Must Haves This Winter!

The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder and it's finally time to pack away the mini skirts and hotpants for a while. Yes, it seems winter is finally here. The best TV is back on the box, the weathermen have already hinted that it may snow soon and best of all this means it's almost Christmas!

However it's so hard to choose what to wear in winter! No matter what you wear the moment it snows your tootsies are going to get wet and/or cold and there's always this awkward moment when you step inside, bundled up to the max from the cold and then the heat hits you - cue the frantic strip of hats, gloves, scarfs, coats, jumpers and whatever else. But it always helps to be stylish!

This winter's theme has to be rust. Rusty browns, wine reds and mustard yellows should be the staple pieces in your wardrobe this winter. Although jeans are comfortable, this winter it's definitely time to experiment with different stays to keep warm AND stay stylish at the same time. Try ditching your jeans for a pair of stone coloured chinos or even a knitted skirt with thick, grey tights. The options are endless.

Here are some of my top picks for the perfect winter wardrobe ;

The Knitted Granny Skirt

Clockwise from top left ;

Petites Intarsia Knit Skirt, £20.00, Miss Selfridge

Brenta Fairisle Knitted Mini Skirt in Camel, £11.99, Missguided.co.uk

Black Fairisle Midi Tube Skirt, £20.00, River Island

Snowflake Knitted Mini Skirt Cream/Black, £10.00, Funkydivaa.com

This is definitely a tricky trend to pull off as the style definitely reminds you of old grannies! However with the skirt short and feminine it could definitely give off a vintage vibe. Wear with black tights and a simple plain white or black vest top, nothing to take the attention away from the skirt. My personal favourite from the ones featured above is definitely the Brenta Fairisle Knitted Mini Skirt from Missguided, it looks just that little bit more different with a bit more colour and looks a bit more Christmasy to me. For those of you worried about getting frost bite, the Fairisle Midi Tube Skirt from River Island is ideal as it's much longer and will therefore keep you extra warm.

Wine Red Tones

Clockwise from top left ;

Long Sleeve Basic Top In Wine, £5.99, Funkydivaa.com

Wine Red Stretch Skinny Belt Jeans, £29.99, Quiz Clothing

Snake Peep Toe Platform Court, £19.99, New Look

Kelly Jersey Short Sleeve T-Shirt, £10.00, Boohoo.com

This deep but warm shade is absolutely gorgeous and is perfect for those cold nights this winter. Add a bit of warmth to your outfit by wearing this daring wine red shade which best goes with both cream and rusty brown shades. The items featured above are lovely for winter, the top from Funkydivaa has long sleeves to keep you warm, whereas the skinny fit jeans are, er, so skinny that no cold will get in! 

Mustard Yellow Must Haves!

Clockwise from top left ;

Lace Collar Chiffon Top, £12.99, Missrebel.co.uk

F&F Funnel Neck Coat, £25.00, Clothing at Tesco

Evangelie Jersey Leggings, £5.99, Missguided.co.uk

Ochre Bobble Scarf, £18.00, Miss Selfridge

As you've probably guessed from the many posts I've done about this, mustard yellow is a really big thing right now! The only thing to remember is to use it sparingly - as it's such an out there colour! A subtle addition of this colour - like with a scarf such as the Ochre Bobble Scarf - is the perfect addition to an outfit. A bright, fitted coat in this gorgeous colour will also keep you especially warm this winter. Mustard yellow looks great with chocolately browns or, if you're feeling brave, wine reds like the ones featured earlier in this post!

Rusty Browns

Clockwise from top left ;

Corsage Necklace Tee, £12.99, Missrebel

Bellina Skinny Jeans In Brown, £25.99, Missguided.co.uk

Flannel Chain Belted Shorts, £36.00, Topshop

Vero Moda Nordic Snowflake Knit Dress, £38.00, ASOS.com

Browns are always big when it comes to Autumn/Winter, but this year the main tone is 'rusty brown'. Luckily, brown is a warm colour which means you'll look picture perfect during those cold days, and brown also goes with pretty much anything! Wear big, comfy white or black ugg boots with the pair of Bellina Skinny Jeans from Missguided, or wear a pair of massive thick tights with either the shorts or the dress.

