The Unconventional Pant Suit Outfit

Outfit: Isabel Marant biker jacket (similar here and here), Uniqlo silk shirt (similar here), Zara pants (similar here or here), Hermes Cape Cod watch, Hermes Collier de Chien and New Balance 420 sneakers

After spending most of my working life in a pant suit, I thought I'd revive my favorite uniform but with a few changes for an edgier look. These days, working from home means I no longer adhere to a strict corporate dress code. It's just *ahem* *shamefaced*  strictly sweat pants or pajamas (major fail as a fashion blogger). Thankfully here,  nobody will bat an eyelid if I pair my slightly unconventional pant suit with red New Balance sneakers. My friends have mentioned that my brightly colored sneakers worked like a beacon especially at night when they can't find me. Pffffftttt. Honesty is overrated.

My gut hangs a little more these days and the pants are tighter at the mo, thanks to my winter diet (eat more, move less. Like this dude) so the half tucked look work to my advantage. Oh well. You know that adage "Eat to live or live to eat"? Obviously, I belong to the second camp, evidenced by the numerous food pics on my Instagram account.

photo credit: Lil L.

** Do check out my first ever giveaway ( a beautiful personalized Monica Vinader Fiji Friendship bracelet).  Click here for more information. If you feel particularly shy about popping your email address in the comment box, then make sure you check the results after the 9th March.

Shopping & Eating at Marylebone

I've been to Marylebone on a number of occasions but they're usually mad dashes. In and out. Just like Jack in a box. You know I love fashion but you probably know by now that I love my food even more. I winced when I looked at my Instagram feed recently. 804 photos and counting. And yes, most were food shots. You know where my priorities lie......

My main aim was to visit the newly opened Pâtisserie des Rêve after a friend of mine raved, waxed lyrical and hounded me to go..... It was simply divine. Check out my post about it on Swoon-Mag. Thankfully, they were happy for me to snap away to my little heart's content. Apparently, photography is banned at their other stores in Paris. I was rather restrained and bought only the millefeuille and chocolate eclair but I'm dying to try St Honoré and Grand Cru on my next visit. More on shopping here.

The Great Leap Forward

Outfit: Isabel Marant Etoile Lexy jacket (similar here),  Alexander Wang t-shirt, Zara pants (similar here and here) and ankle boots (similar here)

I've heard it all before. Age is just a number. To stay youthful, think young. blah blah blah. Leaping a decade from 20 to 30 was painless. Hitting the big 40 was a little different. My brain thinks 30, my body argues and promptly starts breaking down like a 10 year old Toyota Corona that has more than 300 000 miles on its speedometer. There's no point in fixing the engine or carburetor. You're better off with an overhaul. Just kidding.......BUT......let's face it,  you know you've aged dramatically when:

1. you try to do a split and you hear a craaaaaaaaccck. And you howl in pain. You limp for months after. Reliving your teenage years was worth it. For all of 5 minutes.

2. you take prescription pills for this and that and that....

3. everyone from waiters to sales staff keeps calling you Madam, Ma'am, Madame...... pffftttt

4. your kid and her friends tell you "....you're like....like...REALLY REALLY old...." (the next time you lot come over for a play date, don't be too surprised if you're fed dog food )

5. your beautician tells you your skin is in fact, 10 years older than your actual age  

6. your acupuncturist admonishes you for trying to do the impossible at the gym. "Marlene, you know you're not that young anymore. You're not that "elastic" " (refer to number 1)

7. you eat one mini cupcake and you exercise for 2 hours to burn off 50 calories.

8. you convince yourself that the many many many fine lines around your eye area is the result of a very very happy life. You can't stop smiling all day and night. 

9. you can't catch your 7 year old when she's jogging and you're sprinting as if you're being chased by hounds.

10. you get on a roller coaster and you turn green instantly. The world continues to spin for hours after you get off. 

11. you stand next to a group of teenagers and you cannot. understand. one. single. word. like. Totally. 

12. you look at the cute One Direction boys and realize that you're old enough to be their mother.

** Do check out my first ever giveaway ( a beautiful personalized Monica Vinader Fiji Friendship bracelet).  Click here for more information. If you feel particularly shy about popping your email address in the comment box, then make sure you check the results after the 9th March.

