This is a bit of a shopping blitz: The season changed, and as it did I found I needed a real restock of winter basics. I welcomed a bunch of new pieces into my wardrobe this month (and am saying goodbye to a few).

Because my London wardrobe is still very small, each of the four pieces that I'm letting go got an immediate replacement. Three -- a winter coat, pointed-toe booties, and a black cardigan -- were (mostly) expensive duds that I picked at the end of the summer than ended up not working when it actually came time to wear them in early winter (let that be a lesson!) and one is a retirement of an old favorite (a J Crew Breton). I've shown the replacements, not the duds, in finds below. (Thanks to those of you who weighed in on the white booties a few weeks ago: I ended up going with something a little more understated, and I love them!)

I continue to prefer brick-and-mortar shopping to online. An order of Boden basics was the exception, because I know my size and they are very good about giving measurements in product descriptions.

The new winter coat (also Boden, but found b&m) was the biggest purchase, but really only in terms of investment of time! I estimate that I tried on about 30 different coats in half a dozen stores to find this one, which I had initially thought was a bit too prissy, but which feels lovely and lean on thanks to beautiful fabric and lining, and suits me perfectly. Is was one of the least expensive coats I tried on, too. Let that be a lesson also! As Angie says, when it counts, leave no retail stone unturned and it pays to have patience.

Thanks to all of you for reading and for being such a lovely community this year. And a very happy Thanksgiving to those of you who are celebrating today.