Stylish and Practical Clothes For Now

We still have a way to go, leaving behind icy conditions. This means continuing with practical, comfortable layers like oodies and duvet coats, which are essential for another few months. They are my stylish cold weather care kit. They may not deliver in the glamour stakes but, realistically, they pay for their keep, helping towards heating bills along with the other little helpers – air fryer and portable oil filled radiator – all contributing enormously towards reducing our monthly bills.

In today’s post, along with the homely winter savers, I’m sharing some style ideas. In particular, those items that I reach for to keep the chill out when I am eventually prized away from my oodie, and crave that fashion lift that you get when putting something nice on.

Coats

First of all, I’d like to talk about “coats” – which are my favourite items. And, I’ve gathered, ahem, a few over the years!! Storage can be a problem and we often talk about downsizing. And, if that happens, then I may have a cull. But, I’m safe for the moment. A beautiful coat or jacket is the perfect finishing touch to any outfit. They can also perk up the plainest of items, making the outfit more interesting. The ones I have gathered make me feel good, and keep me warm as well as enhancing my overall look.

Winter coats generally take a bashing and are probably the hardest working items we have in our wardrobe. We wear them to look fashionable but mainly to protect us from the elements (as stylishly as possible), generally when moving from A to B. The usual scenario is arriving in a warm restaurant or pub with a roaring fire, resulting in the beloved coat being flung over a chair or onto a heap of other people’s coats – sometimes, even landing on the floor! All of the above eventually takes its toll and the newness of a coat fades and it begins to look a little tired.

Today, I’m wearing a few old favourites (both around fifteen years old). I’m also sharing a few jackets, namely, a wool cropped military navy style that I picked up in the summer sales. I have noticed several of this style coming through from brands in their spring-summer stock. And, another is this furry jacket which arrived shortly before Christmas, and has had a few outings, since. Though, I try to avoid the wet weather with this fabric.

The winter textures which bring me joy are cashmere; non-scratchy woollens; velvet; corduroy; and Harris tweed. My husband, Pat, managed to buy a pre-loved vintage Irish Harris tweed coat a few years ago for £80 (Facebook Marketplace). The man he bought it from lived just down the road in Durham City. He explained that he’d picked up the coat at an antique fair in Northumberland, several years prior. He said he’d always wanted to own a Harris tweed coat and was, understandably, sad to part with it. He explained the only reason for selling was he’d always felt it was just that little bit too big for him, spoiling the experience of wearing it.

I did wonder who had owned the coat before him. As you can see, it’s in beautiful condition. The tweed feels luxurious. What a savvy buy!! Pat receives lots of remarks and compliments when wearing it. I’m after one, too, but even the pre-loved ones are expensive, or not my size. So, the search continues.

What’s New, this Spring/Summer 2025

The emerging Spring/Summer colours are icy blue, petal pink, lots of green tones, red and mocha or chocolate brown. I already own items in most of these colours because they are my favourites – apart from certain shades of green and red, which I have to be careful with, depending on the tone.

Coming to prints, have you got favourites you reach for? And, do you like to clash your bold prints? This season, there are the usual stripes, polka dots, florals and animal prints along with a lot of seventies-inspired bold prints of Etro and Pucci’s psychedelic patterns. I’m not a confident print clasher – I never think it looks right. However, if done well, this look can be spectacular. Check out this Celia Birtwell X Joanie Golden Slumbers Flared Sleeve Ruffle Neck Wrap Dress. Now, this is right up my street – print clash perfection!

There’s also a lot of suede handbags, jackets, fringing and boho on the scene, which I’m not sure about, anymore. Maybe, I’ve “been there and done that” whole boho, too many times. However, I do quite fancy a suede jacket.  So, whether you opt in or out of the trends (and, I tend to take them with a pinch of salt), it looks like there’s something for everyone in the months ahead – from the maximalist to the discreet dresser. 

 

Faux Fur Jacket – Damart UK (Nearly out of stock – £74.99 reduced to £37.49)

Is this style of jacket your cup of tea? It wasn’t for me for quite a while.  Did I secretly associate this look with Bet Lynch from Coronation Street of yesteryear (Google if you’re not sure who BL is?).  Or, maybe, I unconsciously listened to the fashion police and their list of “Not to Wear” at a certain age?

However, recently, I began to see how appealing this style could look and how it could be a welcome addition to my wardrobe.  When looking, I decided to steer clear of the full-on cropped “Yeti” style, preferring a sleeker version. The length had to be below the hip, as this would suit my body shape.

I also wanted an understated design, single-breasted as well as a versatile colour, which would match and blend in easily with my mostly casual style – effortlessly, adding a pinch of old-school glamour. I wanted to be able to throw this jacket on with jeans and leisurewear as well as being able to dress it up with a stylish skirt or dress in the evening.  This one from Damart UK ticked all of the boxes.

Navy Woollen Cropped Jacket – River Island (Out of stock – I’ll add similar below).

These Chanel-inspired jackets are everywhere on the high street at the moment. I picked this one up in last year’s summer sales. Since buying this versatile wollen jacket, I have enjoyed pairing it with my wide-leg trousers/jeans skirts and dresses – which makes it such a versatile item.
The fit is snug, so it works for milder days – good with a fine knitted jumper or T-shirt. This was the only one left on the rail (small), hence, the snugness. But, for £22.00, I thought it was worth the outlay.

New For Spring 2025

I hope you have enjoyed my post which may contain some affiliate links. If you click through to the product, there is no cost to you. The small commission I may earn helps me with the costs of running my blog. The gifts I have received are marked with a star*

See you next time.

*Fake Fur jacket – Damart UK (This jacket was a gift to show on Instagram only, no obligation to use in this post).

*Blue Leather Handbag from Sarah Haran UK.  Again gift to show on Instagram only.