A good quality classic coat is always a great investment. It is the first thing that people see when they meet you and covers up any magnificent ensemble that you might have on underneath! For those of you that have followed Graham St from the beginning, you will know my love of a great coat knows no bounds but for those of you that have recently joined our community, I believe a coat to be THE best purchase, particularly in the sales. Black Friday is already upon us and the Christmas sales will carry on into the new year. If you are in the market for a new coat then now is the time to make your selection. My advice would be take the budget that you have for a coat and spend that amount in the sales, you will then own a better quality coat than your budget would usually allow for. A classic coat will not go out of fashion and your investment will pay dividends year after year.

This one that mum is wearing is from Jigsaw and is made from 100% wool. I’m not sure that it could be more classic. Camel is a front runner for the most versatile colour. The sharp tailoring is incredibly flattering and the long length is beautifully chic.

The lower end of the high street have some wonderful options available too. The quality might not be as good but the designs often are and a coat liner, like this one from Uniqlo, will help with warmth.

These jeans are made from a very traditional denim, heavy cotton with no elastane. I love that the leg seam is opposite to most current jeans. The seam that would usually be on the inside is on the outside and vice versa - it feels very traditional which ironically makes them more modern. This pair are super high waisted with a very satisfying wide, straight leg. They are from Mango and so come in at a good price point. I often get asked whether it is worth spending money on jeans. I think that if you are someone that wears jeans a lot and you find an expensive pair that make you feel great then it is worth it. Your cost per wear will become extremely good.

Shopping for jeans is quite a laborious process. There is no short cut, you need to try lots and lots of pairs on from different brands and find the pair that suits your figure. As a basic rule, the Spanish, French and Italian labels tend to cut for a more petite frame whereas the British, American and Scandinavian labels are usually more generous and longer in length. This is a very general rule but one that I find to be true very often.

Green is everywhere at the moment and has been for a while. It is an easy colour to introduce into a more neutral outfit. Excellent with black and white, it lends itself to being coupled with herringbone and tweed. When introducing a bright colour into an otherwise more neutral colour palette, I would inject a tone of the same colour somewhere else. For example, here I am wearing a bright green cardigan with a dark green sock. If your cardigan was dark red then a pink sock or neck scarf would look fab!

Photography by Alexandra Mooney

Sue wears…

Coat, £365, Jigsaw

Shirt, a very old favourite but very similar here

Knitted bib, from Arket and bought in store but this would work too

Trousers, £79, Arket

Earrings, £60, Shyla at Liberty

Sunglasses, £105, Ollie Quinn

Hannah wears…

Cardigan and old favourite but it is this style

Jacket £225, & Other Stories

Scarf, £49, The Tartan Blanket Co

Jeans, £49.99, Mango

Loafers, £79.99, Mango

Socks are from a selection at Arket (go in-store for all the colours)

-SHOPPING EDIT-

-Classic Coats-