Gift Guide – Fashion

If any of you have the same amount of trouble trying to think of gifts as I do then I know you will appreciate this post (unless you read through it and hate all my suggestions). I am always on the look out for gift guides and there can never be too many in my opinion. This gift guide is going to include things that I have and would recommend as well as things that I want/need or just think look like a bloody good gift. Anyway, here is my not so short gift guide (ladies feel free to print this out and leave it somewhere for your unsuspecting OH to come across)…

First of all, I feel like I don’t have a huge amount to put in a clothing section as I haven’t bought many since Covid hit (apart from trackies obvs) and I certainly don’t think I will be needing any sparkly clothes or shoes in the near future (sob). However, there are some rather fabulous items of clothing that I want to add to this list.

Seeing as it’s winter, I’ll start with something we all need at this time of year and that’s a good coat! I’m one of those people who has far more coats and jackets that one person needs but also none that are suitable for the weather! One that I have worn consistently over the years is my Joules field coat…no it’s not waterproof but it is very warm and sturdy! Mine is an old tweed that they don’t stock anymore but they do have this rather fabulous navy and green offering for £249 which I would also like to add to my wardrobe.

Holland Cooper is another favourite haunt of mine and my red tartan Knightsbridge coat is one of my all time favourite pieces! HC is at the higher end of the budget and this one comes in at £449 but in a variety of colours to suit everyone. They have also recently released their Balmoral fieldcoat which is a spenny £849 but look fabulous. My pick would be the tawny which you can find here. The Knightsbridge blazer is another classic and ever so slightly cheaper at £399…I’ve always had my eye on the red version but also loving this tweed Charlton version.

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I’m also quite partial to a nice gilet and although I definitely don’t need another one, I’d be very happy to receive the Annabel Brocks Natural wool gilet with detachable fur collar. It comes in tweed or faux suede and I am definitely eyeing this up in the tweed! This retails at £125 which again is quite pricey but I’ve had a grope of these and they are very thick and cosy as well as being a little bit different to other gilets I’ve seen on the market.

One brand I need to mention Welligogs as another of my favourite jackets is from here. Sadly it isn’t for sale any more but there are still so many drool worthy items to choose from. My top picks at the moment are the stunning Balmoral tailored jacket and the Knightsbridge wine jacket, both are £285. You may have noticed that I still haven’t added any waterproof coats and that’s because I haven’t come across any that I like so if any of you have any suggestions, please send them my way.

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Last but not least and perhaps a surprising entry is by good old TU at Sainsbury’s! I found a flattering, pillarbox red padded jacket with a fur hood in here a few years ago and I love it! I will say it’s not fully waterproof in a heavy downpour, but it is shower proof and very cosy. Mine isn’t on sale any more but there this Red Padded Coat is a very similar offering (and probably updated version) for just £35, BARGAIN!

Another item of clothing that I seem to constantly need more of are jumpers! I love a jumper and when I find one I really like, I usually buy it in at least three different colours! If I am going for a smarter look, my current favourite is the Harris Rae Gretton Crew Neck jumper. It is SO soft and ridiculously comfortable…it’s handwash only which is a pain in the arse but I’m telling you, it’s absolutely worth it! The Gretton comes in at £89 which is more than I would usually spend on a jumper but again, it’s worth it! While I’m on the subject of Harris Rae, I also need to mention the Stanton Longline Waistcoat which I absolutely love and was very close to purchasing until I decided I needed to be a responsible adult and spend the £279 on boring but essential things like bills. However, I fully intend to add this to my wardrobe at some point!

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For a more casual jumper (and something I feel a lot of us have been wearing a lot more over lockdown) my go to for a comfy pullover is Beaumont and Bear. Their jumpers and hoodies are unisex which is perfect for me as I like an oversized fit and can also steal the OH’s…win win. I currently have the Island Street Sweatshirt in grey and the Sunny Cove Sweatshirt in bottle green, both are £36. These jumpers are honestly so soft, snuggly and cosy I could live in them! They have been through multiple washes and have kept their colour and softness 🙂 They have also just released a new design, The Beesands Sweatshirt in pastel blue and pink (£44) and I am determined that the pink will be my next purchase! You can get 10% off all full priced items with the code KIRSTYJ10…thank me later.