Photo credit: Lil L

Isabel Marant Laure Tweed Jacket review

A couple of weeks ago, I popped into Selfridges to check out the Lali jacket from Isabel Marant's latest Spring/Summer collection. It didn't help that I was trying on a thick jacket in a dinky overheated fitting room with sweat pouring down my face. Why do most high end stores have such rubbish fitting rooms when their main aim is to sell clothes? I could barely make out the jacket because it was so dark. ok, ok.....#rantover. The fit was disappointing with the jacket hugging my torso in all the wrong places, particularly when it was buttoned up.

I've got my eye on Isabel Marant Laure tweed jacket for a while now. Being a dirt magnet, the lighter version is a big no no for me. At £415, it's not cheap but then again, it's nowhere near as pricey as a Chanel jacket. I  tried on my usual size (EU 38) and the fit was perfect. Very flattering too, I might add. I know I've banged on long enough about the lack of lining in most of her jackets so I'm resigned to the fact that this may be a permanent thing now. I personally wouldn't wear it without a long sleeve t-shirt underneath or else I'll be scratching myself silly.

I can see the Laure jacket being a classic like my Lexy which I still love to bits. In fact, there are a few more pieces from this collection that I'm very tempted to get along with the Laure. I've got to sleep on it as I need to narrow the list down to a handful........

10 reasons why my outfit posts are sporadic

Outfit: Zara coat (similar here), Helmut Lang t-shirt, Rick Owens leather jacket (similar here and here), Zara boyfriend slim jeans, New Balance 420 sneakers, Louis Vuitton Bandouliere 35cm

I'm genuinely perplexed but also am deeply flattered when I read comments requesting to see my outfits. I think I hear more about the lack of them though......  It was only 1.5 years ago when I reluctantly showed my face on the blog for the first time. I know how hard it is to relate to the writer behind the blog when there isn't a face attached. It was never my intention to turn this into a personal style blog but like many others, I secretly have voyeuristic tendencies and enjoy seeing other people's outfits and closets.

It is incredibly daunting to turn up to events where most attendees are in their 20s/ early 30s, beautifully made up, skinny and tall with nary a wrinkle in sight whereas I was dressed for comfort. Thanks to the blog, I sit on the fringe of the fashion industry where most of the time, you're judged on your appearance and what-can-you-do-for-me type of attitude (it's all about "I'm only interested in knowing you if you're pretty or have the social media to promote me/products"). Never mind that I had to make a mad dash from the train station, worrying that I was going to be late to do the school run later and numerous after school activities, meeting my deadlines, dinner, homework...... Brushing my hair or remembering to reapply my lippy is the farthest thing from my mind.

I aim to have one outfit post a week but it doesn't always happen that way. That's because:

1. I hardly ever think about what I should wear because it makes me anxious. When I do, my brain turns to mush and then I try to forget about it which makes me even more stressed because I still don't know what I should wear.

2. I hate posing. Notice that I only know how to bare my teeth in a semi grin/sneer and stand like stickman. Even Lil L has taken to rolling her eyes at my shoddy attempt at modeling.

3. I only ever remember to take a quick photo AFTER I'd eaten a full meal and most of my make up have been wiped/rubbed off.

4. I wear the same pieces over and over and over and over and over and over again. I think you're getting my point here.

5. I love my sweatpants and sweatshirts. A. LOT. Yeah.....you know that too.

6. I'm pretty sure my mom, her friends and relatives are still reading my blog.......yikes!.

7. I hate having my photos taken. Detest. Loathe. Running out of adjectives here but you know what I mean.

8. There are way too many personal style bloggers who seem to have a knack for putting outfits together. You don't need another.

9. I don't do trends. My brain's running on an old Intel chip and trends move too fast to be processed coherently. The only one I'm digging right now is wearing sneakers with everything.

10. I'm still struggling to apply make up in the right order. I feel like I need a university degree just to do so (primer, concealer, foundation, pressed powder blah blah blah. WTH?!)

Photo credit: Lil L


** Do check out my first ever giveaway ( a beautiful personalized Monica Vinader Fiji Friendship bracelet).  Click here for more information. If you feel particularly shy about popping your email
 address in the comment box, then make sure you check the results after the 9th March.

Monica Vinader Fiji Friendship Bracelet Giveaway - NOW CLOSED

I've now realized that many of you are silent readers from all over the world. Perhaps you're a little shy or prefer not to comment (totally understandable)....... Some of you wrote in to share your stories recently which touched and inspired me in many ways. Thank you for taking the time to visit my little corner of the blogosphere.

