Hi humans,
Thanks for joining me once again. I hope you are doing well.
I wanted to share my ideas about key pieces everyone should have on their wardrobe. I find lists and posts of trends, color pallets, etc but none of these posts talk about functionality, comfort, safety, things that are important for me.
As you understood in my first paragraph, I am not going to suggest colour palettes, patterns or heel sizes for this season. I am going to suggest comfort and functionality, because I honestly believe that if we don’t have these, we won’t enjoy wearing our clothes and we won’t enjoy the experience we’re having at that moment in time.
Winter Coat:
The first item on my list is a winter coat. Everyone should invest good money in a good winter coat that is wind/snow proof, water resistant, with good pockets and ideally with a hoodie.
This should be that coat, where you can be wearing a nightgown underneath and still not be cold. It should be big enough for you to be able to wear a suit underneath, if you are going to work but not look slouchy.
It should have good size pockets, or several pockets spread around the garment so you have space to keep your things close at hand. If it is cold and/or rainy, no one wants to open their coat to reach their pant pockets, or struggle to push their bag to the front, to get the bus travel card. The things you will use in your commute or on your errands, should be easily accessible to you.
The hoodie obviously is good to protect your head, for when the weather is cold or rainy and you forgot to bring a hat and/or an umbrella.
When choosing your winter coat I would choose a neutral colour or pattern. Reason for this is because a good winter coat can cost a lot of money and you want to get your monies’ worth. and wear it a lot. The objective is for this garment to be versatile, as you will want to wear it for work, taking care of the family or just go grocery shopping. The more neutral it is, the less it will clash with what you are wearing that day.
Winter Boots:
The second item on my list and following the winter coat, I am going to suggest a good pair of winter boots. Style doesn’t matter, but they need to keep your feet warm, protected you from bad weather and have a good grip to avoid falls and injuries.
I became more aware of this necessity when London had the beast from the east storm and it snowed for about 2 months. It was so hard to navigate the city, walk around and I’ve witnessed some street falls that made me purchase a new pair of boots with a good grip.
A good pair of winter boots is what you need when you have to wake up to go to work, you hear the bad weather outside and you start realising how wet you are going to get, even before reaching your car or the tube station.
When I have to face the harsh weather, it makes me feel better knowing I have a good pair of boots that will keep my feet warm and I will not slip if I have to walk fast to catch a bus. l also know that if my feet are warm, then the rest the of the body will follow.
If you are concerned about the boots not matching your day look or you have work style requirements, don’t worry. Carry the shoes that you want to wear on that day on your bag, when you arrive work, you switch.
Backpacks:
The third item on my list is a backpack. Ever since I moved to London I gradually put aside the tradicional womens bags/purses. They are very impractical, very hard to maneuver them in a packed train on rush hour and the tension it creates on only one side of the body is bad.
Personally, me having to drag around a big sports bag at least 3 times a week (pre-covid19 era), was enough of a challenge. Bit by bit I decided to invest in backpacks that would carry my daily essentials like: lunch, kindle, wallet, mobile, etc.
Not only the backpack allows me to split my daily essentials, I know exactly where my travel card is, where my snacks are, etc, but most importantly it splits the weight evenly on my back. This for me is very important and one should avoid carrying heavy items always on the same shoulder as this can negatively affect your posture/back.
Sports Bra:
My last suggestion is a sports bra. All women should buy good sports bras, period. We should not be cheap with our boobies, they deserve better. Doing sports is great, I love it. I have small breasts and still I find some exercises hard to complete if I am not wearing a good sport bra.
I know my cup size and since my breasts are small, I don’t need reinforced bras, I can easily find good second hand ones. But people with bigger cups should find a good reinforced bra that provides all the support needed and be easy to put on or take off. The struggle is real to take these babies off when you are sweaty.
A sports bra has a lot of health benefits, mainly to the person’s back posture as it splits the boobies weight throughout a person back. It also makes the person feel more comfortable and not shy away from doing sports. Doing sports is great for our physical health and mental health. Get a good bra, do sports, now!
My name is Franca and this is personal!
Franca Personal Style Consultancy 