A/W16 Must Haves!

 

Autumn and Winter is definitely a time for blanket scarves, parkas and boots for me. At the moment it's incredibly cold and almost constantly raining in the UK, to the point that it feels so difficult to make an effort to go out and look like you feel nice. During the winter months, I personally prefer to stay comfortable and as warm as possible, as opposed to looking amazingly stylish. That said, I'm never the most stylish person you'll ever see or meet out and about. I also tend to to stick to more neutral toned clothing when it's cold and overcast, wearing creams, greys, blacks and khaki greens.

This winter I've definitely found a range of places that fit into the comfortable and warm ideal of clothing. H&M have got lovely and toasty fleece leggings in a variety of colours; I bought black and grey, obviously haha. They're such a staple item, they go with literally everything and were so cheap at £7.99! (Buy here) However, I also love jeans from H&M; I'm very short, at just about 5ft tall so it's great that I can buy wider and shorter jeans as I'm a good size 12-14 by find that their jeans in size 12 are really comfy for me. I like the distressed black of these, and they're a bargain at £14.99, too. (Buy here). Alongside jeans and leggings, I also love a good chunky knits to layer underneath a coat to really keep me warm. I love cream or white jumpers to constrast with black or grey that have cable knits. (Buy here)

Moving on to outerwear, when it starts to get really cold I always forget about looking after my feet. I have naturally really dry skin that needs so much TLC it's a joke... the majority of my creams are for my feet. However, until recently I never really connected the cold weather with why the skin in my feet is so much more painful in the winter months (I'm so clever, obviously). As a result of this realisation, I decided to invest in some ugg boots. (Buy here) no exaggeration, they are so incredibly comfortable and I honestly have noticed such a difference not only in my skin, but also in the fact that I feel so much more warm in general now. I would recommend buying these to anyone, I love them!

 

That said, if I want more of a shoe that fits all outfits then I'll always go for a classic Chelsea boot. ASOS have some amazing options at the moment in different styles, shapes and colours. (Buy here) I have so many pairs in different colours, to the extent that even my boyfriend was saying I basically wear the same shoe all the time! But they're so comfortable and perfect for the autumn and winter months when you need a bit more protection on your feet. I like to wear them with chunky socks to make sure my feet keep warm as well as dry; at the moment I'm loving the Zoella lifestyle gift set (buy here) because I like the softness of the socks as well as the fact they're grey so with everything. Plus you get a nice candle which smells so nice and freshens up any room, too. I also have a bad habit of always buying a new scarf every year, to the point that I have literally such a collection now. My favourite one is actually from Hollister (buy here) and it's so soft and so warm and thick, it's perfect for the cold weather. I love blanket scarves because you can use the, in multiple ways; as a scarf or as a blanket and you just feel so wrapped up and ready for the cold.

Finally, I like to pair all of the above with a nice warm coat, and my preferred coat of choice is a parka (buy here) because a Sherpa lining and a thick hood are the perfect combinations to protect yourself against the cold weather. I also love how many pockets parkas have, because I'm the kind of person to put so many things in pockets, like an iPod, headphones or Oyster card. I do feel the cold a lot, so I find that a parka keeps the warmth in my body, especially paired with a blanket scarf. Everyone needs a good handbag, and I have literally had the same bag for four years, a Longchamp bag. (Buy here) although it was fairly pricey at £70, it's definitely worth every penny. I use it all the time and it's never failed me, it holds so much stuff and is completely waterproof. Plus I feel like it looks minimal and nice; I always use the navy one as the colour goes with any outfit and is appropriate for any occasion. What are your must haves for this time of year?

AW13 Bag lust!

1- Longchamp le Pliage [buy here]

2- Cath kidston Biker [buy here]

3- Cambridge Satchel Company [buy here]

4- Accessorize Fox Rucksack [buy here]

I decided to talk bags; out of the four bags shown above, I currently own three of the four [I don't own the Cambridge Satchel… Yet!] and therefore can recommend all.

The Longchamp bag is a classic shape and style and is timeless; an investment piece that will go with any outfit or occasion. Its one of those bags which holds literally everything as well. I suggest one of the autumnal colours such as taupe, chocolate, navy or black as all of those are interchangeable with any colour and outfit. I have the navy, however I want another in chocolate [lust haha] and it is just so French and effortlessly chic. It has a way of dressing up a rainy/bad day especially as its waterproof!

The Cath Kidston biker bag is a vintage pattern based, fun and flirty burst of colour for AW13. The image is actually of the SS13, the AW13 one is a burgundy with grey and black florals; much more fitting but identical in shape. What I love about CK is that all of the shapes and styles are classic and so typical CK whilst remaining fresh and new each season. The bag is literally packed with pockets, although it has a velco opening as opposed to a full zip. Its particularly fab for school/college/university, which is what I use it for, a huge plus is the waterproof matte oilcloth, nothing gets wet!

The Cambridge Satchel is again a statement yet classic piece; originally for school, its now almost too cool for school, ha. What the main appeal of the bag is that it is designed to hold literally everything, as a schoolbag should; again the browns and autumnal colours seem to appeal the most to me, perhaps because of the bright harshness of the colours such as fuchsia. Also, as the satchels are more expensive the quality is better and is going to last far longer than any of the other cheap and cheerful satchels I have bought from the high street.

The Accessorize Fox Rucksack is a beautiful design and for that alone, I love it. It is so clearly a fox, it is also barely noticeable in the perfect craftsmanship and overall swift lines of the features. It holds more than it looks, although it is not as safe as I'd like as there is no inside pocket expect one; as its a backpack its difficult to keep an eye on your purse and phone, etc. Therefore I use it for sketchbooks and pencilcases for university, rather than my everyday bag.

Basically, I need a bag for every occasion, as many women probably do! I guess its a case of choosing what you need for what situation, and how to use it safely and securely. My favourites of the four are the Longchamp and the Cath Kidston, for that reason alone. I hope you enjoyed reading this, see ya soon, Rach x x x