is just cute and simple, the softest cable knit socks provide the much-needed warmth, and the Hunters - well, they are the essentials, after all, when in Glasto...

When short, fancy or smart cover-ups are not an option, you'd better find something cute and warm to fit the bill. The feather-light, nicely sculpted A-line quilted duffle coat was a pleasant surprise - much warmer than I thought it would be, so one extra layer between that and the poloneck is enough to keep out the cold. My extra layer was a fitted velvet blazer, just in case.

Jeans: Asos, ribbed sleeve poloneck: River Island, knitted socks: Promod,
wellies: Hunter (Regent), quilted duffle coat: New Look

Thou shalt clash your prints

Possibilities are endless when it comes to one of this season's key commandments, so you will surely see me working on that. 

Now, never underestimate the power of a floral bodycon dress from the early 1990s... come on, you've got that sort of stuff lying in the back of your wardrobe.

Mine is khaki, with tiny vintage rose print all over, and even though the fabric has some mohair in it, it's not too warm or anything - perfect for...

1. WORK: LADYLIKE MODERN

I found this python print khaki shirt/jacket in one of the deepest pits and thought it would be great to throw together a spring/summer Burberry sort of modern ladylike look with double belt and peeptoe wedges.

Floral dress and python print shirt, Terranova - the Italian high street brand had a moment in the 1990s, and was a great place to find great jeans and leather jackets back in the day. Belts and shoes, Dorothy Perkins.

2. STEPPING OUT: VINTAGE FEEL

Add a few bold colours, stripes, a small boxy bag, and shoes - this time I chose almost-flat leather loafers of the most traditional kind, but chunky heeled ones would work just as fine, not to mention the extra height.

Floral dress, as before. Jacket: Topshop, scarf: a gift, bag: Mango, shoes: Luisa Via.

3. LOUNGING AROUND

Relax, no one is watching. Should you need to pop down for some last-minute essentials before the week-end, you might want to avoid suspicious looks in your local shop. Just throw on a nude coloured biker, jump into minimalist brogues and don't bother to sacrifice the comfort of socks.

Floral dress, as before. Jacket: Miss Selfridge, shoes: New Look, socks: H&M, bag: New Look.