I remember going to buy this coat with Dad in York for mum’s Christmas present. For anyone who knows York, you will be familiar with how special it is during the festive season. It’s cold and dark and beautiful, all the shops are glowing with lights and warm inside and there is always somewhere lovely to stop and have a cup of coffee and a piece of cake (something that dad and I have perfected into a sport over the years). On this particular year, no doubt daringly close to Christmas Eve, we had dedicated the whole day to finding mum’s present. After much searching (and a little bit of despairing) we struck gold! We found this beautifully made, navy blue, boiled wool peacoat. It wasn’t cheap but this was 20 years ago and mum is still wearing it today. Buying something expensive that will last is rarely a mistake. Not only do you have a piece of clothing for life, but you take the memories with it. I still see mum in this coat and think of shopping with dad. It’s also a mighty fine coat that looks like it could have been plucked from the shelves of any boutique today!

So that’s the coat. The jumper is actually mine and one that I bought last year and have worn and worn ever since. A chunky navy blue jumper is a wardrobe staple in my opinion. The trick is to find one that is actually warm, that looks good and is versatile. Then, during the cold winter months (particularly this year when none of us are wanting to put on our heating-gulp) you have a ‘go-to’ that you also feel good in. Always check the fabric composition before you buy, the more wool (or cashmere) the better.

As an aside, on the warmth front, I am finding that the Uniqlo Heattech extra warm vests to be extremely good.

Mum’s skirt has a raw hem. This is on purpose (mum did ask). Obviously an unfinshed hem is not for everyone. If you love the skirt but hate the hem then there would be enough fabric to take it up without compromising it’s length greatly. We are seeing so many 3/4 length A-Line skirts this season. Mum and I love them. A word of warning though, they can easily tip into ‘matronly’. Its all in the design. This skirt from COS has pockets, the perfect amount of flair and a slightly dropped waist. If you’re nervous about which one to choose then stick to well designed, trend led brands like COS and Arket, or Toast and Margaret Howell if the budget will allow. You can trust that their designers will have got it right for you.

Tights and skirts, always a bit tricky in my opinion. Im really not a fan of skin coloured tights, it’s not very cool. Obviously though you can’t have bare legs in winter so my suggestion would be coloured tights. if your skirt is black then black tights are perfect, and the same for a navy skirt and navy tights. In both instances I think that black shoes are fine. I know that some people don’t like black and navy but I really like it as a combination. If you are wearing black shoes, you want to make sure that your tights are a dark navy though. Otherwise, like we have done here, a tonal coloured tight with a skirt looks great. Here we have chosen a dark camel skirt with a burgundy pair of tights and a dark red pair of loafers. Tabio have a great selection.

The alternative is knee high boots. Mum and I looooove this look and it is one that is extremely de rigueur. If you are in the market for a pair, now is your time to pounce. Just make sure that the hem of your skirt ALWAYS covers the top of your boot, there should be no gap. Then, of course, it doesn’t matter what colour your hosiery is.

One more thing about tights. A low denier is back in. Think Lady Di in the ‘Revenge Dress’, or even a bit more transparent. Worn with a pair of ballet flats and bingo, you’ve updated your look for this season. As well as a dress or skirt (as I am wearing here) black transparent tights worn with black capri trousers and pumps is also a great option for the evening. For the party season, try a polka dot version like these or if you can trust yourself to not ladder them then these will look and feel noticeably more luxurious.

My dress is so incredibly comfortable to wear. It has been made with a very full skirt in a super soft cotton. It has pockets! It is made by Stalf, a brand comprised of 8 women (with Paris at the helm), based in the Lincolnshire countryside, who lovingly design, cut and sew all the pieces by hand. If you are looking to spend your money on a well made garment that is going to stand the test of time and has not caused undue stress on our planet or exploited anyone in the pursuit of a low price, then Stalf should be a strong contender on your list of options.

Until next week, turrah! Let’s hope that this mild Autmun continues….