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Another brand I want to mention is Ivy & Rigg who are based not far away from me, over the Border in Northumberland. I love this brand as they provide comfy, cosy clothes while also doing good for the environment. I have the Bamburgh Marl Grey Recycled Quarter Zip (£35.99) which is super cosy and perfect for wearing in my ridiculously cold old house! They have also brought out a new jumper, the Cheviot (£62.99) in two colour ways which looks incredibly snuggly and warm! If you’re like me and can’t decide between the Cream and the Navy, do yourself a favour and just get both!

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The last items of clothing I want to quickly mention are skirts…not something that I wear so much in winter but sometimes brave the cold with a thick pair of tights! One of the very few skirts I wear is the Harris Rae Bibury Skirt in Brown Prince of Wales pattern. It is just above my knee lengthwise and fits nice and snugly around my waist which is perfect as I find so many skirts are too loose and gappy! Another brand for beautiful tweed skirts is Vantage Atelier…I’m currently lusting after The Alexandra in Vantage Atelier Houndstooth (£115) but they also offer a custom option so your skirt can be made to your exact measurements!

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Okay, so moving on to accessories and I will try and keep this as short as possible but as any of you who follow me know, I love accessories…bags, hats, belts, jewellery, you name it, I have it and as far as I’m concerned, you can never have too many!

I’ll start with belts but I’m not going to go into great detail on the ones I already have as my previous post was literally just about my belts and nothing else so if you are interested in that, go and have a nose, I’ll wait…okay, all clued up? Let’s carry on. I can’t do a post on belts and not mention Mackenzie and George…they are by far my favourite store and always deliver top quality items! As you have obviously just read the previous post I’m just going to say that next on my M&G list are the Ledbury skinny and Tetbury skinny (both £55) as I don’t have any of the animal print items yet and they look damn beautiful.

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Moving on to bags, and again, one of my recent posts went into detail about my favourite bags so feel free to go and have a look if you need some inspiration! There are still a few bags that I would be very happy to unwrap! At the top of my wish list is the Fairfax and Favor Gatcombe in tan suede. You can’t go wrong with tan, it goes with everything, the detailing is simple and classic and the straps are long enough that they fit comfortably over the shoulder…It is so annoying when a beautiful bag is ruined with shoulder straps that are too short! Unfortunately it is sold out on the site at the moment but hopefully it will come back in stock soon!

Another bag that I am loving (but absolutely do not need) is the Hicks and Brown Melton. This is £169, comes in black and brown and has an adjustable strap. It’s a perfect evening bag but seeing as we probably won’t be going anywhere for a while, it doesn’t matter…it’s also perfect for day time, as long as you’re not planning on carrying everything plus the kitchen sink.

Lastly, another bag that I definitely do not need but absolutely love is the Herringbone Tweed Weekend Bag. I love this shade of pink and it is currently on sale for £50! If you want to go all out, you can also add a matching wash bag which is also on sale (for now) for £20.

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Moving on to another fashion accessory that is always a winter essential…hats! I’m a very cold potato so I am pretty much always wearing some sort of cosy head gear through Autumn/ Winter…probably Spring too if we’re honest. I had a very nice bobble hat last year which promptly got chewed up by the dog so I am definitely in need of a new one this year. For those on more of a budget, and this is where I am looking as I’m not risking an expensive one getting another chomping, I am liking the look of the Topshop Faux Fur Pom Beanie for £13.99 and Abercrombie & Fitch Pom Beanie for £22. I also came across this aran knit pom pom hat from House of Bruar which is currently on sale for £26.20! They all look super snuggly and warm with a soft fluffy pom pom. Cute AF.

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For those with a higher budget I’d be looking at Harris Rae’s Bobble hat for £45 or this cashmere and silk fox fur pom pom hat from House of Bruar for £59.95.

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Fot those who aren’t big fans of hats, I absolutely recommend a cosy headband, these are most definitely what I wear the most during the colder months and for me, they are an absolute essential! I have two faux fur headbands from Dubarry which I absolutely love but unfortunately they don’t seem to sell them anymore so I have found this faux fur headband from Rydale for just £10 as well as the Beverley faux fur headband from Joules which is currently on a Black Friday offer for just £16.95!

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Another bargain find which I added to my collection last year is the Rydale Sherpa Lined Tweed headband which is really thick and sturdy but is also soft and fluffy on the inside. It keeps my ears toasty warm and is an absolute bargain for £12! It also comes in loads of different shades so there is something for everyone. Lastly, in the headband category is one that I came across just recently and that is the Annabel Brocks Luxury faux fur and tweed headbands. They are seriously thick and fluffy and feel a bit more glam, plus they are reversible so I’d definitely say they are worth the £45 price tag! There are a few colour options but if I had to choose, I would go for this beige fur and green tweed offering.

