Being super warm & über stylish are not mutually exclusive but you do have to spend more to get both. If you’re like me & love those crystal clear yet freezing cold days of Winter for walks in the local green space then you already have a mega coat. Now if you’re reading this blog then it’s safe to assume you also like your fashion. So I’m wondering if that love of fashion extends to your heavy-duty Winter coat or do you forego aesthetics for the best insulation?
You see, I believe you can have both style & substance – Naturally for a price of course. That said, there’s no way on Earth I’d have forked out a lot of money on a hard-core coat before my thirties. Good grief no, my priorities were shoes first then outfits, closely followed by handbags until finally at the bottom was A COAT. Just one coat would do for every occasion & it was the least expensive item in my wardrobe. To be fair it was usually treated pretty poorly. Thrown over the back of a chair, tails trodden by punters squeezing by splashing drinks & fag ash. Or shoved into a nightclub cloakroom where it’d end up stinking of cigarette smoke. And without doubt my coat was never ever warm enough when deep Winter hit. Mind you walking in the park wasn’t a thing back then anyway. The worst case scenario was catching the night bus home after clubbing although inevitably I was too pissed to notice the cold anyway. Ack my coats of old had tough lives, spending money on them would’ve been an utter waste.
Needless to say my lifestyle has changed exponentially since then & the coat now plays a rather important role in my closet. I tend to think long & hard about style & colour so that everything works in harmony. For this reason I’m willing to spend a reasonable amount on top quality brands. Naturally I take good care of my coats these days, giving them the respect they deserve. Equally I’ve learned the value of saving to buy a single superior piece that will literally last my lifetime. In other words there’s no new coat every year. No must have new look or “on trend” colour. Nope, I’m not up for that kind of malarkey when I already have MY perfect coat.
LUXURY SHEARLING COATS
In the coat category of MUST BE SERIOUSLY WARM my choice of style is either shearling or puffer. It should also cover my bony arse especially for those days when I sit on a park bench gazing lovingly at my three adorable children frolicking with our perfectly trained Boston Terrier – OK who am I kidding, I’m actually ignoring those pests & scrolling through Instagram.
The exquisite shearling coat I’m wearing in today’s post is from great British brand Celtic & Co. If you haven’t heard of Celtic & Co here’s an excerpt from their website. I urge you to pop over & take a look through their collection. I’m a huge fan & I’m sure you will be too! This is what slow fashion is all about…
“Our sheepskin boots and slippers are hand-made in our own, purpose built factory in Cornwall by a team of skilled craftspeople to ensure our impeccable standards are always maintained. We make our footwear to last and even offer a repair & resole service for our boots to prolong their life.
The premium sheepskins that we select for our footwear and outerwear come as a by-product of the food industry. We take hides that would otherwise go unused and transform them into naturally warm, breathable footwear and clothing that is beautiful, long lasting and luxurious. Recycling at its best!”
Not to mention the warm & cosy factor of this beauty is stratospheric! You’ll notice my new Dior belt bag again, wouldn’t you agree how brilliantly it switches up my coat? Incidentally if your coat doesn’t come with a belt, adding one occasionally is a really simple way of altering its shape & style. That’s another reason I love the belt bag so much. Its ability to modify most outfits affording them an entirely new look.
Cuff detail
AN UPDATE ON MY FLUSHPROOF BECOME VEST
Underneath my coat I’m only wearing a grey polo neck so for extra insulation I layered my BECOME vest. This gives me confidence that I won’t end up hot & sweaty should all the walking make me flush. Let me tell you I’ve put the BECOME vest through its paces over the past few weeks & it hasn’t once let me down. From running errands in & out of over-heated shops to meetings in London jumping on & off the stuffy underground. Cut in the perfect shape it styles with anything & copes brilliantly with sudden changes in temperature that we inevitably have to cope with this time of year. The BECOME set really is an essential addition to your undergarment collection especially if you’re suffering from hot flushes in Menopause. I honestly couldn’t recommend it more highly. Read more about how this clever material works to wick sweat away from your body in this post.
Moving on, let’s cut to the chase & drool look over some more exquisite shearling coats. These are my favourite picks from designers at the moment.
LUXURY PUFFER COATS
The other super warm & über stylish coat style I love for mid Winter is the puffer. I had an amazing three-quarter length puffer from Chloe that I left in an airport a few years ago. This coat was a gem, literally like wearing an eider-down quilt! What I loved most about it was that in addition to the high neck, there was an extra wide band at the hem. Not even gale force winds were getting inside this baby, plus it looked like an awesome funky cocoon. Fortunately it was rather old & had already served me very well. Although I did mourn that loss, I recovered quickly deciding it was time for a change anyway. I know I can be fickle. However if the opportunity arose to replace it, one of these stunning specimens would definitely be a contender.
Until next week gorgeous peeps, lots of love xx
*A ginormous THANK YOU to Celtic & Co for gifting the coat & boots.
