For those of us in the Northern hemisphere, temperatures are cooling or plummeting, which means it’s time for cosies. This week’s top picks worked well on clients and in my own wardrobe. It’s great to see a range of colour options and extended sizes. 

1. Camper Wabi Slipper

This is a repeat top pick that is worth a second mention. I wear slippers at home and am very fussy about them. They need to be soft like a slipper but with a good rubber sole and fairly supportive. I’ve been wearing the Wabi’s for years, and replenish annually because they are the best combination of soft and comfortable support. Granted, they are not as supportive as Birkenstocks. I have recently switched to the pretty light blue. They look neat and polished on your feet too. Hubs Greg has the same slippers in men’s sizes. My feet are narrow and Greg’s are wide and the slippers fit us equally well.

2. Good American Jeans

Try Good American jeans if you have a curvy figure. Sizes usually run from a US0 to a US24. Sometimes the smaller sizes run a little large. This season, both pairs of flared jeans get my top pick. They have worked on petites with a hacked hem, while adequately retaining their flared integrity.

3. ECCO Hi-Tops

Unlike Converse, both pairs of ECCO hi-tops here have side zippers so that you don’t need to tie and untie laces. Both styles have worked well for higher volume feet, and can accommodate orthotics. But if you don’t wear orthotics and have short toes, you might need to size down. The cap on the white Flexure style is more grey than white. Both styles are unfortunately too wide for me.

4. Uniqlo Puffers and Parkas

Most people have a Uniqlo puffer coat or jacket of sorts these days, or at least someone in the family does. And with good reason because they are very well made, affordable, look great, offer current styling, and are available in a deep assortment of colours and silhouettes. You can also pick your level of warmth and length. I found their puffer styles to run a little big, but ideal for multiple under layers.

5. Athleta Gap Transit Crew Sweater and Beanie

If you’re into a sporty or athletic looks, these sweaters with matching beanie are quite yummy. It was the neon that attracted me to them, so I had a closer look. Lightweight, soft, fluid, and very casual. Fun for post workout relaxing too.

6. Rebecca Minkoff Janica Sweater

A forum member paired this graphic and biker-inspired darling with bootcut jeans and looked like a million bucks. A trendy short but not too short length unless you are long in the waist. The fluid but not too fluid silhouette can work well on a larger bust and curvy figure.

7. Banana Republic Cashmere Stripe Sweater

The quality of knitwear is extremely inconsistent across all price points these days, and there isn’t that much we can do about it. As a result, I’m very careful about which brands I purchase knitwear from, and I’m down to three or four retailers. Banana Republic was not one of them, so I’m taking a chance with these cashmere stripe pullovers because they remind me of Boden stripes and quality. The cashmere price point is reasonable, but not dirt cheap either. Stay away from dirt cheap cashmere! I committed to the pink and red stripe, and so far so good. Let’s hope the quality continues its good wicket.

8. Boden Kemble Coat

A super cute and cuddly teddy bear sherpa topper with glowing reviews. Thick but streamlined and not overly bulky. Semi-structured, forgiving, playful, Modern Retro, and accommodates layers. The blue is a little more green in person. Works well with dresses and skirts too.

9. Ann Taylor Plaid Faux Fur Jacket

This rich and yummy faux fur jacket looks better in person and is quite unique. Patterned, dark but not black, and very rich. It’s a little more tailored at the waist than the norm, which gives it a more chic and polished appearance. Excellent on those with shorter necks. Good side entry pockets, and wear it over just about anything.

There’s been a lot of trendy change with lengths this year, with the new shorter full-length pants worn with flats at the top of the list. Maxi coats that are calf-length, extending well beyond the knees, but are shorter than ankle lengths, are gaining momentum too. The idea is to combine the two newer lengths into one outfit to create fresh proportions, going shorter on the pants, and longer on the coat. The collection below shows some examples with flats and heels. The pants and jeans shown are roomy because of the fashionable movement away from skinnies.

To my eye, these are fun new proportions that work really well. A maxi coat that finishes well beyond the knee can overwhelm almost any frame, especially with flat footwear. Raising the hem lengths of the pants and jeans by showcasing the foot and shoe seems to visually ground the outfit and give the look some structure. Floor-skimming full-length bottoms worn with maxi coats might create a tad too much fabric when the pants are wide from thigh to hem. Bootcuts with floor-skimming lengths, on the other hand, can work well because of the structured fit on the thighs. Note that the lengths of these pants are longer than cropped pants. That way you can insulate with high-shaft boots and sneakers, and wear long cosy socks.

