The London Lookbook: Wrapped up for January
Happy New Year Coffee Break readers! It’s good to be back after the holidays and I hope you all had a fabulous festive season! I for one thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with my family and cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Despite some residual festive cheer, the advent of January does not fill me with joy. After the excitement of Christmas has faded away and we all go back to our normal routines, January can feel pretty anticlimactic. Today is statistically the most depressing day of the year – the festive season is over yet the cruellest part of winter is yet to come.
Trudging to work in pitch darkness through ice and snow is enough to blacken the mood of the most vigorous of optimists. However, rather than get down in the dumps about the inevitability of dreary January, this year I’m going to battle with the bleak midwinter. The best cure for January blues is to be kind to one’s self; there’s covert pressure to adhere to austere diet regimes, strict economising and generally curtailing all fun till spring. This time round I’ve decided to skip all that dreary nonsense and make the most of the first month of the year.
I find the comforts of home are indispensible as the winter tightens its grip; I crave clothes that are as reassuring as they are cosy. This doesn’t necessarily translate into new clothes for the sake of it, I choose clothes that I’ve had for a long time that I can rely on to keep me warm but not compromise on style. This is a vintage tweed coat that I’ve had for years and I always reach for when the temperatures plummet. My leather skirt is also an old favourite – it’s perfect for toughening up a look whilst remaining feminine. My mother in law knitted me this little neck warmer for Christmas; it’s perfect for staying warm without being bulky. My own mother bought me this jumper if from Celtic Clothing – having it on my back is like being enveloped the arms of a snugly teddy bear. I’ve accessorised with a skinny belt to keep the look tailored, and my long boots from Kurt Geiger for added warmth.