Finally, not forgetting the perfect finishing touch to your very stylish winter outfits - the nail colours! Without a doubt, buy all the coolest winter shades in one go when purchasing Models Own' Autumn/Winter Collection, priced at £20 and available from Modelsownit.com

Left To Right -

Grace Green,

Purple Ash,

Becca's Brown,

Purple Grey,

Mushroom

and 

Nude Beige

Keep an eye out for an upcoming shopping haul post, showcasing all my winter autumn purchases from Funkydivaa (some of which appear here!). Also do not forget that you can receive an exclusive to this blog 15% discount to use at Funkydivaa when entering the code LOUISE15 at check out!

www.missselfridge.com / www.missguided.co.uk / www.riverisland.com / www.funkydivaa.com / www.quizclothing.com / www.newlook.com / www.boohoo.com / www.missrebel.co.uk / www.clothingattesco.com / www.topshop.com / www.asos.com / www.modelsownit.com

Wednesday Wishlist

High Waist Denim Shorts, £19.99 New Look

Get those legs out now that its summer! These high waist shorts ooze sophistication and can be both vintage and contemporary. Best worn with wedges, or with shoes like the ones above, these shorts will make it look like your legs go on forever! Try being bold and teaming them with a lace leotard and even higher heels for a night out. High waist shorts are the perfect wardrobe essential to go from day to night in no time.

Kirsty Two Pocket Jersey Cardigan, £5.00, Boohoo.com

This adorable cardigan is the perfect pick for brightening up or adding colour into any outfit. With such a lovely shade for summer, this cardigan would look gorgeous over a plain white dress or outfit. And at £5.00, its a real bargain! It's also available in red too.

Porsha Ruffle Hanky Hem Tunic, £15.00, Boohoo.com

I love this! This girly waterfall top is so cute and light that it can be worn for just about anything. This is the type of top that I'd wear casually on a day to day basis with skinny fit jeans and pumps. I'd probably team a long cardigan with it too. Soft blue nails would match this top, with lots of oversized rings too!

Sleeveless Studded Blouse Top in Coral, £14.99, Funkydivaa.com

I've really been digging (haha retro) these types of tops lately. They're so effortlessly smart and bang on trend with the peter pan collar, but can also be worn casually. Lately I've also been seeing them with studs in like this one, and I really, really love this twist. It really glams up the top and gives it a bit of an edge. This means that before where it could be worn casual or smart, it can also be worn for a more glam event too. With the top being fairly long, it can also be tucked into a bodycon skirt or jeans. This top is also available in black or royal blue.

Floral Print Drape Chiffon Playsuit, £18.99, Funkydivaa.com

I'm not a massive fan of playsuits as I don't feel they are quite feminine, but this one outshines most I have seen. The floral print detail really gives it a girly look, as does the shape. This is a playsuit that should definitely be worn with a belt to show off a person's shape better. This one is really cute as its versatile so can be worn with a number of different things. Hot pink wedges would give this outfit real 'oomph'!

www.newlook.com
www.boohoo.com
www.funkydivaa.com

Wednesday Wishlist

Oriental Print Maxi Dress, £39.00, Miss Selfridge

I really love this printed maxi dress as it reminds me of warm summer evenings. It's a little bit shorter than your average maxi dress, so its a bit more floaty and girly. I think it's a really lovely dress that can be just shoved on over a bikini or just worn for a lazy, summer evening BBQ. The way that its slightly taken in too means that a funky belt would spruce up the outfit. A messy up-do with random bits of tousled hair hanging down with some girly earrings would suit this look nicely. Keep the accessories to a minimum and instead just wear earrings and some nice nude wedges.

