Alice Catherine

I hate that feeling of leaving the house, and not fully feeling like the best version of yourself – it tends to happen a lot around this time of year, and we all seem to get a bit complacent in our winter layers. We tend to lean towards pieces that are practical, and leave what we wish we could wear hanging in the wardrobe back home. January and February can be tricky months in terms of styling – it’s often cold or raining in Manchester, and my personal style awaits that much needed Spring reboot that lays ahead. That promise of a new season refresh, and to hopefully rediscover clothing that doesn’t make me resemble a snowman… 

Having said that, I’ve been trying my best to keep myself out of a style rut – I’ve been switching up accessories, and generally just trying to stop myself from grabbing the nearest jumper each morning. It’s definitely still possible to feel stylish during the depths of the winter months – it’s all about layering, and finding statement accessories that work with the majority of your wardrobe. This Simon Miller bag for instance – it was an end of the year present to myself, and one that I had been stalking for a long time before finally deciding to invest. It’s been a life saver on those freezing cold days when all you want to wear is a simple jumper and jeans combination – it just elevates any daytime look, and I can fit lots inside it too. The beautiful tortoiseshell style handles really make it a conversational piece, and I love how the blue leather compliments denim – sorry in advance for not featuring any other bags for a little while…

The second accessory I wanted to mention is the beloved beret – what did I even do before them? For so long I had put off wearing stylish hats because my head is quite big – it’s literally moon shaped, and a lot of hats just don’t fit me, or make my head appear even bigger. I mean, it’s probably just one of those silly insecurities that we all have in some form, but I just find hats generally quite hard to pull off. However, after wearing the beret out in public a couple of times, I achieved a new found confidence, and haven’t looked back since. I LOVE the beret, and I will be kind of sad when summer comes around and I have to make my hair look presentable again.

The last couple of items I wanted to mention are both practical items that I have been reaching for weekly – the puffer jacket, and a pair of chunky boots. The puffer jacket isn’t something I have worn since the nineties – it’s one of those trends that I’ve witnessed the return of in full force, and kind of admired from afar. I’ve seen a few people make them look effortlessly cool, and I really wanted one that was inexpensive for days when the weather was miserable, or I fancied a weekend stroll. I snapped up this one from New Look and couldn’t be more pleased with it – I work with New Look on a monthly basis at the moment, and I really can’t recommend their basics enough. They are perfect for those trend lead pieces that you don’t want to fork out for, and the quality is always really good too. The gold hardware makes it look more expensive, and matches with all the gold jewellery I wear daily…

On to the boots – I have loved a chunky boot since the day I could walk, I actually have a picture of me in my Dad’s hiking boots somewhere. However, I’m wearing nothing but a nappy, so I shall save you all that delightful vision (for now). These ones were kindly sent to me last year when I did some work with French Connection for their recent Manchester store launch – they are super comfortable, and are the inexpensive version of the Joseph ones that I just purchased in the Net-a-porter sale. I rarely treat myself to sale items as I never feel like I find anything that exciting, but when your dream boots are almost half price – it’s pretty hard to say no. Anyway, I’ve been alternating between the two pairs over the last few months, and it’s nice to have shoes in my collection that keep my feet both warm and dry (does this make me a real adult now?). If you can’t get your hands on either of these pairs, Dr Martens are always a great investment when it comes to purchasing a chunky shoe – they also look equally great in summer with bare legs, just make sure you break them in with a good pair of socks first! Nothing is less forgiving than a Dr Marten induced blister (if you know, you know)…

Dressing for winter doesn’t always have to the same old boring pieces – play around with layers, invest in some statement pieces, and just generally have fun when you put your looks together. I mean, a puffer coat and a beret really shouldn’t work on paper now, should it? But I kind of love it, and it makes an everyday, practical outfit, feel way more like me…

Alice x

Photography by Adriana

Jacket c/o – New Look | Jumper c/o – New Look (similar here) | Jeans – Vintage | Boots c/o – French Connection | Bag – Simon Miller | Beret – Vintage

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