Faux Fur Coats For The Evening

I've always thought that there's something about faux fur which exudes effortless glamour. And as we are now officially in December (yay!), there has NEVER been a better time to invest in an evening faux fur coat. Whether it's an office Christmas party, a winter wedding or a festive night out - I find that a faux fur coat is just the thing to set your outfit off perfectly, no matter what you're wearing.

This year has been the year where I've really gone a bit overboard on faux fur. My day-to-day coat is now a black faux fur number from Boohoo, which has been a life saver, livening up my boring jeans and Uggs outfit and giving me a bit of a spring in my step for the week days. And then, if you ever visit my instagram, you'll see various other faux fur coats which have wormed their way into my wardrobe...not my fault, I promise!

Most of the faux fur coats around can easily work from day to night and back again, but some are just too pretty to wear when your grubbing about day-to-day. This polar bear-esque faux fur jacket from Topshop is a classic example. I don't really want to wear it whilst I'm running errands...it's way too nice and its FAR TOO PALE to wear on anything other than special occasions. I don't want to get anything on it, I really don't!

So below I've popped some of my favourite evening faux fur choices, for those events that you need just something a bit special for.

Evening Faux Fur Picks

My Top Checked Coat Picks

'Check' out my top checked coat picks! Yes, I did just go there with a dreadful pun. But anyway. I am loving checked coats this season. I never thought I'd ever really want to wear anything that resembled a picnic rug, but there is nothing wrong with picnic rugs, so...why not? This is the year that I'm definitely trying new things with my wardrobe, after all, life is far too short to live in staple black coats forever...and I was lured in by the petite number from ASOS. It's also available in every size, yippee, so something for everyone.

I keep saying this but this year I've really appreciated the usefulness of bold patterns or faux fur when it comes to coats. A 'lively' coat can jazz up the most boring of outfits, and so when I can't think of anything more exciting than jeans and a jumper, a checked coat will certainly liven up the party!

Another new accessory in my wardrobe is this gorgeous City watch courtesy of Ice Watches. Ice watches offer a range of amazing colourful and fun watched for every occasion, I am loving my new pink piece, so if you're after a new watch this Christmas or your searching for the perfect watch gift, this is a brand well worth checking out! (Check me out getting check in there again!)

Top Checked Coats

Short Girl Problems: My Secret To Finding A Coat That Fits

As a coat-lover to the point of possibly unhealthy obsession, I spend way longer than I should getting distracted by pretty coats. But is there anything more annoying than finding your COAT OF DREAMS...and then realising it won't fit. No amount of sleeve-rolling, pinning or tugging will make it work. Being a petite lady at just 5 foot, this is a regular problem, especially the sleeves (why oh why are the sleeves always so long...) Petite coats are a god-send, but sometimes you want to branch out further and wear coats from OUT of the petite sections. So...here's my trick.

You just have to be a bit creative and look for the coats with either 3/4 sleeves or cropped sleeves. Like THIS amazing Zara number, the sleeves are so much shorter so...obviously...it's going to fit me with NO sleeve rolling or tailoring necessary. And lets face it if you're spending decent money on a coat, you shouldn't really have to go to the ends of the earth altering it. On a taller lady, the sleeves would of course be cropped, but on me, the sleeves reach my hands perfectly. Winning, and no sleeve rolling here, yippee.

Going for coats with the cropped sleeve or 3/4 sleeve has always been my way of getting round the sleeving issue when I get fed up of constantly rolling my sleeves. Whilst technically you're meant to be rocking the cropped sleeve if you're wearing these coats...whose really going to know...and it's something I've done for years. Admittedly, you do have to do a lot more in-depth searching for these coats and of course it's not going to solve the issue of fitting into every coat of your dreams, but it does open up some options if you're wanting to get away from solely petite focused clothing. 

Here are some of my favourite examples below!

