I love a good variety in every aspect of my life, 😉 and weather is no exception. For me, the change of season is what makes each season enjoyable. Even so, Fall / Winter is the season I look forward to the most! Especially, with clothing. I love to bundle up in cozy knitwear and feel the nip in the air on my face. I long for cold weather, yet I like to be comfortable. I’m one of those people who’ll feel chilly in anything lower than 23 degrees. Did you guess where I’m getting at? Fall and Winter essentials that keep you warm and toasty and let you enjoy a walk. It’s December already and Winter has officially begun, so I thought a good time to share what I loved during autumn and how I’m gearing up for the upcoming sub zero temperature.
1. Thin knits
The very first category in my book is thin layering knits. This is my first winter in a long time when, I do actually need something warmer than a cotton sweatshirt. So, I’m gradually building up my wardrobe for these months. Thin, breathable yet warm knits seemed like the best fall-winter essentials to start with. Uniqlo and Mango are the brands I’ve relied on mostly for a decent quality within budget options. During Black Friday sale though, I’ve also explored Arket and &other Stories and these were better than my expectations. Obviously these come with a bit higher price range. Nevertheless the products will last you for years because of the attention to quality. Let’s take a dive into my current collection and the brands I’m loving.
United Colors of Benetton
I was pleasantly surprised to find the thin wool knits collection at United Colors of Benetton. You can see the collection from Cashmere to mohair to merino wool in all styles – roll-neck, crew neck, v-neck, cardigans and chunkier knits. I picked up a few v-necks in pure merino wool to go with my work wear. I am keeping an eye on the other ones as well, maybe i’ll get a couple of chunky ones as well with some texture.
Uniqlo
The marino wool knits from Uniqlo are really good pieces if you are looking for something not bulky and scratchy. Extremely comfortable to wear and come in multiple colour options. I went for the classic neutrals – black, tan and off-white shades. They are perfect for me to pair with the trousers and Jeans options I have. I’m yet to start my cashmere collection. 🙂 For that too, Uniqlo has an admirable collection.
Mango
Mango has a good variety for wool blend / wool options including cashmere. I particularly like the color options and the modern designs available at the store. I got an off-white cashmere blend roll neck and a couple of crew necks from them. The wool knits can be slightly scratchy, however you can always later a thin cotton t-shirt underneath. I also have a couple of organic cotton mock neck tops that have been my go to during Fall. The Jersey pencil skirt is my latest love from the shop. Combined with a similar color knit or contrasting black with ankle / knee high boots is an absolutely charming outfit. Depending on how you style it, it can work as a cozy Christmas party outfit or a workwear.
ARKET
I loved the collection in the store and picked up this black slouchy knit jumper with fold up cuffs and slits at the sides. I’ve loved the warm fuzzy feeling, it’s like being wrapped in a blanket. The long sleeves and outturn stitching gives it an edge. I have loved wearing it with my skinny jeans and knit skirt. I can’t wait to roam around in this outfit on the streets of Paris for my winter holidays. 🙂
&Other stories
I’ve been following this brand for a long time now and getting my hands on some of the pieces was an absolute pleasure. I ordered a couple of cardigans online and picked one or two in the store. The Black striped cardigan with gold statement buttons is one of my favourites. My love for stripes you would’ve already seen in my previous posts. I also like Collared knit cardigan that gives a feminine touch with puffy sleeves. It would be great to pair this with a dress or skirts. This relaxed off-white crewneck is a cotton and polymide blend with very little wool percentage. Yet it’s soft and comfortable and a good layering piece when you have a wool roll-neck underneath.
2. Coats
Now you can’t imagine fall winter weather without coats. My love for coats is not comparable with any other winter clothing item. Having said that I’m still on the lookout for at least a couple of nice coats for myself. There are some great options available in all the brands I already talked about. In the meantime the trench coats I picked from Mango have been extremely useful for me this fall. With a warm knit underneath, these coats have not only made me look stylish, they kept me warm and away from rain. Mango has an enviable collection of winter coats to choose from. I couldn’t find one the right size for me yet.
I’ve been on a hunt for a camel wool coat, preferably a wrap one. Sadly haven’t come across one yet within my budget. I liked this black one from Zara in XS. I like how it makes any outfit look put together. It’a a wool blend and warm enough for Fall and maybe even early winter in the Netherlands. However I will need something warmer for even colder months.
2. Layering pieces
When the weather is unpredictable, layering in the best approach. I prefer to have multiple thin layers rather than one thick piece. For this I have a good stash of cotton full sleeves and bodies. For many years I’ve relied on M&S bodies and full sleeve tops with body with heatgen technology. This year I’ve collected a couple of full sleeve tops from Mango. Zara and H&M always have good basics in the section. I liked the thin sheer roll necks from ARKET.
3. Accessories
Caps, beanies, scarves and gloves are also non-negotiables in those winter days when you can’t step out without your fingers turning blue. I’ve seen good options in Zara, H&M, Mango, Arket, Espirit and &Other stories. You have variety from cotton to wool to cashmere. I picked up this tweed cap from Mango and the Black beanie from Arket. These are both comfortable and keep me warm and I choose depending on how cozy I would like to be that day. I’m thinking about picking up the beanie in a couple of more colors.
For scarves I prefer thin wool scarves in solid colors. Ones that aren’t too bulky yet keep me warm, without being scratchy. I’ve had this red pure wool scarf for years from a store in Gurgaon, India. I loved the quality they keep for all their pashmina shawls. They are apparently suppliers for Burberry as well. Well, if I don’t have the signature Burberry checks, I’m going with solids. This plain back one I recently picked from Espirit. This one falls more into a blanket scarf catergory, which will be good option for travel or in flight. I’m thinking about picking up a few cashmere option as well before this winter is over.
If there are a couple of thing I’m still thinking about collecting, that’s a few chunky knits and jumper dresses as well as a puffer jacket that can keep me warm if I were in Russia. 😉 Well maybe that’s an exaggeration. But warm enough and I’ll share when I’ve found the perfect one.
Until next week. Ciao!
