BLOG 295: THE WINTER FASHION I AM WEARING THIS SEASON: A GUIDE TO MY FAVOURITE COATS

Winter’s arrival doesn’t have to mean tucking away all of your beautiful clothing and style. Instead, embrace it.

Let’s have a winter fashion masterclass chat! I want to show some of the coats I’m already wearing in Autumn and how I’m styling them up for the Winter months. I love holistic wellness, and fashion is definitely a part of that. When we look good, we feel good. When we feel good, we look good.

You can also watch a video of me talking about these coats here. 

Coats Set the Tone for Your Winter Fashion

Coats. Thrown on over the top of your stylish look isn’t their only function. I got into coats a couple of years ago to embrace the cosiness of Winter. I’m definitely a Spring and Summer person. I much prefer putting on a little sundress or a pair of shorts and a top and not having to think much about my outfit.

I realised I really didn’t like Winter fashion because I wasn’t embracing coats. The coat is everything in Winter. The coat will always dominate your look since it covers up whatever you're wearing. Here in the UK, it gets quite cold, which means you’ll wear a coat much of the time. As I built up my collection of coats, I started to get excited about Winter fashion.

When you wrap a coat around you and slip your arms into a comfortable coat that helps you feel really good inside, you feel like you are putting a warm blanket around your body, creating a cosy, soothing experience every time.

In Winter, I like to go for bright colours. That’s so important during this season. Everything’s very dark and grey, and the evenings draw very early. Adding a bit of colour boosts our mood and can improve the mood of other people around us as well. There are many times when a black coat or even a bulky, oversized cream-coloured coat can be the perfect addition and feel to your wardrobe. It’s all about the way you dress it up. 

Before you start to choose your coats for this season, I want to share some of the looks I'm creating this year, as well as a few from last year. You'll see a variety of options and styles, all of which are meant to enhance the feeling of wellness by being chic and embracing that positive energy in every way.

Colour Makes a Difference 

Bright colours draw people in. When I wear my bright purple or pink coat, it instantly attracts attention. People approach just to share how much they love the coat's colour, and that's a marvellous way of sharing excitement and positive energy with others.

I also prefer longer coats. The cold weather aside, longer coats keep you feeling cosy and warm all the way down your body and through your legs. It also looks super chic. While oversizes are much more on trend now, I still like a coat that ties at the waist. It contributes to a beautiful, flattering look. 

I purchased the pink coat from TopShop at the start of 2020, just before lockdown, and the purple coat two or three years ago. I love how unusual it is, and I’ve never seen anything else like it. I love to wear it chic with a pair of leather-look leggings and boots. I feel amazing in this coat, and the way I feel on the outside supports the way I feel on the inside.

Blue Fluffy Coat

Another fabulous look I enjoy is a big, fluffy blue coat. I purchased this coat from a small boutique in Bath called Portman, a retailer known for their coats. I got it last winter, and it feels gorgeous. It is made from bamboo. 

It’s easy to style it up in various ways. The jacket is versatile, such as wearing it over a long skirt with a pair of Converse and a white shirt. I’ve also worn it this year with a pair of wide, silver or gold trousers and a simple crop top. These pieces are so smart and chic, but they bring a bit of joy to autumn and winter. 

A beautiful coat like this can create meaningful change. For example, on the way to yoga, I wore a simple pair of leggings with the coat over the top. That blue coat received lots of compliments, but as soon as I put it on, the coat elevated the outfit.

The Red Puffer Coat

Here’s a much different look. This red coat, which I gifted last month on a trip to Iceland by 66 Degrees North, is so nice. It’s a down coat, and the company has made these types of coats for decades. I needed to be warm on this trip, especially when I saw geysers and volcano craters. It was so cosy and felt like I was in a blanket the whole day.

The bright red colour is such an essential component of this look. If you live in Iceland or any place where the days are much shorter and cold, the colour contributes to the way you look and the way you feel. You can also style it up in various ways. I wore it with jeans and a white top. The red, white, and blue look so good together. Or style it with leggings and trainers. 

I also have a green, down-filled puffer coat that’s so easy to wear. It’s easy to wear and feel good about, especially the green colour. It encourages self-love.

Leopard Coats

Leopard coats are fabulous, and they’re my favourite. Leopard is on trend, but I also think it goes with anything so well. It’s a joyful, elevated coat that enhances your look as soon as you slip it on. It’s not necessarily a bright colour, and that’s okay because this look is a more understated chic. 

Wear it as its own statement piece or wear colours you’ve taken out of the coat, such as the blacks or creams, for a more matchy-matchy look. The leopard coats are perfect with denim or even metallic trousers. My two favourites are from Dorothy Perkins. 

Long, Cream Coat

Another exceptional look comes from this long, cream coat from River Island. It seems simplistic and clean, but look closely, and you’ll see details. It has tiny jewels all over it, instantly making it look dressed up and chic. 

Because it’s oversized, I was able to pull it around my body, creating that warmth and sensation of being cosy. I belted it while I was in Iceland with a simple matching belt. That’s more of a put-together look. You can also wear an oversized coat like this oversized, leaving it open. In this case, I like to wear it with a tighter top so that not all three pieces are bulky.

This coat doesn’t have a bright colour to it, but it has little embellishments on it. And that helps to elevate your mood and help you feel good.

Crop Cream Coat

Another coat from my collection is a small, cropped cream coat from Zara. It’s an excellent layering piece. I wear it over my gold trousers for a dressy look or over a pair of black leggings. The black details on this coat match well with a pair of boots or black leggings. 

When I wear cream colours, I pair them with neutral or metallic pieces. Another option is to wear a bit of a brighter colour with it, such as jeans or a white T-shirt.

The Black Coat

I love bright colours, but there is nothing quite as chic as a black coat. I have a variety of black coats, and some I’ve had for years and still wear and love them. One option is a long, black puffer coat. I accessorised it with a bright green bag. It’s so long and warm. On a very cold day, this coat is amazing. However, I don’t like to zip it up because that makes it look too bulky. Pair the coat with something tighter underneath, creating a beautiful silhouette. 

Belted puffer coats are also a nice option. They are chic and elevated, creating a fitted shape. I wore one as part of an all-black look. It's super chic, and even though it goes against my Winter vibe of wearing those brighter colours, it works so well here. This was a cold but sunny day with a blue sky, making it possible to get away with an all-black look.

Another black coat I own is this small, hooded version. I wore this one with leather-like shorts and a stripey top. The coat itself has a little sparkle thanks to the silver thread running through it.

The final black coat is this beautiful layering piece which is a trench style. I love wearing it over the top of this belted denim jacket or other neutral tones. 

Fashion and Wellness Go Hand-in-Hand

Fashion may not be what you see me talk about often, but I believe when you look good, you feel good. Choose coats that allow you to feel warm and comforted throughout the season, or pair bright colours with neutral tones to brush away the cold, dark winter feelings to introduce bright, full energy. Not only does that improve your mood and the way you feel on the inside, but it also directly impacts others who see you.

Coats are the perfect form of expression, self-love, and mood-enhancing positivity. Fashion like this is an excellent way to add something special to your day.