I've never ever hosted a giveaway but I figured it's about time I do so.  It's a bummer that there can only be one winner but moving forward, I'd love to do more of these.  This giveaway is for a Monica Vinader Fiji Friendship bracelet. I feel this is a rather apt gift which represents this blog in many ways - simplicity, unpretentious, personal and friendship. The winner can choose the metal (silver or gold), color and engrave it with your name or a personalized message. Each color symbolizes different traits - peace, wisdom, calm, hope, prosperity, success, vitality etc.

Just pop your email address via the comment box (so I can contact you if you win). If you're so inclined, please feel free to follow me on any of these social media - Instagram, Twitter, RSS feed, Pinterest, Facebook or Bloglovin (but only if you wanted to). The giveaway is open till 9th of March 2014 to any readers who live in these countries (unfortunately, Monica Vinader does not ship to ALL countries yet):

Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America.

** This is not a sponsored post and will be paid for by yours truly.

The giveaway is now CLOSED. Thank you to all who participated in my first ever giveaway. I look forward to doing another one in the future.

10 Random Facts About Me

Outfit: Barbour parka (size UK 8), Isabel Marant x H&M sweatshirt (similar here), The Kooples sweat pants, New Balance sneakers, Hermes Cape Cod watch, Chanel sunglasses and Louis Vuitton Speedy 35cm.

1. I can’t look at reptile skin without shuddering. It doesn’t matter if it’s Hermes, Chanel or from a vintage store. 

2. I’ve never watched the famed Titanic movie.

3. I craved for sashimi when I was pregnant. The restaurants wouldn’t serve it to me so I used to sneak in and hide my tummy under the table. It worked twice before I got caught.

4. Nothing riles me faster than rude, pretentious, arrogant and patronizing people. This applies to kids too.

5. Growing up, my dad had a chauffeur that we used to call Uncle Tan. He gave us the BEST pets - a Siamese cat which I named Bimbo after a character from an Enid Blyton book (I found out later she was in fact a HE) and a beautiful terrier called Alby. I still miss them (including Uncle Tan) terribly to this day.

6. We once lived in an old stately colonial house near an area that saw heavy fighting during the Japanese Occupation. It was seriously, the scariest place we ever lived in. We used to get visits from vicious monkeys, scorpions, bats, cobras and deers. Did I mention that there was a cemetery nearby?

7. I’m obsessed with mangoes and melons. I can quite happily eat them everyday.

8. I’m allergic to housework but I can’t stand a messy house. 

9. I can get lost while looking at the GPS on my smartphone.


10. My current orchid is still alive after 4 months. In fact, I counted 18 new buds. #firstimeaplanthasntdiedonme.

p.s. Now's your turn. Tell me some random facts about you.

Eating my way through London

Most people go to London to visit the much lauded Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, London Eye...... followed by shopping. I judge my visit depending on how well fed I am (I've yet to visit Buckingham Palace, Tate Modern.....). No wonder the extra 10 pounds are still hanging on with a death grip.

After a massive delay due to the havoc caused by the gale storm the previous night and the ongoing flooding, we only managed to get to London just before lunch time. I was ravenous and close to transforming into a ravaging beast.  Thankfully, Wahaca was across the street from the Waterloo station. We demolished every tasty morsel including the crispy churros dipped in rich chocolate.

I'm more of a savory gal but these cookies from Galeta are heaven on earth. They're so good that they'd even converted a cheese addict into a cookie monster. Sadly, the pecan and toffee cookies were completely sold out. I managed to deplete their supply of triple chocolate cookies though (which are strictly rationed in my household to last at least 3 days).

I've tasted a lot of cupcakes including the famed Hummingbird ones but I still prefer these mini delights from Crumbs and Doilies. I can't bear saccharine frosting which truly make me gag but these ones are perfection. I ended up with salted caramel, chocolate, raspberry meringue, vanilla rose and vanilla. Too bad the other flavors have sold out as I would've loved to nab lavender caramel and earl grey.

It's always very awkward when I'm trying to be inconspicuous with my chunky camera. The elderly English couple sitting over at the next table patted me on the arm and tried to alleviate my embarrassment by telling me that their daughter like to photograph her meal at every restaurant. 

Anyway, I'm saving the best for last. Josephine who incidentally is from Shanghai, couldn't contain her excitement at the discovery of a Shanghainese restaurant a mere 10 minute walk from Selfridges. Like any proper Chinese restaurant, the decor is tawdry. The food, on the other hand, was THE BEST I've had in a long time. I asked Josephine to pick Shanghai delicacies and boy, did she do a good job (6 dishes for the 2 of us!). The braised brinjal has a complexity of flavors that exemplified the yin and yang. The dish was sweet/sour/salty/spicy but achieved just the right balance which hit the taste buds in all the right places.