MOTO Tangerine Denim Hotpants, £26.00, Topshop

These bright hot pants are the perfect way to keep stylish with the new colour blocking trend. For those of you willing to go bold enough, a bright coloured pair of hotpants would look amazing with a plain white top. You'd certainly turn heads wearing these, and, if you are really confident, you could instead team them with a colour block t-shirt in another bright colour. Again keep the accessories to a minimum for this outfit and let the bright colours do the talking.

Saffia Crochet Detail Tunic, £22.00, Boohoo.com

I hope you're ready for all the music festivals this summer! If you're still picking out you're wardrobe then you need to get this top - it's a summer staple for all the festivals this year. This gorgeous waterfall top - which is also available in white - would look amazing with denim hotpants and piles and piles of beaded necklaces. Oh, and if you're brave enough, this top would look hot with the hotpants featured before - very on trend!

Cream Floral Peep Toe Wedges, £35.00, Dorothy Perkins

Talk about shoe lust! There are just no words to describe how pretty these babies are! Ooh and the outfit ideas to go with them are endless...wear with a plain white dress, a coral playsuit...anything would go! Just remember to paint your toenails a nice bright colour (or give yourself a French pedicure!) as your toes will be on show!

Belted Flower Skirt, £22.99, New Look

This bold patterned skirt may remind you of something your nan might wear but its very stylish right now! Bang on trend, this flowery skirt is great for turning heads with such a bold style. A simple cream top, like the one pictured with it, would go perfect. Pile on the bangles to add to the look, and cream shoes too. 

www.missselfridge.com

www.topshop.com

www.boohoo.com

www.dorothyperkins.com

www.newlook.com

Wednesday Wishlist

This is what I'm lusting after/wanting this week..

Natalie Pleat Front City Shorts, Boohoo.com, £15.00

I used to be a hater of shorts when I was younger (believing skirts were far more feminine) but over the years shorts have become much more stylish and classy and are available in - thank god - more then just denim! I love this pair because I think they look quite glam. They'd look lovely with a caramel or chocolately brown jumper/top, some wedges and some nice thick bangles on a night out. I also think they'd be ideal to keep back for summer and team up with a brighter coloured top - perhaps a pale pink - with black pumps. 

Bella Bamba brightening pink face powder, Benefit, £23.50

I can also admit to using the same old blusher for years, but after an email arrived in my inbox about this brand new Benefit product, I'm all for trying it! I've been after a more coral, pale pink blusher for ages and this seems perfect for the job. Benefit promises that it will 'amplify cheekbones and create the illusion of sculpted features' and that this blusher is the first of its kind as its 3D! I don't quite understand how its 3D compared to, well, other makeup, but I trust in the Benefit Bible that it will make a difference and will make my cheeks look utterly kissable (as my sister once told me when she introduced me to Benefit makeup before a date!)

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

I've watched the film, I've cried the tears and I've even developed a small girl crush on Rachel McAdams who stars in the film adaption - now its time to read the book. I've just ordered it and I'm looking forward to curling up in bed with a hot chocolate and tissues to hand with this book. 

How I Met Your Mother, £30.99, Amazon.co.uk

Now, don't get me wrong, in no way am I ranting and raving about this being an amazing new show. I say this because this show has been airing for 5 years now and although I've only been a fan since last year, I hate being the last to be a fan of things! No, this is simply on my wish list because I watch each episode religiously anyway, and after watching the latest episode I've fallen in love with the show all over again. The latest episode, that offered a lot of drama but still laughter, reminded me of how amazing this show is and how badly I STILL want the boxset! If you are a late bloomer in enjoying this show, I'd recommend checking it out now. It's like Friends meets Scrubs (the main character, Ted, is exactly like JD!) and is based around Ted in the future telling his children the story of - yep, you guessed it, how he met their mother. And even on the 6th season, despite lots of clues, we still don't bloody know! But, we don't know in a good way as in we like to keep guessing, rather then Lost cliffhangers where no questions ever get answered until the very last episode. It also has great cameos from Britney Spears to Sarah Chalke (who played Elliot in Scrubs!).

Teacup pigs!

Awww, I want one so badly!

www.boohoo.com

www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk

www.amazon.co.uk