Finding The Perfect Man Gift This Christmas - Gift Ideas

I thought I'd write this post nice and early (well, early in my book) because the 'finding of the Christmas man presents' is the task that takes me the most time. And causes me the most stress. And confuses me the most. I mean really though, what do they want?? Why is man shopping so hard? 

Luckily, I have a new solution for drumming up some inspiration to help find you the perfect Christmas gift for your boyfriend or for your man-friends or male family members.

I only have a small number of men-folk in my life to buy Christmas gifts for, four to be precise (and that is plenty - Nick, my brother, dad and granddad). Each year I obviously remain as flummoxed as the year before about what to get them that's both thoughtful and useful. I feel like a pressing theme is 'something useful'.

There are obvious, 'useful' things, like I suppose socks, underwear (don't particularly want to go there with brother, dad or granddad)...food...man objects like tools or gardening equipment? I personally see all clothes and fashion items as useful but, they may beg to differ.

Anyway, I think you can see I'm not great at this.

But THIS year, I have really started to draw a lot more inspiration from online Christmas gift guides to inject some much needed creativity into my man shopping. I've been really drawn to the online man gift guides that brands are now putting together themselves - I assume to give the rest of us some much needed inspiration when it comes to the men-folk!

Jack Wills have done some awesome gift guides this year, suitable for both male & female and based on general areas of life interest - for example, 'partying hard' (some awesome party clothes), 'the gym then brunch' (suitable gym and brunching attire) and 'a boxset and a lie down' (AKA chill gear). I had a great time browsing through them because these scenarios are so life-appropriate and can help focus your mind into areas that you can focus on for a really great gift.

Other brands with some cool and inspiring gift guides are Debenhams, Aspinal of London and ASOS. M&S do great gift guides 'for him' and they've even chucked in some 'secret santa' guides and a section of ideas for 'big kids'. Lol. Oliver Bonas also do a great 'for him' section with lots of cool and quirky things like picture frames and more 'object' based presents for your mans man-cave or house.

I really have found these useful so far this year because they can make you think of gifts you may not have considered and, if like me you struggle, give you a much needed dose of inspiration!

And OF COURSE I had to compile a small guide of my own with some man-items that have caught my eye, including bed linen and even an umbrella! Maybe I'm learning...

Spending Christmas In London

London is a place which appears on pretty much everyone’s travel bucket list at one stage in their lives. It is the place the Queen of England calls home, and also where most of the largest buildings in the UK reside. London is an incredibly diverse city- it has beautiful parks, bustling business areas, cultural hotspots and historical sites. But have you ever thought of spending your Christmas in the UK’s capital?

If you are thinking about travelling elsewhere for your festive celebrations this year, then London should be way up there on your bucket list. In December, the whole city transforms into a winter wonderland, and there are plenty of fun activities to keep you entertained.

In Trafalgar square, you’ll be able to see the massive Christmas tree which is donated by Oslo every single year. It is lit up with thousands of lights and decorated beautifully to light up the square throughout December. You might even be able to watch carol singers underneath the tree on certain days of the week to get you in that festive mood.

London is incredibly well-known for the ice-skating rinks which pop up all over the city during the winter period. There are plenty of ice rinks to choose from and you’ll be able to have a fun night with friends or a romantic skate with your partner during December.

As far as shopping goes, you’ll be able to enjoy the many fairs and Christmas markets which go on all the way through the month. You’ll be able to feel immersed in festive cheer as you walk through stalls with Christmas gifts, foods and drink. You can even celebrate the yuletide festival in the capital too.

During this time of year, Hyde Park opens its winter wonderland which runs from the middle of November to the first of January. It features a fair, Christmas markets and plenty of games for the whole family. It’s an amazing place to go for a walk and get yourself truly into the Christmas spirit.

You’ll also be able to go for a look around the VA museum, go for a spot of karaoke at Bunga Bunga in Covent garden, or just simply walk around the high street and visit the huge department stores. The city is a buzzing hive of activity this time of year and will make you really enjoy the festive season.

