Winter Staples

Winter has officially ended. I will hang up my handmade coat, (a truly prized possession), and hand pick my favourite staples from the season.

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Outerwear

Wool coat

My winter coat was the standout piece, because it 100% served its purpose. It was necessary to be utilitarian, but I also wanted it to be beautiful. I was very intentional when it came to this piece, wanting it to be comprised of pure wool and silk, and as I couldn't afford to buy one, I invested the time into making it myself.

The result was a dream staple I've wanted in my wardrobe for many years.

Wool blazer

Another piece I made myself was a wool, houndstooth blazer. It's from my autumn collection that I had put together. I have another dream - making a tweed jacket. Specifically, a classic Parisian, Chanel-inspired jacket. I hope one day to take Susan Khalje's class and make one.

I am already thinking about the colour and fabric choices, but won't be able to start anything like this for a while.

It's good to have projects in planning.

For now, this somewhat Burberry-Cotswald inspired blazer is my favourite.

Sweaters / Cardigans

Longline-Cardigan

When I'm at home, I use my dressing gown as a 'house coat.' But do I enjoy walking around in a polyester dressing gown that's now about 13 years old? Not particularly...

It makes me feel dowdy and uninspired; so, I did something about it.

I bought a chocolate brown, merino cardigan that is almost down to my ankles. My new 'house coat'. I think everyone should have a house coat, (that is not their dressing gown); but I also think it should feel beautiful.

Sweaters

I have a good collection of cashmere sweaters, and the only thing I would like to add to this is a wool vest. Something to wear over the top of collared shirts for a preppy, almost academic vibe. I would like it to be in a plummy shade of red or purple, despite my sensibilities calling me to stick to black and grey. A chocolate might be nice, or some sort of rich toffee...

My star sweater for this season was my moss-green cashmere one. I love the colour and I feel it really lifts a lot of my wardrobe. I would like to get another in a similar fit that is a white or sand colour. Something light to, again, lift some of my dark-hued wardrobe. I noticed that I didn't have anything that went well with two pairs of pants I've made, and that in both cases, something light would be best.

The green cashmere pairs really well with my olive green shirt, which wasn't planned but a serendipitous companionship. I do like an academic theme to autumn and winter outfits. I'm not sure why... Perhaps it's because winter makes me think of fireplaces, huge leather armchairs, libraries of books to both read and write, and a touch of whiskey on ice.

Pants

When it comes to pants I wore jeans a lot this winter, but that's not necessarily where I want to take my winter wardrobe. I made a lot of use out of my herringbone pants that I made for autumn, but going forward I'd like to hand-make a pair of trousers for each season.

For next winter, I'd like to make a pair of draping wool trousers, with subtle front pleats and maybe even a silk lining in a contrasting colour.

I am considering a sand wool crepe for the fabric, which is keeping to my plans of lightening my wardrobe, with either a contrast or matching silk for the lining.

I am very inspired by these:

Whilst that is in the planning phase, I have selected my leather leggings as another favourite for winter. Leather pants with a cashmere sweater is a wonderful, luxurious combination that looks polished and casual. A sort of understated yet elevated pairing.

In addition, a pair of perfectly fitting jeans is a must. I typically stick to R13 and Citizens of Humanity as they fit me best. I believe in discovering, no matter how long it takes, a brand of jeans that fit like a glove; and then, marrying them for life.

Accessories

Both cashmere beanies were in full rotation all winter, and so were my gloves. The standout scarf was my reversible, plaid cashmere; which was also worn all autumn. I wore my teal merino scarf a lot, too. Both of these are from a local cashmere company Ahipao

Surprisingly, I didn't once wear the snood I used to wear a lot, and I think my black cashmere scarf got worn only very few times. (Once? Twice? Not thrice.)

I love the fact these items are local, and hope one day I will be able to learn to knit well enough to make my own. The journey toward a handmade life continues to dive deeper.

Shoes

My pick for winter would be my leather sneakers by FEIT to pair with my leather leggings and cashmere sweater, and then my Fiorentini & Baker boots to pair with jeans. When selecting my favourites, I didn't necessarily go with what I had worn most, this winter. (Which happened to be my grey Vivaia boots that I'm not actually keeping.)

On that note, this winter edit process has really helped me identify what I plan to get rid of in a bit of a spring-clean decluttering session I am about to undergo.

Loungewear

Though I despise the slobbery of mincing about the house in pajama-esque clothing, there are occasions when sweatpants and 'loungewear' are appropriate. I have one pair of sweatpants that are, you guessed it, cashmere. Recycled cashmere, actually; which made them much more affordable.

They're very loose, and I'll admit that I don't really like the fit; but that said, they make curling up on the couch with a hot drink the cosiest experience ever. Recently, they came out of the wash with a huge hole in the knee, (inevitable; there was a translucent, thread-bare patch just waiting to come undone), and every time I pull them on, my foot goes through the hole and tears it further.

I was looking to replace these with another pair of cashmere, but I know I want a different silhouette. I want a waistband without a drawstring, so they don't look like sweatpants, and I want a wider leg but a more fitted hip. Something with a bit of elevated drape. I found some for $300 and then a thought struck me... perhaps a luxurious velvet pair would be just as sumptuous, for a fraction of the cost!

I could continue with my handmade lifestyle by making a pair to fit the way I want, in a rich cotton velvet. I could even line them with silk if I wanted more luxury in the mix.

I need to choose a colour, (I'm leaning toward forest green because it would go with my merino cardigan so nicely), but I could make these for $70.

$65 for the velvet and $5 for the thread.

The rest of my loungewear is a grey cashmere collection, with a pair of thick, ribbed socks. At some point, I think I would like to buy some yarn, learn to knit, and make my own luxurious sleeping socks.

Inspiration

Some of what inspires my winter wardrobe choices are more imagined scenes, such as curling up in front of a fireplace with stockinged feet revealing a haze of burgundy nail polish beneath, and cashmere-jersey dresses and shawls. I imagine a glass of whiskey on ice to take the chill out of the night, or a glass of red wine to match the touch of flush in ones nose and cheeks from a walk outdoors.

But some of the inspiration comes from the learnings of day to day life. Waiting for ferries on a gusty pier, and taking walks around my neighbourhood on what can be very muddy terrain. Sensible shoes start to take precedent, with good tread and thick soles. Loungewear becomes ever more enticing, but being caught wearing it by an unexpected visitor never brings with it any sort of immunity to the feeling of "I wish I didn't appear so scruffy."

So I note some of these impressions and make future plans; like tailored loungewear that is elegant whilst also butter-soft, and draping trousers that have elegance without fuss.

My preferred colour palette for winter is moving into browns, anywhere from deep cocoa to toffee tones, and more plummy, burgundy hues.

A dream outfit would be wool crepe trousers with subtle pleats, some penny loafers, a beige silk shirt and a complimentary, but contrasting, cashmere vest.

Dream a dream whilst making the plans to get there. Every step deserves care.