Did you know that in Japan, autumn doesn’t start until the beginning of November?
We spent our October holiday in sandals, sun-dresses and short-sleeved t-shirts. It was hot and humid, and I have to admit there were a few times (just a few) where I almost (almost) couldn’t wait to get home to my coats and boots again.
There’s just something about the crisp fresh coolness of autumn that makes my sartorial soul sing.
Mine is not a wardrobe built for summer. Instead, I prefer living in jeans, soft jumpers, thick coats and chunky boots. I love wearing tights with dresses, and I own an unholy amount of coats, scarves and wooly hats.
So to make a long story short: it got chilly so I bought clothes. Here’s what I picked up:
GREEN BERET FROM JAPAN
Bye bye bobble hats and hellooooo berets!
Every other girl we saw in Japan was wearing a beret, and they all looked so freaking cute in them that I couldn’t resist picking one up for myself.
To be honest, I’m still figuring out the best way to style it. Turns out berets are tricky things to attach to your head. But I already love the playfulness it adds to a pretty basic outfit.
I’ve now got my eye on this black one and this red one, which I think is going to be perfect for the wintery Christmas season!
H&M CHECKED BLAZER
Yeah I jumped on this bandwagon.
I’ve seen several bloggers swanning around town in checked blazers recently, so when I spotted this one in the Osaka H&M, I was lost.
I’ve mostly been wearing it with casual jeans and t-shirts, but I think it’s going to look ace in deepest darkest winter, layered with thin sweaters and thick coats. And when spring arrives, it’ll be nice with pretty dresses and ballet flats too.
It’s more expensive than any other blazer I own (thanks Primark), but the £50 was worth every penny. It feels strong and well-made, and I can already tell that this is going to stick around for a long while.
‘JUST GO’ NECKLACE
I’ve been online buddies with Rebecca from Runaway Kiwi for a few years now. As well as being an awesome blogger, she recently created her own jewellery company: Zeal and Heart.
She engraves funny, classic, and inspiring quotes on teeny tiny silver pendants. Jasmin has one with “Courage, Dear Heart” on it (a quote from the Narnia books), and Erica has “Choose Happy”. Both are lovely, but neither of them felt quite right for me.
I’d just about decided on the one I wanted, when Rebecca approached the Bangarang girls and offered to let us design our own limited edition pendant. (For those of you who are new around here, Bangarang is the collective name my friends and I use for our Whatsapp group!).
We debated and deliberated – trying to get 11 very different people to agree on one thing is no easy task – and eventually we chose our travel motto: JUST GO.
Just Go and visit that country. Just Go and do what makes you happy. Whatever it is: Just Go and do it now.
The necklace is made of sterling silver and there are just 100 of them in the world. They cost £35 each, and we’ve decided to donate all the proceeds to Headway, a charity close to our hearts, that works to improve life for people after brain injury.
I’ve been wearing mine pretty much every day since I got it in the post, and I love it to bits. You can get yours here now!
ASOS RIDLEY JEANS
I feel like I’m always hunting for new jeans. I’ll find a style that suits me perfectly, then go back a few months later and they won’t exist anymore. Or the brand will have changed the material. Or the sizes aren’t quite right. So I move on to the next brand and the next style…
My most recent discovery are the ASOS Ridley Jeans. They’ve been on my radar for a few years, as (again) I’ve seen quite a few bloggers wearing them online, but I’d never bought a pair until now. And I LOVE them.
They’re soft and stretchy, without feeling cheap or clingy. I picked up the high-waisted style, which sits perfectly where it should, and pulls me in at all the right places.
The 32″ leg length is perfect for me, finishing right above my ankle bone. (For the first time in forever, I don’t have to roll my jeans!). The button and metallic bits are all copper coloured. And best of all: they only cost £25.
Really, what more can you ask for from a pair of jeans?
Photos by Charlie Distracted
