Mum and I love a good basic and by that I mean staple pieces that make up the foundation of a wardrobe. I have spoken about this before - in order to make a wardrobe work for you, it is important to have the foundation pieces that link the ‘blockbuster’ clothes together. For example, I used to go to clients’ houses and they would have wardrobes full of clothes but have “nothing to wear”. This is because they had a wardrobe full of beautifully patterned blouses, statement coloured trousers and show stopper jackets but none of the staple pieces that link all those statement clothes together. In order to get the most out of your wardrobe, it is important to take stock of the clothes that you have and think about the simple items that you might be missing, which will link everything together.

In this way you will hopefully find your path to the holy grail that is ‘the capsule wardrobe’! Not only does this negate having clothes hanging in your wardrobe collecting dust, but it makes getting dressed in the morning SO much easier. Albaray is a brand that cleverly creates collections where the individual pieces can be intermixed. They design excellent fitting jeans that sit very well with their jumpers and cardigans in a variety of lovely colours and textures and coats in classic silhouettes that can be worn over most winter outfits - and all at a reasonable price point too. A winning fashion formula!

The herringbone coat that mum is wearing here is excellent. Herringbone is an incredibly versatile fabric. It adds interest to simple outfits but equally goes extremely well over a myriad of patterned dresses, particularly floral ones. This coat is the perfect length - you want it to be long - with simple, but effective design details. It also has a really good weight to it. and I Iike the waist tie.

P.S. Mum is just under 5.8” and I am just under 5.6”.

The navy peacoat is another wardrobe classic that should stand the test of time as is the Breton stripe! The fit of these jumpers is simple and easy, loose enough to wear a shirt underneath but equally good worn on their own. The slightly wider sleeve is a nice contemporary detail.

Now to talk about the jeans! The pair that I am wearing fit SO well. They have a high waist and are cut with a slight curve in the leg which has the desired flattering effect without being as accentuated as the barrel leg jean (a style that has been very popular over the last few seasons). They have also been designed with a turn up but can be turned down to full length too. Mum’s jeans are also a great fit. You may have noticed that wide leg jeans are very much back in vogue. When wearing a wide leg jean you really want them to be high waisted too. This creates balance and a flattering silhouette. On the whole, unless you have suuuper long legs, keep your top either tucked in or slightly cropped so that your waist is visible.

In terms of length, the hem at your heel should sit just shy of the floor - you can of course wear them longer but the hem won’t last very long, brushing against the pavement! We have paired mum’s jeans with ballet pumps but trainers, loafers and chunky boots would also look great.

As you will know by now, layering colours and textures is my M.O. and Albaray do such a great job of making this possible. Here we have (on mum) a textured cream bomber jacket, cream knitted cardigan (an excellent classic FYI) and a simple ribbed cotton (long sleeved) t-shirt. Layering is not only practical, but it is an affordable way of getting a high end look for a high street price tag. Hurrah!