Women’s Fashion

When winter rolls around, nothing beats cuddling and snuggling into a warm coat to keep out the cold. But as much as a coat needs to keep you warm, it is also the focal point of your wardrobe, as it is the last piece you’ll put on and the first piece you’ll take off. As such, while your coat should be practical allowing you to do everything you need to, it should also be a fashion statement, saying something about your style. While the saying goes ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’, the truth is that people do.

To make sure you are not only warm and cosy this winter, but fashionable too, consider these major trends of the season when choosing the right coat for you. Look out for heritage checks, vibrant reds and faux fur accents. 

CHECKMATE

Whatever form your check takes, be it houndstooth or windowpane, Prince of Wales or tartan, this season heritage checks are everywhere, and a statement coat in a heritage check is the perfect way to incorporate this trend with elegance. For a classic chic style that won’t date, we promise that this is one style that will continue to be a wardrobe staple for winters to come.

If some combinations of check and multiple colours in the design may be too bold for you, there are plenty of muted checks in the shops, perfect for bringing your outfit on trend, but not being too overbearing for your style.

Checked Funnel Neck £50.00 Bonmarché
Black and Red Check Blazer £34.99 New Look
Check Double Breasted Coat £69.00 Dorothy Perkins
Lee Cooper Check Wool Coat £14.99 Sports Direct 

DARE TO WEAR RED

Nothing draws the eye like a bright, stand-out colour, and this season that colour is red. Whether you incorporate this bright and bold hue in your accessories or are more daring, why not take this trend head-on with a statement coat in pillar box red, scarlet, crimson or burgundy?

Have fun and experiment with your red coat and team it with jeans and knitwear on the weekends, throw over your everyday workwear to brighten up your day and add a splash of colour to your little black dress on a night out. Match your coat with a luscious red lipstick and you’ll have a winning combination.

Red Single-Breasted Coat £45.00 Bonmarché
Red Double-Breasted Coat £65.00 Dorothy Perkins
Red Hooded Longline Puffer Jacket £58.00 New Look
Wine Dolly Coat £55.00 Evans

MAKE FAUX FUR YOUR FRIEND

A faux fur coat will always make a statement and is on trend again this season. Whether you opt for a bold print such as leopard spots or zebra stripes, a shag pile in pink or cream, or a classic grey, brown or black faux fur coat or jacket, be prepared to be stroked by all those you meet.

Grey Faux Fur Jacket £60.00 Bonmarché
Pink Short Faux Fur Coat £44.99 New Look
Petite Leopard Faux Fur Coat £69.00 Dorothy Perkins
Textured Faux Fur Coat £44.99 Select

However, if you’re too timid to take on this fashion trend, there are other ways to incorporate faux fur in a way that isn’t overpowering. Look out for details such as a faux fur collar or cuffs and you can style out this trend without being too overbearing.

Jacquard Coatigan with Faux Fur Collar £50.00 Bonmarché
Khaki Faux Fur Hooded Parka Coat £45.00 Peacocks
Pale Grey Faux Fur Trim Belted Midi Coat £54.99 New Look
Firetrap Blackseal Polly Parka £84.99 Sports Direct

Love it or loathe them, there’s no denying you can pick up some serious clothing bargains at the January sales. Yes they may have started in December but for real bargains, January is the time to shop, you just have to make it through the carnage first.

Sale shopping for clothes certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea as it is far from pleasurable and relaxing, but it’s a shopping experience incomparable with any other. There is nothing that beats the feeling of euphoria you get when you snap up a fashion bargain or a modern classic at a steal worthy price.

One thing any frequent fashion bargain shopper will tell you is that you can’t just wander in to a sale store without first being mentally and physically prepared. Take these tips and steam ahead, you’ll thank us later.

BE AN EARLY BIRD

Shop first thing in the morning to avoid hoards of people and the long queues at the tills. You also get the added bonus of getting to see all the neatly folded piles of merchandise and size arranged hanging rails before the masses appear and it’s like Armageddon.

BE READY TO RUMMAGE

You can get some serious steals in the sales, but don’t be misguided by the tat that is thrown in too. Ask yourself if you really need those novelty items and will you wear them at least once. However, don’t be put off if all you seem to be finding is rubbish. The gems are there, they’re just hiding! Make sure you hone your sifting skills and that you arrive fully fed and watered so you’re ready to get stuck in!

