There are some winter essentials that I just cannot live without.
Ok, that might be hyperbole. I’m unlikely to actually die for a lack of a selection of coloured berets, but it would make getting dressed in the morning MUCH harder.
Obviously winter essentials include a half decent warm coat and a pair of boots that you can actually wear out in the rain (note to self, buy a pair of boots that you can wear in the rain). Here I’m talking about the accessories. The bits that often get forgotten while we’re looking at expensive coats and boots, but make all the difference to an outfit.
Here are some super cheap essentials that it’s worth getting in ALL the colours to get you through winter in style.
Berets
I do a lot of beret wearing over the winter and they are so cheap and available in so many colours that I can match them with any outfit.
Grey, black, navy and cream are my basics, red, dark forest green and a lighter emerald green are also colours that I’m fond of.
I buy them on eBay where they are absurdly cheap. I’m thinking I could also do with them in beige and brown.
If you’re not sure how to wear a beret, then never fear, there are 4 different ways to wear a beret here.
Pashminas/Scarves
Scarves not only keep your neck warm, but can help pull an outfit together. Vintage silk scarves are great for filling in the neckline of a coat if you want to add a splash of colour. I also recommend those lightweight, cheap “pashmina” style scarves. They come in a rainbow of colours that you can match to your beret if you’re that sort of person (I am totally that sort of person) and will add a bit of warmth on all but the very coldest of days.
Again, they are something you can pick up on eBay dirt cheap. Keep watch if your colour is out of stock as they come in and out all the time.
Opaque Tights
I’m pretty sure this is the most ground breaking list I have ever written? Opaque tights? In Winter? Shocker.
Yeah, I’m not just talking black opaques though. Stocking up (stocking, geddit?) on multiple colours makes getting dressed a lot easier and can extend the life of your Spring and Summer clothing that doesn’t work with black opaques.
Weirdly, white has been one of my most worn colours, even though someone on a blog post once told me I looked like I was wearing surgical stockings (thanks, that person.). White tights work with lighter, more summery, frocks. Dark brown tights work with browns, mustard yellows and greens and burgundy is great for adding a splash of colour to an all black outfit.
These Trasperenze opaques come in a rainbow of colours.
You can even get nude tights in thicker deniers. I’m on the hunt for a pair and have my eye on these.
Gloves
I have a good selection of cotton and polyester gloves that I’ve picked up in charity shops in a variety of colours to match berets and scarves. They often cost as little as 50p, or in a vintage shop just a few pounds. There are only a few days a year where it’s really cold enough in most of the UK that cotton and polyester gloves aren’t good enough to keep the chill off, which means you can co-ordinate for next to nothing. They also look far more elegant than big fuzzy mittens
Navy and red are my most useful pairs, though I also have a black chiffon pair that are more useful than I expected them to be for winter evenings out. Sadly I cannot find an online supplier of new gloves in a variety of colours. I remember about 15 years ago a department store near me used to sell a rainbow of gloves, all laid out in boxes in glove sizes. But we’ll keep reminiscences about the old days to a minimum. Etsy is a good place to look online for vintage gloves.
When it’s really chilly I fall back on the gorgeous leather button gloves that Dents sent me. I would never normally pay that much for gloves, but these fit beautifully, look elegant and deal very well with being stuffed in pockets. The ones linked to above come in brown, black and berry. Mine are brown and I find they go with much more than black would.
Any essential winter accessories I’ve missed?