I was rather blown away by the water spinach (Malaysians call it kangkong) dish. It was garlicky with an added splash of vinegar. Very refreshing. The soup was rich and delicious with tender pieces of fish, tofu and preserved vegetables. My favorite had to be the stewed pork with what I believed to be strips of dehydrated bamboo (correct me if I'm wrong). It had a salty base layered with sweetness for contrast. Beautifully done.

I think we should've gone for white rice instead of fried rice. The bland rice would've been a better complement to the flavorsome dishes. I wasn't too impressed with the xiao long bao (steamed buns). The skin was tough and the meat filling wasn't particularly tasty.  According to Josephine, the dishes were very authentic and in fact, were better than most of the restaurants she'd been to in Shanghai. Do remember to book if you're planning on visiting. This tiny little treasure is constantly packed with mostly Chinese clientele.

Red Sun
2A New Quebec St
London W1H 7RD
Phone: 020 7723 5350

Fashion terminology in real life

Photo credit: Chanel

1. Boy
Real life: "You're a good boy" or "boy, that was difficult." That would be how one apply the word in our everyday life.
Fashion world: "Your Boy!! Yum! Major lust!"
Take it out of its context and it WILL sound perverted. Try saying it on a street full of non fashion-y people and you may see mothers gripping their young sons tighter with a horrified expression. It's not of a human variety but a ubiquitous small quilted Chanel bag that sits firmly on the Sh*t that bloggers wear list (a bag that I secretly like. Shhhhh.....).

2. Street style
What was once a portrayal of what normal people wear on the street is now a euphemism for a new word - peacocking. 

Nine West Kenie Cage sandals

3. Caged
In the dictionary, the word caged has something to do with the incarceration of living creatures. In the fashion world, it's referred to bondage like heels which I suppose is a fairly appropriate term to describe the way are feet are bound within the confines of multitude of straps.

4. Skinny jeans
The title given belies the reality. Toothpick legs + skinny jeans = skinny legs. Drumstick legs + skinny jeans = stuffed sausage. The casing (aka jeans) takes the shape of the stuffing (legs).


5. Plus size
Anyone who's not size UK 8/10 or US 0/2.  If you're Asian and have plenty of straight talking Asian relatives (in other words, there's no filtering process between the brain and mouth), you will be considered a plus size if you were once a UK 6 but are now a "chubby" UK 8.

6 Favorite Things

1  /   2   /   3   /   4   /   5   /   6

I think those of you who live in the U.S and U.K will gladly agree with me that the weather has officially gone berserk. It's glaringly obvious that all fashion themed posts have gone missing on this blog. I haven't followed NYFW (New York Fashion Week) nor have I had the time to do so. All around me, I see harassed and overly stressed parents who are racking their brains trying to figure how to juggle work and kids with canceled activities (due to flooding) and last minute changes with the school.

I have no qualms about paying ££££ for a pretty handbag but the same rule doesn't apply to winter essentials. All logic flies out the window when it comes to handbags. Yeah, obviously the neurons in my brain have been wired incorrectly. Right now, I'm so pleased I bit the bullet and bought the waterproof Barbour parka. It's the only thing that's keeping me cozy, warm and dry. The thick fleece and faux fur lined hood is a lifesaver.  The waxed cotton works beautifully as a wind buffer. So Barbour, whoever your designer, she or he is a GENIUS.

The one thing I love more than candles is a good reed diffuser, particularly ones from Geodesis (I like jasmine and freesia). I don't have to worry about forgetting to blow out the flame before I go to bed. It's a more subtle fragrance that lingers in the room for months. I keep all the bottles and just buy refills which work out tons cheaper.

I stole the husband's Moleskine plain paper notebook to keep my sanity in check. I've tried using my smartphone for note taking but after pressing gazillion buttons to save/open/find the &$&#! file, I gave up and resorted to traditional pen and paper. It's small and robust enough to survive being trashed about in my bag. Currently, it's my one solution to keep myself organized (says the woman who'd sent her child to school in costume when it was meant for the week after).

I've toyed with the idea of using body oil but most are remarkably expensive. I've started using Neom Real Luxury Body Oil recently and became hooked after a week. It's made of 97% certified organic ingredients. The base oil consists of jojoba and safflower with extracts of lavender, jasmine and Brazilian rosewood. Thankfully, at £18, it's an affordable luxury.