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If you prefer something a bit more fancy than cosy then I absolutely recommend the Hicks and Brown Oxley fedora (£79). This is a wide brimmed hat which I have in black and always feel super glam when I wear it!

The last item I’m going to add in this section (this is turning out longer than I thought) is the scrunchie. Now I know a lot of people would prefer the scrunchie to stay in the past but I fully jumped on the band wagon when they came back into fashion! There are so many fun options on the market just now but on my wishlist is the Clare Haggas tail scrunchies. The come in short (£35), medium (£45) and long (£55) in an array of gorgeous colours and you can choose from hares, pheasants and horses. Personally, I am loving the pink hare and teal game bird medium tail scrunchies!

If you’re a lover of tweed then head over to Vantage Atelier for their fab tweed scrunchie which costs just £6. It comes in a variety of different tweeds so you can get just one or go all out and build a collection.

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From the head down to the feet! And no, I’m not starting with shoes…I’m going to start with the ultimate gift…socks! Everyone needs socks, every one likes socks…and if you don’t, we can’t be friends. I don’t know what has happened to my socks in recent years but they seem to develop holes in no time which is extremely annoying! However, one brand that I am very loyal to, and if you spend most of your time in wellies and riding boots like me, you definitely need to give them a try. The brand in question is Wacky Sox! They do the brightest, most colourful socks out there! I have so many pairs of the knee high style and would love to find some more under the tree this year! They have also brought out a range of short trainer socks which I also now need in my life. The knee high socks stay up perfectly and don’t slip down the leg at all, even after lots of washes. They are also really comfy and warm under boots and haven’t rubbed away at the heel the way all my others have. The prices start at £9.95 but there are often deals and multibuy discounts! You can find their site here so go and have a look and see for yourself!

Another brand that I regularly purchase from is Shuttlesocks. They do a range of bright colours and country bird designs and are perfect for men, women and children! I have a few pairs of the regular socks in the pheasant and grouse designs (£12) as well as the pink and blue striped pheasant welly socks (£15). They are all super soft and comfortable and the designs are fab! Perfect for any country person in your life, or just for yourself!

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A new release that I am very excited about and would also love to receive are the Fairfax & Favor Signature knee high socks which are £20 and come in three colourways, the navy and hot pink are my favourite (if you haven’t guessed by now, I like the colour pink).

Another brand that I haven’t purchased from but have been eyeing up for a while is The Cambridge Sock Company. They sell mohair and alpaca socks in different styles and colours. Personally, I would choose the Alpaca Murrays (£18.70) and Newnhams (£29), although there are so many colours it’s almost impossible to choose! The Murrays look super thick and warm, perfect of lounging in the house or with boots, and the Newnhams are very similar but knee high so perfect under wellies or long boots!

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Keeping to the feet, let’s talk footwear! For this first time ever, I’m not even looking at shoes as I definitely don’t need any and I’m not anticipating going anywhere in the near future which requires a sparkly pair of heels. However, for those that are looking, I can definitely recommend the Fairfax and Favor Apsleys which are £185. This is my favourite style of shoe from the brand as they can be worn smart or casual and they feel like a pair of slippers on your feet! As for something I don’t have but would very much like to own? Also from F&F, it would be the Burnham boots…they are stunning (and match the lusted after Gatcombe bag)! A classic fit similar to the Reginas but with the added detail of leather straps and they are really stunning! If you’re feeling generous and have the budget, these come in at £375. Another item that I desperately need and I’m quite sure plenty of you will be in the same boat, is a new pair of wellies. I’ve had Hoggs and Aigles but they have both let me down so I think I might have to go back to my trusty Hunters (I’m open to suggestions…) so at the moment I’m going for these Original Tall Wellies which are £95.

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For those on a bit more of a budget I am loving these badass £65 River Island Pointy Toe Western Boots and these £75 beige Heeled Western Ankle Boots…I must have some sort of western vibe going on right now. Last but not least, we all need a pair of trainers and the one pair I have had consistently since I was a teenager are the £79.99 Adidas Superstars (obviously I have had more than one pair in this time). I love these and wear them constantly!