I own the components of the Topshop example here, and I’m wearing it right now. I’m loving my bright red maxi coat worn with most things, and it’s fun with my new shorter full-length wide jeans that I pair with flat boots or hi-top Converse sneakers. Some important styling additions personally make the difference to me though. My tops are fluid or fitted and tucked or semi-tucked to create structure and lengthen the leg line in flat footwear. My maxi coat is very tailored, so that the length does not overwhelm my slight frame.

Every fashion professional has their thing, and the lengths of wardrobe items is mine. A small adjustment to the length of something makes a huge difference to my eye, and I’ll split hairs about it. So seeing the lengths of fashionable items change quite dramatically is huge for me, but perhaps not for you.

What do you think of shorter full-length pants worn with longer coats? Fab or not so fab?

This week’s outfit formula is for those who enjoy wearing dark colours from head to toe, but not necessarily black from head to toe. These casual and dressy outfits showcase a lot of black, which you could substitute with shades of dark blue if that’s more your cup of tea. The outfits are low contrast, and a good mix of trendy and classic. 

1. Casual Black with Burgundy Accent

Combine a pair of black leggings, jeggings or skinnies with a black voluminous piece that oozes drape and texture. The column of dark neutral needn’t be black, as long as it’s dark and neutral. Add burgundy footwear to break up the black. Add a dark bag that works with the low-contrast palette. The leggings and bag are classic. The slouchy boots are trendy, and the poncho is a little avant-garde.

2. Dressy Brown and Olive

Combine a dressy dark olive skirt and top to create a column of dark neutral. The belt at the waist is optional. Layer a dark brown topper over the lot, and perhaps throw in a pair of olive boots. A pair of dark brown boots that match the topper will work as well. I can see this combination working beautifully with black and navy. All items are on-trend, apart from the classic pullover.

3. Dressy Black and Burgundy

Combine a pair of dressy dark burgundy bottoms with a black top and jacket. Finish off the look with black shoes and bag. Sub a skirt or pair of pants for the culottes if that’s more to your taste. Wear a black pullover if jacket and blouse aren’t your thing. I love the way the burgundy breaks up the black. The blazer and bag are classic and the rest is on-trend.

4. Casual Brown and Olive

Combine a pair of dark brown leggings, jeggings or skinnies with a dark olive top and dark brown topper. Finish off the look with dark brown, olive or black flat footwear. I like the addition of the white soles of the sneakers here, which is the only bit of high contrast in all these outfits. The leggings and pullover are classic, and the rest is on-trend.

Wearing dark neutrals from head to toe is popular with some of my clients, who feel chic, soothed and powerful wearing the combination. They rock their looks and I unconditionally support what makes them feel fabulous. For my own style, I add high contrast white, cream or a bright to a dark combination because that makes me feel fabulous. How about you?

A handful of my casual clients do extremely well with items from Everlane. I’m also drawn to the simple, crisp and clean integrity of their relaxed merchandise, and have over the years ordered my fair share of items from the brand. So far, nothing has worked out 100% for me. Footwear was too wide or hard. Knitwear was too big in the smallest size, or the colours didn’t tickle my fancy.

I don’t give up on retailers that easily, so I kept on trying because I like the Everlane design sensibility and price point. Their quality can be inconsistent, but it’s fair to say that of most retailers these days. After seeing our forum members rock Everlane’s Cotton Mock Neck Cropped Sweater, I was motivated to try the pristine darling in white. I ordered the item and patiently waited for it to arrive.

Weeks went past, and nothing. I eventually tracked down the parcel, which had apparently been delivered weeks before that. The parcel was delivered to our old Seattle address. I wrote to customer service and explained the situation. Within minutes Everlane responded and apologized profusely. Without question, they shipped another sweater to the right address right away, and free of charge. WOW. I was greatly impressed.

The new order came a few days later. Excitedly, I ripped open the package and tried on the sweater. I liked the look, silhouette and quality, but it was a size too big. It was already the smallest size in the style so I couldn’t size down. Ordinarily, I’d have shipped back the order and moved on. But in this case I felt strangely loyal about keeping the item because Everlane had been awfully attentive and wonderful about reshipping another order unconditionally, promptly and free of charge.

I’ll see if I can shrink the sweater in the dryer after a laundry cycle since it’s 100% cotton. Failing that, I will donate it to Dress For Success Seattle, who will be all too happy to receive the item.