If you plan on staying in the capital until Christmas Day itself, you will be waking up to a beautiful, serene sight with quiet streets and lots of lights. If you want to go and eat in the city for Christmas dinner, there are plenty of places you can go as a lot of different restaurants and pubs will be open for you to enjoy. You’ll be able to enjoy the full spirit of Christmas in the city by walking through the streets during the day, and then going out for a meal and to celebrate in the evening. If you are looking for a festive city break, London is definitely one you will want to consider.

Bonfire Attire

I've always loved Bonfire Night - there's definitely something about fire, fireworks and sparklers (pyromaniac anyone?) that marks the ultimate descent into Winter and an excuse to wear giant fluffy coats and OTT bobble hats. As we know, standing round a bonfire is a serious business, as is attending a fireworks display or even just handling a sparkler - one must dress appropriately.

Bonfire Night is always done properly at my parents house. They spend all year gradually building an enormous bonfire, and every year they vow it'll be the last one because (well, that's the last of the stuff to burn!) But, each year, plenty always accumulates to burn by November 5th - so much so that the fire tends to get bigger every year. I can't complain though as I love a good fire and my inner pyromanic loves to watch a giant mound of leaves, general junk and the odd door cabinet catch fire!

This year I took my fire-watching responsibilities very seriously, wrapping up for the occasion in an old (but faithful) River Island jacket, an OTT bobble hat and wellies. Must look the part when in the country. The fire roared, the junk got burnt and we were even treated to a firework display courtesy of one of the neighbours. Thanks! Part of me also wonders if half the reason my Dad works so hard on building the bonfire each year is for the hotdogs and general bonfire themed food that my Mum lays on afterwards!

I've popped some similar items to this years' 'Bonfire Attire' look below and now that the hat is out, it'll probably stay on all Winter!

Live Your Best Faux Fur Life: Fun Coat Picks

I'm obsessed with faux fur coats this year! The cold weather turns my brain to the size of a pea and I find I become incapable of doing most things, including putting a nice outfit together. That's where a 'loud' or a 'bold' faux fur coat (or even just a faux fur coat) can be the perfect answer - you can put it on over pretty much anything and take your outfit from drab to fab. The bolder the better! There's also something glamorous about faux fur I find, hence my total obsession with it this year.

I absolutely love this leopard print number from ASOS - available in Petite , Regular, Tall, and Curve - yay! And I've realised that this year there are an incredible amount of fun coats out there. I think leopard print may be my limit, I'm not sure I could pull of electric pink, but for those more daring than I, I've popped some of my favourite 'fun' faux fur coats below! What do you think?

Fun Faux Fur

With Love | Adding To My Jewellery Box

I've always believed that the right pieces of jewellery can, literally, make an outfit. No matter what you're wearing, the right pieces always have the ability to give your look a huge lift. But as I've got older, I've started to appreciate that it's so much better to wear items which have a bit of sentimentality behind them, or some sense of meaning, instead of buying any old old thing and hoping it 'works' with your outfit.

I've never really been one to wear too many bold prints or 'out there' pieces, always preferring something plain and simple which I can jazz up with some pretty accessories. HENCE accessories have always been an obsession...however...when I was younger, my jewellery box was absolutely overflowing with...well, cheap rings, earrings and necklaces that I'd snap up mindlessly whilst shopping in town over a weekend. 

When I sorted through it earlier this year, I couldn't believe how much rubbish I'd accumulated over the years. I have to say it was mainly earrings, and I had an endless stash of crazy studs and hoops etc. Surely it can't be good to put so much cheap metal in your ears? But the main thing that struck me was that there was no thought, sentimentality or meaning behind my Alladins' cave of crap. I'd obviously just picked up these pieces for the sake of it and certainly in recent years, that's now the  total opposite of what I do with jewellery. 

I very rarely ever add to my jewellery collection now because I have a selection of pretty pieces that hold a lot more sentimentality than other items bought in the past! I have a sapphire ring which I wear on my right hand, a gold 'Holly' necklace, a Bridesmaid chain from my friend Elaine, and a set of gold studs that have been passed down through the family. These are the main pals.