Comments ( 18 )
Rozanne
Love the drama of your all-black look and that belt bag does come into its own worn that way, clever use for it! I spend happy minutes drooling over the Celtic & Co catalogue whenever it lands in my letterbox but haven’t ever taken the plunge. I love a cold, crisp day in theory but hate being cold, so my trusty Gant padded olive parka sees me through winter after winter. I find it a bit limiting style-wise, but it is so warm and so beautifully made. However – the new love of my life is that tangerine dream by Saks Potts!! *Sigh* X
MT
Ah interesting Rozanne, yep agree on being warm is paramount. Stick with the Gant & keep the Saks Potts as standby for the next purchase? It would definitely be warm enough & it is stunning isn’t it? Did you know it’s now 40% off? #justsayin
Allie
I have a very similar Celtic coat exactly the same but thigh length. I bought it 10 years ago from Celtic and wear it on very cold days. I am going to try it with a belt like you have done. I have never had it cleaned as I use a suede brush to keep it pristine when I need to which is rarely. It is the Best Buy I’ve ever made. I would also recommend their Toscana slippers – fantastic and very warm worth every penny.
MT
Hi Allie, so fab to hear from you! Gosh that is high praise for Celtic & Co indeed. I do fancy a pair of those slippers actually now that you mention it. I knew they’d be super toasty & I’m a full time slipper wearer so they’d get a lot of use 😉 xxx
No Fear of Fashion
You do have a lovely coat. I tend to spoil coats with a hood. I need a hood to protect my hair (here I go again) from rain and snow. But I do think it makes a coat look a bit childish.
I had a look at some of your favourites and was in shock because of the price. I am sure you wouldn’t pay that much.
I updated my fuchsia cocoon coat with a big plastic (looking like crystal) brooch. Thanks for the tip of the belt. I have a classic long brown coat which came with a belt. I always wear it without the belt, but why not change it? And I have a Max Mara black coat and a Max Mara wide belt. Used to be THE trend two years ago. Never tried it. Why not now?
Oh and for the record… you do not have a bony arse. I do. You don’t.
Oh and the bag belt…?? Looks perfect on the coat.
Greetje
MT
Celtic & Co actually have a similar coat that has a hood Greetje but I know what you mean & it’s probably not the type you need. I paid A LOT for my Chloe coat but as I said, I’d only have one super expensive coat at a time. I actually adore the Moncler coats but sadly they have real fur which is a step too far for me. Waiting for sales, shopping in discount designer stores like SPACE or buying second-hand makes more sense for me. I’ve managed to nab some incredible bargains that way, although yes they’re still a lot of money for someone like me. However I know plenty of women who would pay full price for a designer coat, particularly the heavy duty ones. It’s also worth pointing out a few of these are now 40% off.
I’m so happy to hear you’re going to try the belt with your Max Mara! I love Max Mara, bet this works a treat 😉
p.s. I bloody do have a bony arse! I’ll show you next time we see each other Hahahahaha xx
Lisa the sequinist
That coat is a real beauty, Michelle. I’m sure you’ll wear it forever. I adore how you’ve styled it with the belt bag… just genius and totally changes the look. I’m also drooling over the selection of coats you chose in the gallery. IdonotneedanothercoatIdonotneedanothercoatIdonotneedanothercoat….. xx
MT
Hahaha sorry Lisa 😉 I thought of you the moment I spotted the Preen x Thornton Bregazzi puffer. xxx
jamie
Who doesn’t love a FAB puffer?!
MT
So true Jamie!
nancy
Oh what a fabulous coats. I fall for everuything that is black! Very luxeurious! I never can find a perfect coat. I had a wool one but it is so old that it doesn’t fit anymore. And now I just can’t find another one that was that nice. I think I will settle for a teddy one! In black!
MT
Oh the Teddy coats are gorgeous at the moment Nancy! I love them too 😉
Suzy Turner
That shearling coat is absolute fabulous on you, Michelle! For my man winter coat I always have to for for a puffer jacket – one that should withstand the rain and the snow because we usually head north for our holidays and I need something practical! I bought a cute sporty number in purple lats year and this year I’ve splashed out on a longer one too (Massimo Dutti) for evenings out. Both of which I’ll be taking the States with me next week. I can’t wait!
Suzy xx
http://www.suzyturner.com
MT
What you’re going to the States??? Where abouts? Tell me more woman! xxx
lISA hALE
Michelle, I’m like you, staying warm is so important in the winter months. The shearling coat is lovely! I’m just going to say it, I love fur! I like the puffer coats as well, but they just never look as dressy as something with a bit or a lot of fur.
XO
MT
Oh gosh yes, if I’m cold I can’t think straight. I’ll throw my toys out of the pram pretty quickly & just go home 😉 That’s why I love sheepskin boots so much. Cold feet kills me. Growing up in Australia everyone wore UGG boots, it was kinda mandatory heehee.
Amanda
Gorgeous collection of winter coats! I love to wear them and these look attractive and stylish. I would like to buy some of these. Thanks for sharing.
MT
Thank you Amanda, I’d like to buy all of them! 😉