New Season, New Handbag!

August.  The time when the temperature starts to drop (not that we had that much of a Summer!), the nights start to draw in and we begin to pull out our jumpers and warm coats.

For me, I have an August ritual that I have carried out every year since I started working.  When it comes to work wear, I like to invest in a good, warm but stylist coat that is going to last me through the Autumn and Winter months.  I typically will wear the same coat every day to work so by the time Winter has finished ravaging us, it usually needs replacing.  I just bought this fit and flare coat from SimplyBe.

Same goes for my work handbags.  I typically use a large handbag that I can throw everything into, but over the course of the months wear and and tear does start to show and it needs replacing.  Autumn is the perfect time for me to shop around and find myself a bargain.

What I tend to use is Love The Sales where I can check out all my favourite brands and designers in the same place and everything shown is from their sales line.  I have narrowed my choices down to four handbags now.  Help me choose?

Boden £96.00

Versace Jeans £152.00 

Dune £38.00

Radley £94.00 - half price!!

Fabulous Coats

When it comes to winter, I think of two things when it comes to clothes.  The first is warmth.

Cosy jumpers, decorative scarves; gloves to keep your hands warm and toasty socks in bed at night.  Surrounding yourself with these items during the winter months will ensure a warm and comfortable time.

When it comes to coats and jackets however, I like to add a little glamour and luxury.  There is no reason why you cannot be both warm and look glamorous.  So here are some of my favourite elegant and glamorous coats to see you through the next few months of the cold.

Best of all, all of the coats I have found are on sale!

Biba Luxe Leopard Faux Fur Coat

£139.40

Alice & You Faux Fur Coat

£60.00

Jane Norman Beige Bonded Fur Collar Jacket

£35.00 

Oasis - The Great Coat

£77.00

Uttam Boutique Contrast Kimono Coat

£55.00

Coats - It's a Northern Thing

I love buying clothes.  Even when my wardrobe was a bottomless pit of black, I still got that excited feeling when a parcel had arrived full of clothes.  I've never been one for trying things on in a shop, there is nothing worse than walking into a changing room with a pile full of clothes, and then walking out again with them all when nothing fits.

The one item of clothing I truly hate buying though is coats.  Like Kaye says from TestyBrunette, not wearing coats or jackets is a northern thing.  If we can get away with not wearing one, we will.   This works twofold for me as I can never find the right coat that ticks all the boxes.

My old faithful long black wool coat finally reached the end of it’s life a couple of months ago (read I finally admitted that it needed to be thrown out) and my hand was forced into the search for a new coat.

Here is my criteria: mid length, fitted but not overly, a colour that will go with most things, stylish, ok for work but will look ok for weekends, accommodate the chest area so the girls don’t look twice as big, warm, ok for wet weather. 

Yes, I’m picky but I’ve had so many coats that have failed for one reason or another, usually because they look bloody awful and are the “I give up, I’ll buy this” coat.  I was determined this time that I would find my dream coat, or just go cold for the weather.

Armed with my wish list I looked through all the clothing websites and made a list of the coats I liked.  Then discounted half as being impractical or just wouldn’t suit me (read fine on a size 8, not on me).  Eventually through, I struck gold.

Savoir Classic Stone Mac - Very

This coat ticked every box on my wish list and then some. It can be found here and comes in either the stone colour which I bought or in black.

I love the stone colour of the coat which goes with so much and enables me to mix it up with different coloured scarfs and accessories.  Rain just seems to roll off it and it looks good (so far) with everything I have worn with it.

So if you are an office girl like me who likes to keep it stylish at the weekend (I never knowingly under dress) then this may be the coat for you!