January 25, 2021

My Winter Uniform: For Lounging & Long Walks

Comfy enough for working from home in, cosy enough for your daily walk…

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What to wear in what feels like the 7891th month of lockdown? That is the question. Honestly the answer is – whatever the hell you feel like wearing. Want to cocoon down in your dressing gown? GO FOR IT. Wearing your tracksuit bottoms for an amount of days that you don’t want to own up to? GOOD FOR YOU. A hole-y old t-shirt that you borrowed from an ex-partner and never gave back? DON’T PANIC – the quality on Zoom isn’t good enough to see holes anyway.

I go through ebbs and flows with this and sometimes as good as it gets is me changing from my overnight pyjamas, to a pair of daytime pyjamas that are a little more socially acceptable for me to answer the door in. However, Mark is such a good egg at getting properly ready every single day and that’s rubbed off on me a little as I always feel 101% better when I’ve ‘got up’. It sounds like such a simple step, but a year into this thing and the wheels are starting to get a bit loose, you know? So from Monday to Friday I’ve been getting up, doing my skincare, putting on the teeny tiniest amount of makeup if I fancy it, slinging my hair back into a pony and putting on actual proper clothes. At 5pm they are promptly removed and I’m back in my PJ’s, but it’s an improvement on before, eh? My criteria that I’m looking for my clothing to fill contains two items; I want things that are comfortable for obvious reasons, and I want it to be cosy because our new house doubles up as a freezer and I want to just be able to throw on a coat over the top for my sad little daily walk – you know the one, you’ve seen the meme. Here’s my current uniform…

A CHUNKY JUMPER

Another post, more knitwear suggestions. In all seriousness though there is a particular kind of chunky jumper that I’m loving right now. It’s oversized, it’s baggy, the sleeves are huge and it looks like you’re borrowing it from someone else’s wardrobe. Whenever I put up a top that’s super fitting, unless it a base layer (see below!), I’m just not feeling it. I want ULTIMATE comfort and that means that it has to be 50% more fabric than is usually required to make a top. Of course the ARKET Alpaca Bell-Sleeve Jumpers* are a classic that fit into this category perfectly – I have the lilac and the beige. But this & Other Stories Fuzzy Wool Blend Sweater* looks like a similar fit and has more constant stock. Basically the bigger and the baggier, the better. And of course to pair with your chunky knits you need some chunky boots – check out this post for my recommendations of what suitable footwear to slip on your feet for all terrains.

SHOP THE CHUNKY JUMPER EDIT*

BLACK TROUSERS

Hear me out on this one because no, I haven’t regressed to my 13 year old self wearing my Tammy Girl black school trousers that I had to beg my Mum for when she wanted to get me the less figure-hugging BHS ones. But, a wide-leg black trouser is a good working from home option – promise. Whether you fancy woven or knitted, a high waistband or a low-slung one, you can even find some with an elasticated waistband! I just feel like it’s a solid option that are pretty comfortable if you find the right pair and they don’t cut you in half like if you’re sat at your desk all day wearing jeans. I went all out last year and splurged on these Toteme Arles Fluid Trousers* (now in the sale!) and have found myself wearing them way more than I thought, but even if you fancy a pair that are basically joggers like these H&M Straight Legged Joggers*, there’s something about the colour and the fit that takes them to the next level, you know? I’d also recommend eyeing up these ARKET Elastic Waist Wool Trousers* that look ridiculously comfy and come in three colours. If you feel like these aren’t thick enough for you, then scroll down to my ‘Additional Warm Things‘ section for advice on how I take my black trousers to the cosiest level.

SHOP THE BLACK TROUSER EDIT*

A WINTER COAT

I’ve basically got two different types of coats that I whip out for a walk. If I’m going more the pavement/residential route then I go for a wool number, but if I’m hitting the tracks and it’s about to get muddy or I’m freezing my absolute nips off then I revert to my puffer jacket which is perhaps one of the best things I’ve ever purchased. Of course if there’s an excuse to wear my second-hand, but basically brand new, Toteme Annecy Coat* then I’m here for it (this Mango Coat* is a pretty decent dupe). If I need something that has a bit more warmth to it then this ARKET Belted Alpaca & Wool Coat* (ad – gifted) is a nice option; plus points for the fact that it can be wrapped up and secured in place and is like wearing a blanket outside. The warmest one of all though is my ARKET Down Puffer Jacket*, which also comes in a floor-length version* for your consideration. If you’ve been on the fence about this style of coat then it’s time to make the leap. I purchased mine about 18 months ago and it’s the coat I wear the most during the winter months.

SHOP THE WINTER COAT EDIT*

ADDITIONAL HOT THINGS

It’s COOOOOOLD. So you might need some additional pieces to pair with all the things I’ve mentioned above. Firstly the BASERANGE Ribbed Stretch Organic Tops* are a game-changer; or just any kind of tight cotton top that you can layer under thicker knits comes in really handy. I always went for a t-shirt or something like that underneath but unless it’s skin-tight it can add a lot of bulk to your outfit and it still leaves space around your body for a breeze to get in. Same goes with my black trousers, of course they are way more comfortable than wearing jeans, but they aren’t as tight to the leg so sometimes I layer them up with a pair of tights underneath, or super thin leggings like the Lululemon Align Pants*, both for inside and outside the house. Another inside/outside piece has been my ARKET Alpaca Merino Beanie*. It’s a running joke that my Dad wears a hat all winter long no matter where he is and I am definitely my Father’s daughter because I’ve found myself doing the same. It just makes me so warm! And finally you can’t forget about your feet. My sock collection re-do has been very good to me and Le Bon Shoppe Grandpa Socks* that are a lovely cashmere-blend have been keeping my toes nice and toasty whether I’m out for a walk, or got my feet-up having some laptop time.