Calling myself a “shopping expert” is not something I take lightly, and believe me when I say, there is a lot of leg-work involved. Fortunately for me, I happen to love spending hours in the shops looking for the kind of hidden gems that I know you’ll love, and if you’re in rush and want to know where to find the best pieces on the market right now, allow to me to share with you some of the best new-in pieces to land this month. And trust me–there are some good ones.
While I am a fully fledged high street devotee, it’s always exciting to look through the latest luxury collections and be able to shop designer pieces straight from the runway. So this week I headed into MATCHESFASHION, Browns, Selfridges and Liberty to scour the shelves for some new investment buys that would be perfect for the season ahead.
With autumnal dressing in mind, I’ve been on the hunt for the best coats, knitwear, denim and accessories to make getting ready in the morning feel that little bit better, and these are all of the pieces that really stood out. From the shearling coat to the best jeans for every body, (there’s even some sparkles in the mix too), I’ve reviewed 8 designer pieces that are worth spending a little extra on, and, just in time for payday.
Style Notes: I happen to be one of those people who are always cold and so naturally gravitate to summer, however autumn is the best excuse to wrap up in cosy knits and fluffy coats, a case in point–this Mongolian shearling jacket. An ultra-soft, super-strokeable coat that I have to add, did not shed at all, and I would wear with everything from evening dresses to casual jeans. Granted, I was incredibly warm on a sunny afternoon, but that is a testament to it’s cosiness (and the knit dress underneath), but it’s one I’m adding to my winter wishlist for when the temperatures drop.
Style Notes: I love leather, especially skirts and dresses, but one piece I never seem to get right is the leather jacket. The closest I’ve come is an oversized, vintage biker jacket that is incredibly heavy (and hot) and manages to be a pain to slog around, but this lightweight jacket is a game changer. Not only is it slightly quilted and just padded enough to be insulating but not bulky, but the colour and detailing make it feel like less of the “typical” leather jacket, and something altogether more premium. My only downside? More colours please Nanushka. This would be great in black or camel.
Style Notes: Let’s talk about jeans, because frankly I find trying on denim one of the worst things I could be asked to do. Really it’s all down to our shape rather than our sizes (just try on one size in 4 different shops and you’ll know that to be true), and as someone whose hips and thighs are far bigger than my waist, I’m used to denim doing the dreaded, gaping at the back and clinging at the thighs. Thankfully brands are cottoning on, and at Browns there is an extensive range of jeans that really do cater to all shapes and sizes, including Citizens of Humanity that managed to convince me into a slim leg for the first time in years. There’s a pleasing amount of stretch to these jeans which gives them sculpting effect, and for those of average height (I’m 5ft6), the hem hits in exactly the right spot.
Style Notes: Love jumpers but bored of crew necks? I’m all about a zip-up collar. Not only do they layer well under a coat with the collar out over the lapels, but it’s also a great means of necessary ventilation. Isabel Marant has been getting these knits right for years, and the latest green colourway scores highly with me, a chic, seasonal tone that pairs perfectly with leather, skirts, denim, even over the floral dress you wore all summer. Just add a knee-high boot.
Style Notes: If the chunky, Isabel Marant knit was perfect for battling the cold, this fine-knit is an example of how to wear a knit that feels a little more dressed up. I love the idea of styling with a suede skirt and a boot, but it’s also thin enough to fit under a blazer too.
Style Notes: I think it’s fair to say that there is a Rick Owens customer–an avant garde, experimental dresser who loves a sculptural silhouette, and until I tried this coat, I wouldn’t have included myself in that group. I will be honest, there were some tricky moments getting into this coat, its essentially an easy, belted wrap coat that comes with a separate scarf-stroke-collar-stroke-panel that wraps all the way around to create an extra layer. I found it near on impossible to wear in the same way as the model as tugging this giant snood down to your elbow entirely restricts the use of your arms, however, pulled up to the collarbone, and hey presto–it mimics the scarf coat shape that team Who What Wear are currently obsessed with.
Style Notes: Back to jeans, to pique my interest in one brand in particular–Khloe Kardashian’s Good American. Among fellow editors I heard it was the denim brand to try, and after trying them on for myself, I understand why. Again the key to these is their elasticity (the newest collection even allows you to shop the different levels of sculpting compression), but here I tried the regular straight leg that comes with a high enough waist to eliminate the waist gap so I needn’t worry about bending over (of course a Kardashian would have considered tailoring to a good bum-to-waist ratio). What remains to be seen is how they will continue to perform after being repeatedly worn, but they do score bonus points for their excellent size range of 0 to 24.
Style Notes: I can’t be the only person who feels instantly happier by the prospect of sparkles, and the moment I saw this skirt I knew I had to try it on. There is a matching top to this co-ord if you wanted to do head-to-toe shine, but until I have somewhere to wear quite so much glitter, I would pair it with a chunky knit. Is it too early to mention Christmas parties?
Style Notes: Another brilliant coat, this time from Joseph. An easy, uncomplicated, perfect teddy coat in a surprisingly flattering shade of blush. I would usually stick to neutrals when buying a coat to make sure it would go with everything in my wardrobe, but this is just the right warm-toned, shade to be almost beige, so I think that counts. My recommendation here is to size up to make the most of a cuddly, slouchy fit rather than true to size.
Style Notes: Thanks to Daniel Lee, we can’t think of Bottega Veneta without thinking about killer bags and shoes. The Jodie, the Pouch, the Arco tote and the Macramé pumps all inspired a legion of copies, and the originals now have a cult following. At a similar price to Loewe and around half the price of a Chanel bag, the Cassette is one of the favourites, and the latest drop has treated us to some exciting new colourways like this oxblood burgundy. An ideal everyday bag for its shape and size, and a much better trend than the teeny, tiny micro bag.
