Lands’ End makes great puffer coats, or parkas. I like them for many reasons. They are good value at the price and quality. They’re weatherproof and available across a variety of thicknesses and lengths. They come in colours across regular, petite, plus and tall sizes. And of course, they look stylish.

Lands’ End is currently offering 30% off all Winter essentials, which ends just before midnight tonight. The following styles are particularly good:

• Women’s Regular Down Chalet Long Coat: This is the puffer coat for Team Tall with Long Arms. The length is divine and the quilted squares are surprisingly flattering and fashionable. Comes with a removable hood. 
• Women’s Regular Everyday Down Maxi Coat: Another excellent option for tall ladies, or for shorter lasses who need extra coverage to keep warm. The curved seaming is also surprisingly flattering, as is the waist defining silhouette. 
• Women’s Regular Quilted Insulator Coat: Lightweight, ladylike, and suited to warmer Winter temperatures. Read the rave reviews. 
• Women’s Shimmer Down Coat: A shorter and more conventional puffer style with faux fur trim. The horizontal seaming is less flattering, but that’s offset by darts that add structure to the coat. 

Lands’ End puffer coats feature in my clients’ wardrobes every season across many styles and colours. They tend to run a little big so if you wear a very small size, you might be sized out of their extra small.

It struck me how catalogues, magazines, retailers and fashion bloggers are combining breezy footwear with warm Winter outfits. Insulating top layers like sweaters, wool coats, puffer coats and beanies are finished off with breezy footwear like sockless slipper flats, ballet flats, pumps and peep-toe booties. To my eye these outfits look seasonally confused and top heavy. It makes even less sense from a practical standpoint, because if it’s cold enough to wear a wool coat or puffer, surely you need to insulate your feet with socks and boots to feel comfortable?

I see “summer footwear” worn with woolly Winter outfits on the streets of Seattle, and shiver at the sight of their cold feet. 

I started thinking about how these seasonally confused outfits might make sense. Maybe others don’t get cold feet like I do, and tend to overheat. Or they are prepared to brave the cold outside in order to be more comfortable in heated indoor temperatures once their outer layers are removed. Or perhaps they are taking into account that temperatures heat up during the day, and they are dressing their feet for the warmest part of the day.

Whatever the rationale, these options don’t work for me no matter how fashionable the combination. Wearing knee-highs with pumps and slipper flats wouldn’t keep me warm enough either. I’m grumpy when I’m cold, so I must insulate my feet when I’m wearing warm top layers. I would much rather feel too warm than too cold. 

I do have a double standard when it comes to seasonally confused outfits. Wearing Winter shoes, like booties or boots with flimsy Summer dresses, skirts and shorts, makes complete sense to me. Some people view those outfits as seasonally confused and bottom heavy, but to my eye they look grounded because the weight is at the bottom and not on top. Others would also call the outfit impractical because if it’s warm enough to wear a dress or shorts, why wear Winter footwear? Well. I like to keep my feet covered year round so wearing slipper flats and closed toe shoes in warm weather works for me. Men wear covered shoes and socks with Summer outfits, so why wouldn’t the same concept work for women? 

Over to you. Does wearing a warm Winter outfit with breezy footwear look and feel seasonally confused?

This outfit formula was inspired by a street style outfit I pinned onto my outfits board. It’s made up of casual layers that are nonchalantly “thrown together” creating a relaxed and fabulous effect. You’ll probably have most of the items already, so start by shopping your closet. 

Here are the components:

T-shirt: Choose long or short sleeves, or a tank top if that’s more comfortable. Make sure it’s roomy and long enough to be worn untucked and exposed. Although you’ll be adding multiple layers over the tee, the point is that it’s visible to showcase a layered effect. I’ve used white like the wearer in the original outfit that inspired this post because it adds a fresh touch. But any colour is an option. 

Denim Shirt: A denim or chambray shirt is key, or substitute it for a plaid shirt “Pearl Jam” style. Wear it loose and unbuttoned to showcase the T-shirt. 

Black Jeans: Black jeans are an easy match with a denim shirt, as are Ponte pants or stretchy cigarette pants. Wear blue jeans if you like the denim on denim trend, or even white jeans for a more crisp effect. In fact, wear any colour denim on the bottom in a straight leg, skinny or bootcut style. 

Cropped Leather Jacket: The cropped length is necessary to showcase the layered effect of the shirt. I’ve chosen a cognac moto like the original outfit inspiration, but black is a fab option too. 

Statement Scarf: It must be fairly large in order to drape in front of the body as an extra layer. Wear it untied and loose like a fourth layer of clothing. Choose a pattern that works with the palette of the outfit. 

Casual Boots: Wear casual cold weather shoes like booties, mid-calf or knee-high boots. Wear slipper flats, fashionable sneakers or loafers if the weather is mild. I’ve chosen black booties because black footwear is trending, but as long as you choose footwear that matches your outfit, you’re sorted. 

Oversized Tote: A casual oversized tote is great with this outfit vibe. A cross-body bag might interfere with the multiple layers, but a satchel that can be clutched by its handles is another way to go. 

Finish off the outfit with jewellery, eyewear and watch as desired. Top off the entire outfit with a huge wool coat or puffer, gloves and a hat if you need extra layers for very cold weather.

Shauna from Nubby Twiglet shares eye-catching images from Tamasin Doe’s “The Print Revolution“, a book that explores how fashion designers have put the new technology of digital printing to use.

I love a good gingham, and Style.com reports that designers are doing their part to modernize the classic checks. In the slideshow with highlights from the Spring 2014 collections, Derek Lam’s blue and black combo, and Oscar de la Renta’s outfit with black gingham knee-length skirt were my favourites. The Stella Jean photo is a little work of art in itself.

Cerebella Design uses patterns found in nature as inspiration for their handmade and sustainably designed bowties and scarves. Conversational prints with a twist!

Fab Links from Our Members

For those of us who wish things weren’t so casual, Joy submits this Wall Street Journal article announcing that casual times may be changing.

LACeleste enjoyed this NYT piece about the value of personal shoppers and personal style. She loved it that so many of the style lessons mentioned by the pros, she heard first from Angie and other YLFers.

Caro takes a trip down memory lane and would like to share some fun fashion looks from ’80s bands.

In ‘How to Re-route Body Comparisons‘ Sally spells out what we gain and lose by comparing our bodies to others. Angie found it an interesting read.

MaryK came across an article about The Prowl, a social networking website that is similar to Pinterest but more focussed on shopping.

E loved Lisa Pippus’ post on extravagant low-contrast dressing with inspirational images and helpful tips.

Janice over at The Vivienne Files shares how a small alteration like changing the buttons on a garment can create a different vibe. Laurinda is all for this type of easy and quick fix, and cheekily adds “it might lead to the enticing garden path of flattering wardrobe alterations”.

Vildy was happily surprised to discover that women up to about a size 8.5 can wear children’s shoes. Bonus is that they are often a bit cheaper to boot, and they fit Vildy’s foot better.