Lately, my daily uniform hasn't altered much. It's just a variety of sweatshirts. I don't want to bore you with photos of my OOTD because they're identical on most days. The grey sweatshirt remains a firm favorite.

I think I've gushed enough about these New Balance 420 sneakers. You're welcome to roll your eyes. I was at church recently when I a bloke yelled out "cool trainers!" and gave a thumbs up when I walked past. And you know how rare it is for straight guys to notice women's shoes..........


p.s. A few of you mentioned that UK brands that I'd featured  in the past are expensive outside of the country. Wherever possible, I'll link to websites that offer free international shipping.

Crazy weather

Posts have been rather sporadic at best this week. It's a little hard to think about fashion when we've been given severe weather warning with gale force winds tipping at 70 mph. Everyone here have been watching the rising water levels with horrified fascination. Thankfully, we're a distance from the river but our friends aren't. Parts of Winchester have already flooded and there's more rain to come.

We've been told that the ceiling in our flat may cave in (comforting news, NOT) but no sane roofer will risk his life being blown off the top of the building. It was a relief to read that the navy and the military have been brought in to help stem the flow of water from the Itchen into the city center. We're far luckier than those in Somerset. Meanwhile, it's great to be a kid. No school and lots of goofing around.

Sending lots of love to those of you in south of England who are faced with similar devastation along with many of you who have to deal with widespread polar vortex. 

Another take on the Little Black Dress

Outfit: Comptoir des Cotonniers dress, Rick Owens leather jacket, Hermes Collier de Chien and Christian Louboutin pumps.

Oh. Em. GEEEEE. Marlene, the tomboy is wearing a dress. And heels. Let it be known that this will NOT be a common occurrence nor should you expect to see such ladylike attire on my body in the near future. This is what happens when you're faced with torrential and continuous downpour as well as severe flooding. Basically, it means that I'm stuck at home with Lil L and her buddy and partner in crime. So I put them to work (actually, it was that or I start climbing the walls) as my photographer and assistant.

I nabbed this black Comptoir des Cotonniers dress years ago for £40. Cost per wear? £40. Notice those semi permanent crease? That's because the dress has never seen daylight (and I'll do ANYTHING to avoid ironing). EVER. I kept it because the clever construction gives me a waistline and hides my protruding tummy. Ever tried sucking your tummy in for a couple of hours when you're wearing a bodycon dress? Yeaaahh.....I don't recommend it.

The thing is, the dress is too feminine for my taste. I've been thinking of a way of reviving it to suit my personal style. I figured a bada$$ leather jacket and Hermes dog collar (sorry, couldn't resist. The French made the words Collier de Chien sound more sophisticated than it actually is) will make it a little more edgy. I'm still hunting for a pair of mid heel caged sandals to complete the look.

p.s. LOVE blurry smartphone photos. The best (and free) anti aging solution on the market. Oh, the kids said I had to credit the photos back to them. Sheesh.

Photo credit: Lil L (photographer) and Lil C (assistant & smile critic).

That strange hobby called blogging

source

When you think about it, blogging is a pretty strange thing to do. Here's why:
1. Your friend came over and said "oh you know that topic you wrote about the other day?"  and you're instantly mortified.
"what?! You read my blog! Do NOT read it!"
"why ever not?"
"cos I know you! I only write for strangers!"
"huh??" Friend speechless and looking rather confused.

2. You stand on a street and cajole the poor tortured soul (husband/friend/child/victim/boyfriend) to take a more flattering photo of you. Yes, I'm talking about OOTD. In case, you think it's an acronym for important government secret agency stuff.......... It's outfit of the day. You're trying to "pose" but you look like a total idiot. Strangers walk pass and smirk. And then you see your friend strolling towards you looking rather bemused. Sh*t. You wish there is a sinkhole beneath the spot you're standing.

3. Tweeting, pinning, instagramming.......
"Is that even English??? You young people! I don't understand your world, " said my 72 year old dad when I tried to explain to him what social media is. Well, Dad. I'm 40 and there's an even YOUNGER generation that tweets, pins, instagram, wechats, whatsapp and understands HTML codes better than I can walk.


4. It doesn't matter how terrible your math is. Or that you're the only person who'd gotten an egg shaped digit on your math score sheet, you know your blog stats any time of the day, month and year. AND the number of your followers on every social media known to mankind.