And then like everyone, I acquire items along the way and invest in certain items because either they are amazing, or a gift, or the inspire something special. I've bought a few pairs of those tassle earrings (because they are awesome) and OFC love a good watch and sparkly bangle. And then  when I opened this beautiful 'With Love' necklace from Bijou Boutiques I felt like it really would be a lovely addition to the jewellery box. I LOVE the detail and particularly like anything unusual, which this necklace certainly is. They also stock a 'Tequila' necklace which I've got my beady eye on!

The Faux Fur Coat Of Dreams

Yes people, this is THE faux fur coat of dreams. Well, at least it is in my humble opinion. I'm really not even going to bother writing too much in this post as I think the coat speaks for itself!! But it's perhaps the warmest, snuggest, softest and most BEAUTIFUL item I've laid my paws on for ages.

The coat is a a Vero Moda via ASOS number in a dark, velvety green and it's amazing. I haven't taken it off yet. I will wear it all Winter. I've wanted something faux fur for ages and this coat honestly leapt out at me, I can say no more!

It's one of those coats that you can put on and completely transform yourself in, it could jazz up the dullest of outfits and even if you're having a bad day it can still give you that effortless splash of glamour. I'm so glad faux fur is a 'thing'.

Check out the outfit details below and for now, I will leave you with this beautiful beast of a coat.

The Usefulness Of An Unstructured Grey Coat

I love a good wool coat (don't we all?) - in fact, I love ALL coats, but if you come here often, you know that already. Last year I purchased the best coat in the world from Mango, see here, a grey, oversized, unstructured wool number which I happily wore all winter. Grey, oversized, wool. Doesn't sound desperately sexy or glamorous does it? BUT here's why I've spent the last few months searching for a suitable replacement and WHY I actually think a plain unstructured coat can be the most useful addition to your wardrobe!

 Every year, I get myself into a state over coats. No seriously, I do. So many coats, so little money. And every year, I feel like I always get it wrong - or rather, I love the coat I buy, but I see others in different styles that I want too. Or WORSE, I love the coat I buy but it is genuinely not practical at all for my life...so it sits in the wardrobe for special occasions. And coats are expensive, so that's just pointless!

I've spent years dithering between the coat I want and the coat I need. And with belted coats, hooded coats, faux fur coats, there's way too much to choose from. But really, everyone needs that one everyday coat to chuck on and that works for all circumstances. Not the leopard print faux fur number that you only end up wearing to a Christmas party. Every day (well, three days a week) I trudge in to work like every other miserable person in the UK. I don't work in a particularly glam office, and the other two days of the week I spend freelancing from home with no real need to actually get out of my pjs. 

So really I don't NEED a fancy, crazy coat for the daily commute. I need something useful!!

Enter the unstructured coat. Honestly the best thing I've ever discovered coat-wise, because it's so easy. You can pull it on over whatever you're wearing and be done with it. No fancy belts, no fiddly buttons, and no garish colours that will attract the derision and/or raised eyebrows from fellow office dwellers. I mean these pink faux fur coats and crazy print patterns look GREAT on instagram or perhaps you can get away with them in certain circumstances...but day to day in average-ville, those coats are just too much effort.

This one is from H&M and I think I've worn it every day since I bought it. (NB, just need to chuck this in, I'm not saying I won't buy other coats for other occasions...but just saying how USEFUL it is to have a practical coat for day to day boring life).

So there you have it, the functional, warm, yet elegant and highly USEFUL style of coat that I could recommend enough. Have a snoop at these below - BTW it doesn't have to be grey, I just buy grey because I always wear black and it breaks up the colour groups a bit...

