Brush off your kilts ladies because kilts are back! For some of you of course, they may never have been ‘out’. They are an item of clothing that are a mainstay for some and come in and out of fashion for others. There is something so reassuringly nostalgic about this heavy weight pleated skirt, adapted of course from traditional Scottish dress for men - dating back to the 16th Century! I am a MacLeod so perhaps that makes me even more partial to a kilt!?

Celtic & Co design a wonderful array of kilts in both tweed, like the one that I am wearing here, and in tartan. Is there anything more chic than tartan in winter? A beautiful kilt worn with heavy knits and a full length wool coat - or waist length peacoat - perfection! Celtic & Co’s 100% wool kilts and skirts are made in Scotland by manufacturers who still produce the kilts for the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

I am wearing my skirt with wool socks (incredibly warm FYI) but this look won’t be for everyone. Opaque dark tights, in the base colour of the kilt would look great. Knee length boots worn under the hem of the skirt would look fantastic too.

I absolutely love the brown leather shoes that I am wearing here. They’re chunky in feel but the slightly pointed toe adds an elegance making them suitable to pair with skirts as well as trousers. With regards to pairing them with trousers, a slim leg, wide leg or barrel leg would all work well.

N.B. I am a 38.5 shoe and I am wearing a 38 (UK5).

Also produced in Scotland are Celtic & Co’s hats. scarves and gloves manufactured by Robert Mackie. Globally renowned Robert Mackie has been ethically and sustainably manufacturing the highest quality accessories from natural yarns since 1845. I adore these poppy red hand warmers. I think that wearing brightly coloured knitted accessories in winter is lovely for two reasons. Firstly, they can break up the dark colours (particularly coats) that we often wear in winter, adding a pop of something lovely and vibrant to an outfit. Secondly, hats and scarves in bright colours that suit one’s complexion is an excellent way of lifting the face during the winter months.

I love this style of glove, but what I particularly appreciate about Celtic & Co is that they offer lots of different styles in lots of different colours. Many people are quite particular about whether they wear a hand warmer, fingerless gloves, mittens or a traditional pair - so with C&C there’s something for everyone!

I also want to take a moment to point out the jumper that I am wearing around my shoulders - it is this one. I think that the design is so incredibly pretty and striking in its simplicity. The motif is in the same turmeric colour as the jumper that I am wearing here. This paired with navy blue is such a winning combination. It’s worth noting that if you are someone that is sensitive to certain materials, with this particular yarn you will want to wear a layer underneath. The fine knit turtle neck that I am wearing is from Arket.

Mum is sensitive to particular fabrics but she found this polo neck jumper to be extremely soft. We actually thought that it was cashmere until we looked at the label to find that it is 100% lambswool. The cut of this navy jumper is lovely. It’s slightly slouchy with a nice, high neck! For those of you that have been with us for a while, you will know that we are quite particular about our roll necks, they have to be high and hold their shape!

Let’s also take a moment to appreciate this lovely little corduroy jacket. Jackets like this one are brilliant for keeping a look contemporary. Ready by the door, they’re easy to throw on over an otherwise simple ensemble and as the weather cools down, they’re perfect for wearing under a wool coat as an extra layer. I love these jackets in denim too, but corduroy, unlike denim, can be paired with blue jeans which is helpful if you are a big jean wearer like us.

The pleat at the back of this jacket is an elegant touch.

Mum’s trousers are slightly wide, straight cut corduroy and cropped at the ankle. We absolutely love corduroy for winter, it’s such an excellent alternative to denim and a winter appropriate alternative to chinos. This pair is made from cotton, 20% of which is recycled Pre-Consumer Cotton. Mum found them to be very comfortable and we both like the charcoal colour.

NB Mum is 5.8” for reference regarding length.

These boots are made from cow suede in Portugal - like many of the best shoes! The olive green is lovely and ties in nicely with her outfit. I love olive green (particularly in suede) and burgundy footwear. I think that these colours are often as versatile as black but they’re just a bit more interesting.

One last thing, it’s Celtic & Co’s 35th anniversary this year….so happy birthday C&C!