Some affiliate links used.
Hello! Popping my head above the parapet again after a long hiatus. I finally summoned some motivation to get back to blogging again. The last few months have been a bit of a slog haven't they? However, now that spring has graced us with her presence and lockdown restrictions have been relaxed I've had a spurt of enthusiasm for all things wardrobe related! Starting off with my spring jacket essentials - these are the jackets currently residing in my wardrobe.
Kicking off with the trusty trench! I kissed a few frogs before I found the "one". I managed to pick a Joseph one at Kilver Court Designer Outlet when they held a clearance 'pop up' a couple of years back. I've tried a few different ones in the past but none were quite right. When I tried on the Joseph one I knew I'd found a timeless style that would stand the test of time in my wardrobe. The trend at the moment appears to be more oversized and longer in style (of course I have tried one on!). However my advice to you is that you have one that you love then stick with it! Don't be on that eternal quest to buy the most up-to-date version which is a habit that I'm still desperately trying to break.......I have many duplicates of the same items!
Joseph trench via @kilvercourt - alternative hereUniqlo black cashmere crew - alternative here (I would go up a couple of sizes)Rag & Bone jeans via TK Maxx, past seasonPreloved Doc Martens 2976 via eBay - some preloved ones linked here
I've been turning to my beloved Topshop khaki shackett a lot lately. Mainly due to the fact that I've become a little obsessed with Kate Moss's off duty style. I was searching for some outfit inspiration on Pinterest - you may remember that I bought some boots from eBay last year after seeing them on a friend who was inspired by Mossy. Anyway I digress.....I came across these outfit pics and so my love affair with my shackett has been stoked again! Images via Pinterest
This shackett is so versatile - I love khaki with grey and it looks great with a pop of red. It literally goes with everything.....great for throwing over dresses as well as my standard uniform of sweatshirts, jeans and trainers.
Topshop jacket, past season - alternative hereBlack.co.uk leopard print scarf (gifted, past season)Levis skinny jeansBoots - selection on eBay here
Thought the boots deserved a close up.......they are sooooo good! You need to go up 2 sizes in US shoes, I'm normally a size six and so I ordered a size 8.
Boots - selection on eBay here
The next jacket has become a bit of a modern classic. Liner jackets have been around for a couple of seasons now and there is no sign of them going anywhere. As it's quilted it's one of my warmer spring jackets. It is an actual liner from a men's coat.....comes complete with missing armpits 😂 I got mine via @gerryjonesvintage x @thecuratory collaboration (both on Instagram). However I've found an eBay seller who stocks the very same one! Mines an XS but I would have preferred to size up as I'd love to be able to roll the sleeves up. And, oh yes......I'm touting more of those green tones I'm afraid but it is a colour that is definitely classed as a neutral by me! All in all though, this is another great little staple in my wardrobe......so much so that I also bought a black version from Aligne (see below). I find that they do make for the perfect tidy dog-walking attire!
Link to jacket - eBay sellerJ Brand jeans via TK Maxx, past seasonVeja Watu trainers, past seasonEfurt camo scarf, past seasonZara bag, ancient
This is the black version....which I have also found to also be incredibly useful!
Black Liner from AligneBlack.co.uk leopard print scarf (gifted, past season)Everlane sweatshirt (mines a small)Golden Goose TrainersPreloved Rag & Bone bag via eBay
There had to be a blazer in the edit! I'm currently wearing this preloved Warehouse one. It's a wool blend so a slightly warmer weight fabric for now. Predominantly grey in a houndstooth check. It's another piece that really pulls together a lot of outfits in my wardrobe. If you like a bit of colour to liven up your wardrobe try adding a bright blazer in a primary shade, after all your jacket is the cherry on the cake of your outfit! I've picked this particular jacket because it really suits my spring colour palette. It goes so well with all the different shades of grey and green in my wardrobe so it's a winner!
Preloved Warehouse blazer via eBay - alternative here Zara trousers, ancient - alternative here
Last but not least - a jacket I go through phases with. I have though found myself reaching for my leather biker a fair bit in recent weeks. I usually wear this more when we get into some slightly warmer weather as I like to soften it somewhat with a dress and trainers. More recently though I've been favouring it with some grey flannel trousers or a black wide leg pair. This has proved to be a great combo to wear into the office. Getting ready for work has been my only reason to dress up a bit over the past few months - I've always dressed down for work as it's a warehouse/office situation. However I've taken the opportunity whenever possible to smarten up a bit! This has been the perfect ensemble - comfy yet pulled together.
Denim Hunter biker, past season - alternative here
One last offering of advice to throw in this mix! This jacket isn't something you will see me wearing as outerwear......but it is a great little extra layer of warmth that you can stash in your bag for the chilly mornings and evenings! I have an ancient one from H&M that folds up into a tiny pouch (it came that way) but you can usually pick something similar up in Primark or Uniqlo do a range of down liners all year around I believe! I packed my winter coats away about a month ago and so mine has been an absolute saviour over the cold spell we've just experienced. I've worn it under the black Align liner jacket......doubling up on the quilting for warmth and it's perfect for under my shackett too! This is the Primark one - I can't link, you'll have to try in store. They normally stock it in lots of different colours.
Primark liner jacket - see instore
Here's the Uniqlo version which comes in a little carry about pouch like my H&M one.
That's concludes my spring jacket essentials!
Just thought I'd mention that I'm refraining from referring to the term 'capsule wardrobe' in relation to my wardrobe.....in case you were wondering. If you read my previous blog post you may remember that I did a head count of all the pieces in my wardrobe and since there is in excess of 200 items (despite decluttering another 50 bits since the beginning of 2021) I think I'm just kidding myself when I describe it as a capsule. So I'm dropping that phrase from my wardrobe vocabulary. I'm still in the habit of rotating my clothes every few weeks and just keeping the pieces I am actually likely to wear which is always very dependant on the weather in the UK. Although I've streamlined my wardrobe a lot, I'm still trying to root out the things I don't reach for enough. By rotating it also helps to keep things fresh which means there is less reason to shop. Everything I have now I would describe as either staples or my idea of wardrobe essentials - there is very little else I'm willing to part with! I'm on target with my goal of cutting down my consumption - though I have bought a few things where I've found gaps or to rejuvenate what I already have. I'll share those with you soon. As it stands I am very content with my wardrobe as it is just now.
Next time I shall be back with some sharing my spring top-half staples!
Michelle x