Grey Coats

Shop My Knitwear Picks | Under £50

If it's not coats I'm obsessing over, it's knitwear! Jumpers and cardigans are my favourite thing EVER to wear (mainly because I hate tight clothing), so Winter and knitwear = excuse to wear pretty, loose jumpers alllll the time! Happy happy. This New Look jumper (linked here in purple) is one of my favourite new purchases (might also have bought it in pink...) and obviously there are so many others I want (but can't have) so I've popped by top picks below, all under £50! Let me know what you think!

Shop Here

Are You Too Nice? 4 Signs You Might Be

Is there anything wrong with being a nice person? Absolutely not. But is there such a thing as being too nice? YES - there absolutely is!

What is 'too nice' anyway? Well I'm starting to see the glaring difference between being nice and being a perceived soft touch. In essence, I suppose it's a form of people pleasing, which sadly so often backfires (usually on you). So, do you tend to put others before yourself? Do you back down on your wants and needs so as to not inconvenience someone else? Is your free time spent giving, giving, giving and not getting much in return? Have people come to expect certain treatment from you and, dare I say it, actually take you for granted a bit? Being 'selfless' is a serious art, I think, but by completely ignoring the balance of meeting your own needs too...well you'll end up drained, resentful and being seen across the board as 'too nice'. If any of this sounds familiar, read on with my 4 signs!

1. Saying sorry all the time (OR, don't worry it's fine)

Apologising for absolutely everything is, in my book, a sign that you're definitely being too nice. Someone walks into you. You say sorry. You ALWAYS end up being the one saying sorry, if someone bails out on meeting you, someone's late to meet you, someone runs over your foot in Tesco's with their trolley...somehow you end up apologising, or saying 'don't worry its fine', even though you've been waiting for them for over an hour, and really you're very concerned about bleeding to death via the trolley wound on your foot.

Recently I realised that saying 'sorry' had become as natural to me as 'hello' or 'goodbye', which made me sit down and analyse why on earth some of us spend our lives apologising for things that aren't our fault. In a way, it's a way of placing the blame on yourself (rather than have any kind of confrontation with someone else) - hate confrontation? Welcome to the sorry club! And when other people see you taking a submissive role too often, well, that's bad...because it opens the door wide open to being taken advantage of, or people just not taking you seriously.

2. Getting yourself into stupid situations because you can't 'say no'

Is your calendar packed full of obligations, events and 'things' that you really just don't want to do? Do you endlessly get roped into stuff you really CBA with, or find yourself in some gold-star level muddles? *Raises hand* For me, all the latter tend to stem from agreeing to things that I either don't want to do, or that I feel obliged to do, and all because I don't want to upset or offend anyone in the process.

I've lost count of the times I've ended up agreeing to some awful work networking event because I couldn't say no, or staying late at the office to clear up someone else's mess or getting involved in problems that aren't my own. So why is this? Is this the biggest form of people pleasing there is? Does it come from not wanting to disappoint people or upset people? But then, you spend hours coming up with some crap excuse as to why you can't do it and probably end up upsetting them any way or causing more havoc. If you'd just said no initially, you'd have saved hours of stress and anguish. 

So, learning to gently say no, without offering up a thousand excuses, is an art to be worked on and if you're finding it impossible to ever say no, well it might be that you're just being too nice.

3. Agreeing with people or never saying what you think

This one resonated with me recently, as I realised I was nodding along sagely to someone who was chatting absolute rubbish. As they merrily jabbered about something I couldn't disagree with more, I wondered why on earth I was agreeing with them?? Or rather, why I wasn't challenging them with a different opinion. And then I realised that there have been so many times when I've sat with a group of people, or a person, who I have a different opinion to, and just gone along with it, keeping my own opinions to myself.

Now, I'm not saying you should wade right in there with a view or opinion that's going to ruin the dinner party. There's a time and place for everything, and subtlety (I always believe) is key. But it's more about the reasons why you don't feel able to say what you think. Perhaps these aren't your real 'tribe' of people, as it were, perhaps you don't actually like them or feel comfortable enough to be yourself around them? Or if it's a moral or ethical subject someone is discussing with you - should you dumb down your opinions or beliefs just to make someone else feel ok? Or do you lack confidence and self belief or just don't think anyone is interested in what you have to say?

