Seasonal Skinny Wk 14: Winter Wine with Denim & Shearling

Do say hello to my Winter Seasonal Skinny: Wine!  

Can’t quite believe we’re already onto the Winter skinny.  We’ll be getting to know this pair better over the next 13 weeks, as I style my way through this new Season.

First outfit for the Winter section is all about highlighting the rich wine colour of the skinny jeans; from the background of my floral top, the bracelet I’m wearing to the bowling bag I’m carrying.

And for the fun factor, I’ve slipped on my cuban heeled, leopard print ankle boots.  I’m comfortable with pattern mixing but if you’re more on the reticent side, then wearing leopard print boots with a floral top is a more subtle approach. 

As most of my readers know, my Seasonal Skinny outfits are actually worn each week and this is what I wore yesterday to pop into London with Tall Brown Fox, for some seasonal shopping.

Like many people I suspect, I do most of my Christmas shopping online.  It saves the hassle of going shopping, only to discover what you want isn’t in stock, or if you do find it, the endless queuing you have to do because there’s only one till open and the person at the till is the new member of staff, who, bless them, hasn’t quite got to grips with the technical operation of said till.  

The thermostats in the shops are ALWAYS on

*** ROASTING SETTING!!! ***

and usually after an hour, I’m ready to throw my hands in the air, shout 

‘Bah, Humbug’

at everyone, and decide Christmas is cancelled this year.

However, there is the odd time that necessitates having to trek into town to do a spot of festive buying.  Tall Brown Fox has been off work this week, so we decided that storming the shops as a combat unit of TWO was better on a Thursday afternoon, than fighting the throng on a Saturday.

It also meant we could each book haircuts at our respective barbers/salon (yes, the next time you’ll see me, my curly locks will thankfully have been tamed to a shorter length), then reconvene for raiding… er… shopping and then take comfort in staggering home together.

I only wore a short, light, down jacket over my outfit to travel into town, which was then easy to roll up and stuff into a backpack once inside the shops.  Because, did I mention the thermostats in shops are always on

*** ROASTING SETTING!!! ***

To stop the outfit from being too much of one colour and me ending up drowning in a vat of vino, I added my denim shirt.  My petite, black gilet not only gives a light layer of warmth but the faux suede and shearling gives contrast and texture.

A silver tassel necklace that you saw back in the summer in my Seascape & Seagulls post is just enough delicate detail down the centre.

As a petite, not only do I have to find trousers that are the right leg length but also shirts, tops and jumpers with the right arm length.  More often than not I end up rolling cuffs over so they’re not dragging on the floor.  When I find tops that actually finish at my wrists, you know, where they’re supposed to, I literally jump for joy!

This year, I’ve been buying quite a few items from Land’s End which do Petite in many of their ranges alongside their Regular sizing.  This has been a godsend, as I’ve finally found a company that does the PERFECT fit petite shirt – HURRAH – (more of that in another post).  

I spotted this top on their website a few weeks ago, reduced in the sale from £19.95 to £13.  It comes in 3 colour ways.  I’m going to buy it in the white version too, as this top has proved to be a great fit in terms of arm and body length.  It’s super soft, warm without being thick and the material is good quality, so I know it won’t go baggy after a couple of washes! 

An afternoon of pounding the streets shopping requires sturdy, yet comfortable footwear.  These cuban heeled, leopard print ankle boots were a sneaky find on e-bay last year.  

I know that some folk don’t like buying second hand shoes but I’ve been able to get some fantastic bargains on barely worn shoes at prices I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford at full price.

Wine Seasonal Skinny

Land’s End Petite Pleat Front Floral Top  Currently in the sale in both Regular & Petite Sizing

Dorothy Perkins Petite Faux Suede & Shearling Gilet A/W 15

New Look Denim Shirt (old)  This season’s Denim Shirt

New Look Tassel Necklace (old)  Similar Tassel Necklace

Wine Bracelet (from the Emporium of I Forget)

Debenhams Bowling Bag – a birthday present from my Mum

Office Leopard Print Boots – bought from e-bay

Now I’m a sucker for Christmas decorations and lights.  Ever since I was a nipper, I’ve absolutely loved Christmas lights.  When I was a wee thing, I used to sit for hours, quite contently under the Christmas tree at home, staring up in awe at the twinkling Christmas tree lights, imagining I was in a magical land!

The good thing about going into London and Oxford Street was, we got to see the Christmas lights.  This was late afternoon, just as twilight was beginning – gold and silver baubles as far as the eye could see – all the length of the street.

And after we had emerged from the shops, darkness had descended.  Before we hopped on the tube home, we just had time to look down Bond Street and admire their Christmas lights.

And wowzers!  A rather dazzling spectacle greeted us!  I want that big one for the front of the house, next year.

I’m happy to report that no small children, merchandise or staff were harmed during our shopping expedition.

Bah Humbug didn’t escape the lips from either of us; not even once.

And yes, the thermostats in the shops were still on

*** ROASTING SETTING!!! ***

BUT

Christmas IS, I repeat, IS going ahead this year!

Do you brave the throng of shopping or do you do it from the comfort of your armchair, a glass of Baileys in hand?
And do you love Christmas lights?

You can read more of the story behind my Seasonal Skinny Style Challenge.

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