BE READY FOR THE MESS

As you and everyone else around you will be doing equal amounts of rummaging, the place is likely to look a complete shambles, especially the later it is in the day that you go. Don’t be put off though by the mess and treat it like a clothing treasure hunt, and if you want to be kind to others, why not fold up your own cast-offs? There isn’t a shop assistant on the planet that enjoys dealing with this carnage!

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

Be prepared to try on your bargains before you buy. You wouldn’t buy something without ever trying it on usually, so why would you do it in the sale? Don’t be put off by the fifty thousand people in the queue, unless you fancy waiting in a returns and exchanges queue within the next 7 days, or worst still, there is no exchange or refund available on this bargain buy of yours, so make sure you brave the changing room. Alternatively be a super savvy shopper and attempt to try on your bargain buy on the shop floor without causing a scene. Leggings and vest are the perfect attire for sale shopping.

GET IN LINE

There will be queues. You will be impatient. A good sign of a fabulous sale is a decent queue, so be prepared to join it. Do not cave in at the last hurdle and abandon your bargains whilst in the line. Be assured that the majority of the time the queues do look longer and scarier than they really are, so have faith. Tip: Try the queues in the men’s and kids sections as they are usually shorter, which could reduce the amount of time you spend waiting to be served, so make sure you check there first.

DON’T SPEND NOW & REPENT LATER

One of the first things you’ll notice about the sale in any store are the massive baskets for you to put all your shopping in, and that’s because they want you to buy everything. And while most items might be individually quite cheap, it all adds up until suddenly you have blown your budget in one store. Take a minute to go through the contents of your basket once more before reaching the till and ask yourself if you really need everything in it.

You could find your item cheaper elsewhere if you look hard enough and if you think something’s still a bit pricey, leave it and do some price checking elsewhere. Also, if there’s something wrong with your item such as a stain, then ask for a discount!

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p style=”text-align: justify;”>Happy Shopping!

Is shopping for shoes becoming more of a minefield than a pleasure trip? Are you confusing your ballerinas with your brogues? If you have any doubt as to which shoe trends are in vogue, here is everything you need to know about how to fashionably wear this season’s flats and heels. The good news is that ALL the high street retailers have a fabulous selection of fashionable flats and fabulous heels, and at truly affordable prices.

DON’T FEAR THE FLAT

There is absolutely no need to sacrifice style for comfort, as this season’s flats will also raise you up in the style stakes. If you’ve ever taken your heels off after an hour on the dance floor, or they lie abandoned under your desk at work within minutes of walking into the office, then you know that the heel alternative of a flat offers pure comfort, and joy.

Images: Topshop

From ballerinas and slipper shoes commemorated by the Fashpack, to loafers and brogues offering a sturdiness that is hard to argue with, look out for feminine touches like a little toe cleavage, or a pointed toe for extra sexiness, and quilted, metallic and animal print finishes that’ll make these shoes sing.

Images: OFFICE

Add finishing touches to Ghillie flats with back zip fastenings and seek out patchwork, fringing, bows and studs for ultimate fashion points. These are the shoes that will take you from dawn to dusk.

Images: Peacocks

REACH GREAT HEIGHTS

Love them or hate them, heels are the ultimate accessories when it comes to taking your style to great heights. Nothing adds glamour like a pair of heels or towering skyscrapers to add some wiggle to your walk, whether you’re wearing them during the day or at night.

Images: Topshop

The peep-toe heel and the slingback heel are both having a revival. Whether in leather, patent, or satin, the small exposure of skin each style brings is ever so chic, and no matter how high the heel, these styles will work with everything in your wardrobe. The slingback is the perfect party shoe, refreshed for autumn in pastel velvets, soft suedes and cool animal prints.

Images: New Look

But if you want a shot of high-octane glamour, nothing beats a pair of stilettos. The sharp dagger of this heel, at least 4 inches in height, looks amazing in all colours and will add pure sexiness to your walk and to your outfit. Take the heel slightly lower and you have a court shoe, every working girls closet staple. Look out for embellished heels, embroidery and brocade, luxe animal prints, sexy cut-outs and metallics.

Images: Dorothy Perkins

Which girl are you? Towering heels or comfortable flats? Whether you opt for comfort and practicality or for longer legs and a sexy wiggle, this season is all about investing in a shoe wardrobe that ranges in variety and serious style.

Images: Deichmann