The Most Versatile Piece in My Winter Wardrobe
The most versatile item in my winter wardrobe is an unexpected one—a houndstooth coat. With it’s streamlined tailoring, velvet details and blue, black and red pattern it’s already become the most reached for item in my closet. It looks lovely dressed up or down and can be worn in so many situations.
On a recent trip to Sweden, I inadvertently proved the versatility of this jacket by wearing three very different looks, all topped with this coat. Yes, I even brought it on a hike just outside the Arctic Circle and it worked! Here’s how I styled this coat three ways while on our jaunt to Sweden.
Look 1: Woodland Walks
My Outfit
Coat c/o Boden | Madewell Jeans | & Other Stories Scarf | Boden Sunglasses | Boden Shoes | Boden Sweater
After visiting and loving Copenhagen last year, my husband and I had been wanting to return to northern Europe again—finding the Treehotel sealed the deal. This is a hotel consisting of seven unique treehouses in the very northern end of the country. We stayed in ‘The Cabin’ but there’s also one shaped like a UFO, a bird’s nest and a mirror cube. It’s definitely a sight to be seen and one of the most breathtaking hotels I’ve ever stayed in. Waking up to the sunrise in our very own treehouse was something I’ll never forget!
Because of how far north you are, the days are fairly short in the winter, so we made the most of our hours of sunlight with an easy walk in nature. With the sun shining, it wasn’t too cold, so I kept it simple with jeans and a cashmere sweater, plus a pair of sparkly trainers from Boden. Admittedly, they’re not the most practical for a walk in the woods, but because we were spending the majority of our trip in a city, I needed to make some tough choices when packing my carry on! I topped the look with this houndstooth coat and I love how it works (and how easy it is to wear) with a casual outfit.
Look 2: SMart City Dressing
My Outfit
Coat, Trousers and Bag c/o Boden | Boden Sweater | Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Color in Regal | Boden Shoes (from last year sadly!)
After an incredible two day stay in the trees, we made our way south to Stockholm for the remainder of our trip. As much as I loved waking up in a forest canopy, I’ll always be a city person at heart and this was the portion of the trip I was most looking forward to! There were so many things I wanted to see and do and eat, so I planned out our days as best I could—I’ll be sharing our full itinerary and a map of all the spots we stopped by in an upcoming post.
On our first day in the city, we had a fair amount of things on our to-do list, beginning with seeing sights in the older part of town and eventually having dinner at a fairly upscale vegetarian restaurant. I wanted my outfit to work in each of those situations, so I kept it classic and smart (and you know how much I love dressing smart!). The slim tailoring and cut of the trousers and coat look streamlined and chic. Plus the unexpected details, like the velvet collar and piping on the pockets of the coat look luxe which translated so nicely for dinner. Flats made for walking and an easy red lip are the finishing touches on this city chic outfit.
Look 3: Cold Weather Casual
My Outfit
Coat and Bag c/o Boden | Madewell Jeans | Everlane Boots | Uniqlo Heattech Socks | & Other Stories Scarf | & Other Stories Gloves (old, but love this current pair)
During our time in Sweden, we had such a range of weather, but on the last day, boy did the temperatures drop! Combined with a bit of drizzle and some wind, it made for an incredibly cold morning, so we made sure to bundle up. I was so thankful that we bought some Heattech pieces from Uniqlo—laying these under our clothes really made the difference in battling the chill! And another way to battle the cold? Warm coffee and pastries of course. We loved the bulle cinnamon buns at Fabrique during our trip, so we made one last visit (though lucky for us, they’ve also got a few bakeries in London now!).
I wore this coat one final time and I love how paired with black it looks, might I say, just a tad edgy and cool? While normally I’d pair my black skinny jeans and boots with a tan trench, I think I’m now a patterned coat convert. It makes the look infinitely more interesting and I still get the tailored look that I love in my usual tan jacket. Warm enough for the cold, cool enough for a casual weekend outing.
We’re back in London now and I’ve already sported this jacket several times—it just seems to go so well with so many outfits! I’m positive that it will be my most worn piece all winter. I can’t wait to wear it during the holidays as I think the bit of red will go so well with a festive look too!
Until next time,
Brenda
Special thanks to Boden for gifting a few pieces for me to wear during my time in Sweden.