I’ve spoken before about my love of coats. I think that a great coat represents a brilliant investment. During the winter, it is the item of clothing that will go over everything you wear. At the risk of judging a book by its cover, you could have the best outfit on in the world, but it is the coat that will be seen when you are on the move. You also need to make sure that your coat serves the purpose that it is intended for- keeping winter at bay. It is easy to pick up a good looking one at a very affordable price, but you may be compromising on quality and warmth. Always look at the fabric composition, ideally you’re looking for a high percentage of natural fibres - at least 50% and preferably wool or cashmere. On the whole, the more you spend, the more natural material you will find but that is not always the case. So do check.

I would always recommend buying the best quality coat that you can afford. Waiting until the sales is often a fruitful place to start. I would recommend spending the budget that you have on a better quality coat rather than trying to spend less than your budget. The second hand sites and shops can also be a great place to look for fantastic quality for less.

Having a lovely coat to grab as you leave the house will be a constant source of pleasure. It’s worth taking the time to find the right one.

N.B. If you currently have a coat that isn’t particularly warm then maybe try one of these base layers from Uniqlo. They are not bulky and will slip under most coats.

Mum’s sage/pistachio coloured coat is wonderful. Much like a room painted in sage, the colour is such a fantastic backdrop to highlight other hues. I love the combination with the soft brown trousers. It’s unusual but it works.

The coat itself is incredibly flattering. A strong, structured shoulder provides a sharp, modern silhouette. As a rule, it is a more flattering shape than a dropped shoulder (or raglan sleeve). Sharp tailoring provides the illusion of better posture (which I certainly need!).

If you have been into the shops recently, you will have seen that brown is everywhere. It is back in vogue. Brown is a colour that definitely comes in and out of mainstream fashion so if it is a colour that you love to wear, then now is your time to pounce! That is not to say that you shouldn’t be wearing it during the fallow periods, it’s just harder to come by during these times.

Styles being ‘in’ or ‘out’ is much less relevant than it used to be. Individuality is celebrated and being seen to have your own unique style is a good thing. I would always say, find your own rhythm and stick to it, don’t be swayed by ‘fashion’. I think that this is particularly relevant as we get older. Of course, if you are like me and love clothes, you are always going to be excited by newness in the shops but is is about picking and choosing the bits that work for you, rather than the other way around.

My jeans are by Matches’ own label Raey. The label is aimed at an older audience than most but is directional in its design. There is no sense that they are designing for an ‘older audience’ which I find SO refreshing. The brand use older models so you can see how the design led pieces will look on someone older than 20. The price point is above high street but the quality is excellent and the design is great. The collection may not appeal to everyone but hopefully we can all agree that It’s a very refreshing approach to a fashion led brand.