Perhaps I've always found it easier just to nod along with people instead of a.) joining in properly (effort), b.) challenging them. But that's no way to live. You're an interesting creature with opinions and stories and things to say...why on earth wouldn't you join in? There’s a well-known saying,“You can say what you think, or you can have people like you.” But I think this just makes for misery in the end. You can and should be able to say what you really think and people won't hate you for it. And really, anyone who dismisses you for being honest, or expressing an opinion, well then they aren't worth a minute of your time.

4. People don't return the favour  

I think this one sits right at the heart of being 'too nice' because, sad as it is, there are always going to be people who trample right over anyone who appears to be a soft touch. Now, I am eternally grateful to a number of people I have in my life who I would go to the ends of the earth to help, because I know they would do the same for me. It goes both ways with these people and that's hugely important, and sometimes you have to just step up for people who are having a difficult time, and trust your bond.

But the problem comes in when you realise that there are also others who, actually, don't do one single thing to ever help you in return. These are the people who only pop up when they want something (and of course you do it for them), the people who expect help or favours, but don't ever return the them, or the people who call to ask you to chat or meet when they have have a problem (which of course you listen to) or they have nothing else better to do on the weekend. But when you need something? They aren't interested. They can't be found anywhere. In essence, when you don't serve some kind of purpose to them...well, you realise that in their eyes, you resemble a doormat.

And a doormat is not a place you ever deserve to be. Anyone who puts you there isn't worth a minute of your time. But it's also your responsibility not to let them treat you like one! So I think it's about really taking stock of who your time goes to, and does it go fairly? The minute you start taking a good hard look at this, you'll realise the difference between the two types of people, and stop exhausting yourself on people who never give back.

SO HOW CAN YOU CHANGE IT?

The good news is that you can change it. I've started to change it all around over the last few months. You don't have to turn into a Level 10 Grinch, but you can start to remember that there's someone else in this equation who is very important. You. Your needs and wants are important, and it's about remembering to honour them, as well as keeping up your 'nice' commitments. So what have I been doing?

1. I'm really thinking hard about the use of 'sorry'. If it's my fault (AKA if I annihilate someone with my shopping trolley) then of course I'll say sorry. But as situations have popped up over the last month or so, I've stopped to actually think about them and consider my responses better. If it's not my fault, I'm working on biting my tongue and not apologising. I'm learning to let people take responsibility for their actions instead of diving in trying to make them feel better by saying it's all fine when it's not.

2. I'm starting to say no more. And saying no is really hard if you're not used to saying it, and sticking to it is even harder because people can be persuasive! But if someone is pressuring you into something you don't want to do, it's important to stand up for yourself (they certainly aren't going to in the midst of trying to bully you into it to suit them!) Obv, we all have to do things we don't want to do, this isn't an excuse to stay in bed for the rest of your life, but it's about choosing carefully what you do with your time, and who you spend it with, because YOU want to. 

3. If someone is spouting some idiocy at me that I don't necessarily agree with, I'm starting to stop indulging it and I'm definitely stopping the whole nodding-along thing. If I can't be bothered to argue, I'll shut the conversation down and take it in a new direction. And I'm starting to offer my opinions and thoughts a bit more (no ones hated me for it, yet!) I think speaking up isn't something you can change overnight, but you can't certainly start small and with people you feel comfortable with.

4. I'm focusing way more on the people who do give me something back in my life. I'm not asking for them to move mountains, but a bit of reciprocal thought and friendship is all you can ever really ask for. I'd rather nurture three or four really important friendships than fourteen crap acquaintances where all the other side ever does is the 'me, me, me' act.

I think it's so, so important to strike a balance between being nice and being a doormat. And since I've started changing the way I behave, I feel way more in control of my time and my energy, and I'm finally trying to make it a reality that I'm a nice person, but that I'm NOT 'too nice'.

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