However you play January, it’s a tough nut. Maybe you’ve abandoned new year’s resolutions as an outdated form of 20th-century self-flagellation or perhaps you’re still on a high from 12 days of 6am runs.
When the dust settles, however, what will get you through this month in reasonable spirits is feeling good about what you put on every day. This isn’t about wearing clothes that feel on the snug side on the grounds that they’ll keep you on the diet plan.
In my experience, tight clothes make you depressed and remind you constantly that you’re not meant to be eating, which immediately makes you hungry.
It’s not about wearing sacks either, but something in-between. Comfortable clothes with some shapeliness and soft, cosy fabric with the feel-good factor are sartorial vitamin C this time of year.
If you didn’t have time to browse the sales pre-Christmas, there are still some good buys out there – like the reversible camel/cornflower blue wrap coat from Essentiel-Antwerp, a versatile and flattering, easy to wear classic that’s guaranteed to cheer you up for years to come that’s reduced from £435 to £348.
I love a loose coat that allows plenty of scope for layering but can still be belted to create a smart, defined silhouette. When it’s really cold, you can slip a quilted gilet under this and a chunky jumper and still not feel constricted.
Uniqlo’s padded jackets are the lightest and most cost effective and they’ve also finally begun using recycled down for some of their styles (Moncler’s Long Saisons are great too but far pricier) but for style and value for money, this one from Jigsaw, reduced from £200 to £80, is a gem. Lagging is always something to keep in mind when you’re buying outer layers.
While velvet’s become a perennial fixture at winter parties, corduroy’s the stuff for when the weather’s bleak and you need a bit of softness with everyday durability. Much as I love velvet, I try to resist buying velvet trousers.
Unless they’re flowy and loose, they wear out very quickly around the knees. Cord’s a bit tougher and anyway, looking worn is part of its appeal – like denim it tends to get better the more it gets used.
Whistles’ Gabby jumpsuit, £149, in burgundy cord arrives just in time to stand in for your favourite lighter dresses until it’s warmer again – jumpsuits seem to be on the up again after a brief hiatus.