5. Try saying this with a straight face - "I'm a blogger" vs "I'm an Amway distributor". And then observe the other person's expression. Bet you get the same strangled look.

Food for thought

This is a hilarious video which I'm sure many of you who'd immigrated from Asia to a western country can relate to.

And oldie but a goodie. A video of what street style is like these days.

Jarrid Wilson's post about why he's getting a divorce. Well, a different type of divorce......

Here's a reminder why bullying is NOT ok. Cyber bullying, high school bullying or any kind of action with a malicious intent.

This is an unbelievably moving poem about why this man misspelled the word father.

Lastly, I want to thank those of you who wrote and told me a little about yourself here. It's never easy to bare a little of your soul and for that, I want to thank you for your courage. Keep writing because your words will touch many others who're going through similar situation.

Friendship

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou

If it weren't for the small network of wonderful and supportive women here, I don't know how I'd manage. When my friend Tara came to my place for dinner, she brought along a bag full of desserts. And then she pulled out a bouquet of tulips and handed them to me. "I bought this for you because I know how much you like photographing flowers". Her thoughtful gesture warmed my heart and will be remembered long after the flowers have died.

Oftentimes, months go by before I realized that I haven't caught up with a friend. Even one who lives down the road from me. If anything, the last two decades have taught me a lot about mortality. Friends and relatives who'd suddenly passed on, family members who had successfully beaten cancer and others who didn't. Life is short. And precious.

Over the years, I've stayed in touch with old friends, made new friends, learned to deal with friends who weren't particularly nice, talked to numerous strangers, gained a little wisdom so I can discern better.......... As I listened to them, I've learned that every person has an extraordinary tale to tell.

Many of you have been silent readers of this blog. Perhaps, you've interacted with me. I'd like to get to know you better. Tell me something about yourself. I'd love to hear your story.

Essential functional & practical winter parka

Outfit: Barbour vintage troop parka (30% off), Zadig & Voltaire sweater (similar here), Helmut Lang t-shirt, Zara jeans, Louis Vuitton stole, Louis Vuitton Speedy 35 Bandouliere and Zara boots.


I’ve just about had it with the constant rain (I don’t think the roof on my flat can handle more rain too) and strong winds. The rivers have overfilled and flooded the surrounding area. The constant onslaught of rain and the ever present grey skies have a way of snuffing out any enthusiasm. pfffffffft…….........

I've been on a hunt for a waterproof hooded winter coat for the past few months. Buying a parka is always a bit grim. I guess it’s a reminder of the dreary weather we’re having (biting my tongue very hard here trying to suppress what I REALLY think of the weather). It’s unexciting because functional and practical outerwear ain't all that pretty to look at. Nevertheless, a good waterproof jacket is essential here in the U.K. Oh, and a pair of comfy boots. The search took forever because.......... weeeelllll....... my list of criteria is pretty darn long and borderline anal. I don’t want to buy a jacket and realized it was a mistake. And then fork out more £££ to get another. 

Okay, here goes...... This parka's gotta be/have
- waterproof
- a large hood (preferably with faux fur lining) but not lightweight that it flips right back when the wind blows. Umbrellas are pretty pointless here.
- long enough to cover my butt
- a decent lining so I don’t freeze to death 
- not crazy expensive as I don’t care for an empty bank account
- slimmer cut. I don’t want to look like a dwarfette who had one scone too many
- well made so that I don't have to buy another in a hundred years




I ended up going for a Barbour jacket albeit one that's been redesigned to look more contemporary. Although, the husband has quite a Barbour jacket collection, I hadn't realize how difficult it was to nab one in my size. Everything was sold out during the sale. I was lucky enough to get my hands on this vintage troop parka at 30% off. First up, it's heavy. It's a substantial jacket with thick padding and a quilted Union Jack lining (I know......I just love the cheesiness of it all). Yes, it ticked all the boxes above. The added pros are
1) the multitude of pockets including ones that are hidden inside. Good luck to the pickpocket trying to steal something from me.
2) drawstrings on either side for a slimmer fit.
3) there are buttons behind the faux fur lining so you can turn it inside out. It'll probably protect your face more in a snowstorm
4) the jacket's made in England (I love heritage brands)





Here's Kylie in her waxed cotton parka. She sourced a hood from an army supply shop, stitched the fur that she picked up from a vintage shop. Such a neat idea to revive a vintage jacket.


Photography: Kylie & Me, edited by me.