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I’m a bit of a fitness fanatic so I have quite a lot of gym gear, but since lockdown hit, I have spent about 90% of the time in gym leggings and hoodies. So whether you’re into fitness or not, I’d say a good pair of leggings are a wardrobe staple right now. My absolute favourites are the Sweaty Betty Power 7/8 leggings. I have these in Black and the Black Camo print and they are honestly the most comfortable gym leggings I have owned (and I’ve owned a lot)! At £75, these were more expensive than I would ever usually spend but once I tried them, I was hooked! They are thick, warm and not to mention bum sculpting…I’ve got the Grey Houndstooth and Beetle Blue prints next on my wishlist!

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I also have quite a number of Nike leggings, although I will say I rarely pay full price for these and tend to head to the nearest outlet store to stock up! I have been looking for a bright pair for a while as I have a hella lot of black and feel like some bright leggings might motivate me more to exercise at home. I’ve found these bright pink Nike One leggings for £34.95 would definitely wear these out and about as well as to the gym!

If you’ve made it this far, well done…but I’m not finished yet. The last bit of this guide is on jewellery, and I’ll try and keep it short and sweet (can’t make any promises though). I’ve written a previous post on my favourite pieces of jewellery so I won’t go into the same detail but obviously I need to mention Hiho Silver as that’s where most of my jewellery comes from and their pieces are such good quality with the most incredible detail! If I had to choose, I’d say my favourite pieces are the bangles. I’ve got the Riding Whip bangle (£95), and the Two Tone Lasso clip bangle (£75) and they are both beautiful and really sturdy so you don’t need to worry about them coming off while out and about. I also love my snaffle ring (£25) and two tone rope circle ring (£40), the detail that goes into these tiny pieces is incredible! As for pieces that I have on my wishlist? I absolutely love the Silver Foxy Roller Bangle (£185), the Two Tone Rope Circle Bangle (£80) and I also need a new stock pin so I’d love the Horseshoe and Crop Stockpin (£45).

Another brand that I’ve been loving for a long time is Pegasus Jewellery who make lovely equestrian pieces. One of my all time favourite pieces of jewellery is the Triple Stirrup necklace which features a gold, silver and rose gold stirrup to represent the past, present and future. It is currently sold out which doesn’t surprise me but usually costs £45).I also have the Rose gold and navy snaffle friendship bracelet (£35) which is made with thick, sturdy material in a rich, deep navy and a lovely dainty snaffle, it is so pretty and easily something you can wear everyday. They have also brought out some lovely details horseshoe and stirrup necklaces which I’ll be adding to my wishlist but they are all sold out as well…I’m hoping these will come back in stock asap!

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A brand that I only discovered recently is Reeves and Reeves but I am already obsessed and have a number of pieces on my wishlist already! I’m loving their Fox Mask stud earrings which start at £34 and the Highland Cow studs which start at £32! They have something for everyone and loads of animal jewellery that is more dainty and pretty than novelty! R&R have also started a rewards scheme and you can get £10 credit with this code http://i.refs.cc/XWGqIU4S?smile_ref=eyJzbWlsZV9zb3VyY2UiOiJzbWlsZV91aSIsInNtaWxlX21lZGl1bSI6IiIsInNtaWxlX2NhbXBhaWduIjoicmVmZXJyYWxfcHJvZ3JhbSIsInNtaWxlX2N1c3RvbWVyX2lkIjo2MjY3Mzc1NTh9

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Last but by no means least is my favourite watch company, Morris Richardson. I know this isn’t really jewellery but I wear watches as an accessory rather than to tell the time so I’m adding them here. I came across this brand a couple of years ago and they have been the only watches I have worn since. My first purchase and my favourite piece is the Belvoir, a rose gold face with an amazing bright pink tweed strap! This retails for £189 but you can purchase straps separately and chop and change the look when you please. I bought the Chatsworth strap which is a green tweed and goes with everything. The strap itself is £55. I’d also love to add the Kedleston strap to my collection as I love the pink and purple tartan and it would really stand out. If tweed isn’t your thing, you might prefer the Holkham which features a stainless steel Milanese mesh strap and is super chic! The Holkham is £169 and comes in rose gold or silver. You can also get 15% off full priced items with the code KIRSTYA15.

So there we have it, that is my fashion gift guide in a nutshell. Hopefully this might have provided some inspiration or at least an enjoyable read. I’m going to add another couple of gift guide posts, one of which will be on local businesses so keep your eyes peeled for those over the next few days.

Until next time,

Kirsty x

*All prices are correct at time of writing.